Creating our class story: a narrative inquiry into a mainstream grade one teacher's journey with EAL students

Abstract

Diverse cultures continue to intersect on the school landscape in Manitoba. This autobiographical narrative inquiry (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000) documents 4 years of my experience as a Grade 1 elementary teacher working with an increasing number of English as an Additional Language (EAL) students. Between 2008 and 2011, I invited each class of students to engage in a collaborative writing project entitled Our Class Story where they shared their personal journeys to Grade 1. Drawing upon my field notes, journal entries, previous writings, and photographs, I tell four separate stories of my experience as this class project evolved over time with different groups of students. I then explore how working on Our Class Story shifted my teaching practice and beliefs about teaching EAL Early Years Learners.