Narrative Pedagogy and Student Identity: Exploring Self-Expression in Classroom Storytelling Projects
Article Sidebar
-
Narrative Pedagogy, , Reflective Learning, Self-Expression, Storytelling Projects
Abstract
Background. In recent years, storytelling has gained recognition as a powerful pedagogical approach that supports reflective learning, self-expression, and identity formation. Narrative pedagogy positions learners as active meaning-makers, enabling them to connect personal experiences with academic knowledge while fostering emotional and ethical engagement within educational settings.
Purpose. This study sought to explore how classroom storytelling projects facilitate students’ reflective engagement and contribute to the construction of personal and academic identities in higher education contexts.
Method. Using a qualitative narrative inquiry design, data were collected from 24 university students and 3 lecturers through semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, and storytelling artifacts. The data were analyzed thematically to examine patterns of self-expression, transformation, and relational meaning-making.
Results. The findings indicate that storytelling practices enabled students to articulate personal experiences in relation to academic content, enhancing self-awareness, empathy, and communicative confidence. Narrative engagement also fostered emotional literacy and a stronger sense of belonging, transforming the classroom into a dialogic and ethically grounded learning space.
Conclusion. The study concludes that narrative pedagogy humanizes the learning process by integrating reflection, identity construction, and ethical understanding. Storytelling emerges as a vital pedagogical practice for cultivating holistic education that supports intellectual, emotional, and social development.
Full text article
References
Alvarez, E. G., & Casanova, C. R. (2025). “Can We Unborder?”: Nurturing Border Identity Development Through Student Powered Pedagogy. Journal of Latinos and Education. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348431.2025.2501980
Armitage-Chan, E., Bell, M., Cake, M., Cobb, K. A., Janicke, H. J., Kelly, S., Read, E., & Warman, S. M. (2025). “Going From Strength to Strength”: Delving into Professional Identity Formation of Veterinary Curriculum Leaders: A Narrative Inquiry. Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 52(1), 123–131. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.3138/jvme-2023-0152
Belarde, S. A. (2025). Narratives that Educate: The Impact of Teaching Indigenous and Folk Literature on Student Learning in Philippine HEIs. International Journal on Culture, History, and Religion, 7(SI2), 388–402. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.63931/ijchr.v7iSI2.204
Bruce, J., Schoone, A., Turner-Adams, H., & Piggot-Irvine, E. (2025). Mapping affect in critical moments of schooling for disenfranchised students. Critical Studies in Education. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/17508487.2025.2517629
Castro-Caliboso, J., Bagalay, B. D., Santiago, M. G. A., Bayan, R. T., Aguinaldo, I. A., & Belo, J. A. (2025). Literary Texts as Cultural Tools: A Study on Contextualized Learning Strategies in Philippine Higher Education. International Journal on Culture, History, and Religion, 7(SI2), 340–355. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.63931/ijchr.v7iSI2.205
Davari, H., Hassani, G., Iranmehr, A., & Ghorbanpour, A. (2025). Environmental Communication Through Language Education: Iranian Teachers’ Perceptions on Integrating Environmental Communication Pedagogy into English Language Teaching. Environmental Communication. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2025.2464171
Flores, K. G., Gadaza, A. C., Galdonez, D. C., Pihnuton, J. N., Soriano, R. B., & Killip, A. G. (2025). Decolonizing Pedagogy: Integrating Indigenous Knowledge and Philippine Historical Narratives in Higher Education Curricula. International Journal on Culture, History, and Religion, 7(1), 333–356. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.63931/ijchr.v7i1.130
Garces-Bacsal, R. M., Tupas, R., Al Owais, N. M., Alkaabi, F. N. R., Al Azzani, K. A., & Alketbi, M. M. K. (2025). Diverse picturebooks for diverse children: A booklist of linguistic diversities and pluralities for inclusivity, belonging, and resistance. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2025.2548575
Gaylo, D. N. (2025). Learning by Design: An Exploration of Mathematics Teachers’ Practice-Based Transformation. Journal of Multidisciplinary in Social Sciences, 21(2). Scopus. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105015155998&partnerID=40&md5=9c5e9bb37f752c1a7a967f2faf4c69f3
Gültekin, M., Yigit-Gencten, V., & Aydemir, F. (2025). Culturally sustaining picture books about sensitive topics for young readers. Early Years, 45(3–4), 625–639. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2024.2397478
Haye-Matsui, A. (2025). Being a Black Woman in Japan: The Intersectionality of Race, Gender, and Nationality. In IMISCOE Research Series: Vol. Part F145 (pp. 143–164). Springer Science and Business Media B.V.; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-81545-4_8
Ho, K., & Clark, D. B. (2025). Fostering STEM identity through storytelling: Links to belonging, self-efficacy, classroom climate, and lab performance. Chemistry Education Research and Practice. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1039/d5rp00230c
Keller, S., & Ponnou-Delaffon, E. T. (2025). BEYOND BORDERS: Teaching for Multiplicity in the L2 French Classroom (pp. 46–64). Taylor and Francis; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003500377-5
Lewis Ellison, T. L., Qiu, T., & Robinson, B. (2025). Black and Latina Girls’ Compositions of Multimodal Community Journaling as Multimodal Artifactual Literacies About STEAM. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 69(1). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaal.70012
Mansouri, B., Pentón Herrera, L. J., Behzadpoor, S.-F., & Nazari, M. (2025). Being and remaining a teacher: Exploring language teacher agency in a neo-nationalist context. Qualitative Research Journal. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1108/QRJ-07-2025-0216
McCormick, E. (2025). Navigating Queer Narratives: Student Teachers’ Perspectives on LGBT+ Picture Books. Journal of Homosexuality, 72(12), 2332–2359. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2024.2428261
Meier, D. (2025). Critical ethnographic action research—The power of curricular and pedagogical adaptation of a teacher education approach from Mexico. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/10901027.2025.2513919
Nurhayati, S., & Judijanto, L. (2025). Culturally Responsive Digital Numeracy Instruction in Indonesian Early Childhood Education: Integrating Indigenous Knowledge and Technology. 152–158. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1109/SCME62582.2025.11104859
Özdil, B. M., & Kunt, N. (2025). Do Bi/Multilingual Learners Play by the Rules of the Game? A Postmodern Approach to L1/L2 Use and Learner Investment. Journal of Language, Identity and Education, 24(3), 711–724. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348458.2023.2180372
Perron, E., Southworth, A., & Vaughn, E. K. (2025). Identity-based framework for critical text integration. English Teaching. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1108/ETPC-12-2024-0189
Rangkuti, N., Setyarini, S., Rodliyah, R. S., & Rakhmafithry, D. (2025). Harnessing Community Voices: Transformative Audio Narratives for Inclusive English Learning in Rural Indonesia. Changing English, 32(3), 243–259. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/1358684X.2025.2477998
Rocha-Seelig, L. (2025). Challenging Stereotypes: Exploring Fat Representation through Nonfiction Literature. Journal of Language and Literacy Education, 21(1). Scopus. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105010330615&partnerID=40&md5=a3d739a21876f1fdd57c27b63567bec5
Rogers, K. D., & Johnson, S. L. (2025). Computer science identity development among black and latinx males. Educational Research, 67(1), 98–116. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2024.2446577
Salas-SantaCruz, O. (2025). My pronouns are fuck ICE: on the colonial gender continuum, colonial dysphoria, and loving illegality. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 38(9), 1349–1370. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/09518398.2024.2365204
Sales-Batang, R., Jaafar, M. T., Domingo-Alejo, J., Ramirez, M. P., Varona, F. A., & Saquing, J. B. (2025). Cultivating Intercultural Competence through Culturally Grounded Pedagogy: A Cultural Studies Perspective in Philippine Higher Education Institutions. International Journal on Culture, History, and Religion, 7(Special Issue 2), 735–750. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.63931/IJCHR.V7ISI2.241
Steele, J. (2025). Beyond the silence: Exploring the nexus between EAP students’ personality traits and participation in university classrooms. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 77. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2025.101559
Stewart, C., & Koopmans, H. (2025). Critical picture book literacy. Journal of Visual Literacy, 44(1), 71–93. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/1051144X.2025.2458444
Stroud, R., & Kumar, V. A. (2025). Narrative Exploration of a High School Activist Theater Project. In Springer International Handbooks of Education: Vol. Part F465 (pp. 561–577). Springer Nature; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-76485-1_40
Tarrayo, V. N. (2025). Intersectionality in language teacher education: A systematic literature review. Language, Culture and Curriculum. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/07908318.2025.2469537
Thomas, P., Dzemidzic Kristiansen, S. D., & von Hof, J. (2025). Education and Cultural Evolution in Norway’s Multiethnic Society (p. 220). Springer Nature; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1007/9783031890185
Turner, A. F., Lee, H. Y., & Le Doux, J. M. (2025). Crating the self: The interplay of agency, entrepreneurial mindset, and narrative identity. Journal of Engineering Education, 114(3). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1002/jee.70003
Waghid, Y. (2025). Living African Philosophy of Higher Education. In Springer Briefs in Education: Vol. Part F800 (pp. 1–79). Springer; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-00391-1
Wang, J., Liardét, C., & Lum, J. (2025). Feeling like an academic writer: An exploration of doctoral students’ struggle for recognition. Studies in Continuing Education, 47(1), 285–301. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037X.2024.2358006
Weidl, M., & Erling, E. J. (2025). Exploring Multilingualism to Inform Linguistically and Culturally Responsive English Language Education. Education Sciences, 15(6). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060763
Whitten, C. (2025). Cultivating a sense of belonging through communities of care and joy: A journey with a budding rural, Queer scholar and activist. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/09518398.2025.2539384
Williams, J., & Pill, S. (2025). Applying the concept of ‘PE-for-sport-literacy’: Exploring pre-service teacher identities with a new way of teaching sport. Sport, Education and Society, 30(4), 457–469. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2024.2318407
Wong, C.-Y. C., & Gallagher, M. (2025). From uncertainty to advocacy: A Teacher’s journey in translanguaging pedagogy. System, 134. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2025.103827
Authors
Copyright (c) 2025 Carlos Martins, Rina Haji Omar, Lusiana Rahmadani Putri, Siti Aisyah Hanim
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
