Profile: Issues in Teachers' Professional Development

Narratives From an Epistemological Rationale

Traditionally, epistemology involves analyzing ideas such as truth, validity, objectivity, method, theory, hypothesis, and evidence. However, the decline of positivism and empiricism as the “only” truths for constructing social knowledge has led many academic perspectives to move away from this framework. Accordingly, research on the construction of social knowledge is shifting from the positivism and empiricism of scientific disciplines to a wider range of epistemological viewpoints, where subjectivity and the inherent importance of specific situations are significant (Gómez-Vásquez & Guerrero Nieto, 2018).

In this regard, ELT narratives address different themes, such as professional development (Mora et al., 2014), initial education curricula (Sarasa, 2017), and theories of critical media literacy/critical peace education (Aristizábal Cardona & Ortiz Medina, 2023). Similarly, narratives are portrayed as an epistemological possibility for research in education (Bolívar et al., 2001; Bruner, 1986). By following narrative inquiries as a way to combine environments, subjects, and experiences, scholars have tackled topics relevant to both education and ELT.

For example, in an ethnographic case study that used descriptive-theoretical narrative analysis, de Olivera Nascimento (2019) explored how the participants (undergraduate students, teacher educators, and public-school teachers) construct meaning (knowledge) regarding the ubiquitous presence of English in the academic arena. This shows how stories form, organize, and spread information, and provides insights into how we perceive the world and ourselves. Narratives also involve a higher percentage of research-oriented tasks, critical-reflective participation, and social commitment (Mosquera-Pérez & Losada-Rivas, 2022). This interest enables comprehension of the social subject as the main character in a transforming event and prompts reflection on epistemologies.

Along the same lines, scholars in the field make an implicit claim for the ELT field to take advantage of narrative inquiries to not only share individual stories but, perhaps more importantly, to establish an epistemological stance where knowledge construction is mediated by narratives (Barkhuizen, 2013; Norton, 2013; Nunan, 2013). From this perspective, we identified a connection between narratives and epistemological issues, as life events and knowledge construction unfold over time. Aguirre-Garzón and Ubaque-Casallas (2024) state the relevance of their epistemological position(s) in encouraging them and others to express and challenge the beliefs they have taken for granted rather than to assert epistemic legitimacy or methodological validity. That understanding allows them to avoid the “knowing-known” subject epistemology (Vasilachis de Gialdino, 2003), mainly present in the traditional and canonical objectivist research paradigm that has also dominated the subjectivities of teachers. Although narratives contribute to education and comprehension, they are also inherently subjective, containing presumptions, opinions, and desires that lend them a subjective, potentially oppressive, and influential aspect.

Consequently, the propagation of narratives in the field is based on conceptual realities (theoretical or empirical) that are powerful for teaching, learning, reflective, and/or social processes. Constructs such as subjectivity, objectivity, domination, and even the interepistemic dialogue among narrative inquiry from a decolonial perspective (Posada-Ortiz, 2022) constitute a path to keep transiting through the stories and life events of the community involved. Furthermore, narratives bring to the fore the social construction of knowledge, not just through an individual’s internal dialogue (as attested in intersectional narratives, where the individual’s multiple identities overlap; Ubaque-Casallas, 2021), but also through their interactional component (narratives are explored and interpreted by an audience).

Ricoeur (1978/1999) argues that language cannot be reduced to a single process or method (as in the structuralist view in linguistics and literature) because, when we talk or narrate, we do not use language as an object but as a medium to convey meaning. In narratives, the relationship of the subject with the world and its historical past is intertwined with the imaginative variations typical of human fiction, allowing individuals to view themselves as historical subjects (Berkenbroc-Rosito et al., 2021). Moreover, implementing narratives in EFL classes is essential to help students gain perspective on contemporary events and deepen their understanding of the past. This becomes evident in the way EFL teachers incorporate historical narrative resources into their teaching practices.

Thus, within a framework of knowledge construction evolving through time, epistemology promotes narratives that reconstruct the past and present as a combination of potential futures. To add to this dialogue, narratives as an epistemological option also favor the development of authentic knowledge in ELT teacher education (Sarasa, 2015), as they provide a real-life context for understanding concepts and processes, particularly during the teaching-learning processes.

In a study that used autobiographies to explore the beliefs of student-teachers in a teacher education program, Durán Narváez et al. (2013) found that past and present events shape the participants’ beliefs. Indeed, the authors consider autobiographies a fundamental tool for recording events along a temporal line. According to them, autobiographies seem to be a useful tool for examining teachers’ beliefs, conceptualizations, ideas, and behaviors.

To sum up, the epistemological rationale in narratives highlights the significance of addressing problematic human experiences (Castañeda-Trujillo & Aguirre-Hernández, 2018) and gives meaning to what has happened or is happening in the contexts (e.g., EFL classes), events, or activities in which communities are involved.

Narratives in the Nature of Being(s)

Narrative and storytelling are structural conditions of human existence and have a fundamental ontological approach. Hence, people and institutions give meaning to reality and its experience through different narratives of a historical, social, and cultural nature (Pavlenko, 2007).

Social reality is ontologically subjective since it is created, preserved, and given meaning by common beliefs, behaviors, and interactions rather than existing independently of humans. However, studies on this topic achieve objectivity precisely with language, as argued by Berger and Luckmann (1972). We also spotted a connection between EFL teachers’ realities and professional identities; it can be deduced that (auto)biographies (as fundamental components in narratives) purport to be, in essence, primarily objective reflections to analyze an individual’s personality, reasons, difficulties, and development of their achievements and failures in life by looking at a range of significant events in chronological order.

Likewise, Londoño Bonilla (2022) identifies biographical factors such as experiences in educational trajectories, representations of being a teacher, working conditions, individual and social motivations, and the potential these factors have to shape a different future by transforming reality. While the relevance of narratives in defining one’s identity can be acknowledged, Moreno (2004) underscores the need to discuss “life stories”—accounts that cannot be fully conveyed without focusing on meaningful events or aspects. These narratives can take autobiographical forms or be expressed orally or in writing to an interlocutor.

As a contribution from reflections, we should say that life stories narrate experiences lived by the narrator, which are brought into the ELT field to be (re)interpreted by teachers. These experiences are remembered, interpreted, and carried out by the life storyteller (Bonilla-Medina et al., 2021). Hence, biographies, autobiographies, life stories, and so on, are directly immersed in the nature of being and self, where ontology brings out a condition of life, including the relations of people with events, histories, and their natural characteristics. Ontology studies “being and reality” as a narrative condition; thus, the events people experience are shaped by interactions with others and by life stories that unfold in certain contexts and memorable situations.

For instance, Cárdenas (2024) used documentary evidence (published issues, routinely gathered data, editing processes, and connection with editorial teams) and her personal recollections from her time as Profile editor to understand the viewpoints of authors and reviewers. This means that communities in the knowledge society are characterized by their ability to produce, disseminate, and exchange knowledge as a fundamental component of their existence rather than something that exists independently of them. According to Cárdenas, life stories can also be used to pinpoint the preliminary, ongoing, and transforming issues that need to be fixed to preserve a local, reputable scientific journal for English language teachers. This systematic review benefits from the reflection of a journal editor, as it illustrates how research communities create trustworthy knowledge and how editors consider the way scholars should responsibly present, frame, and promote that knowledge.

Furthermore, the ontological trend within narrative research highlights another key factor: the participants’ socio-emotional issues and personal traits, which are strongly connected to discourse practices (Souza de Oliveira & Fabrício, 2023). We, as narrative perspective researchers, contend that emotions and feelings are direct representations of the self (a sense of being), as social theory holds (Barbalet, 2001). Moreover, an individual’s biography, life story, and other narratives are shaped by subjectivities and experiences that are regarded as concrete representations of reality. Individuals can use narratives to understand their position in particular social contexts. For instance, Clavijo Olarte et al. (2019) showed how teachers and students challenged the difficult circumstances faced in the early 21st century, especially those who work and learn in public schools with limited funding and resources in metropolitan areas.

Also, Ramos (2022) portrayed how the emotional experiences of English language teachers during their initial training and professional development significantly impact their academic journey. The author gathered information on emotions from written and spoken reports, individual interviews, screening sessions, class observations, and video recordings. The participants’ emotions encouraged the researcher to ask about relational, genuine, and personal aspects. Then, from an exploratory stance, the narratives generated opportunities for reflection and self-awareness, which may allow the participants to transform their teaching practices or even their professional identity.

We argue that private notions, passing through human aspects and converging on sentimental assumptions, are important when handling narratives. Narratives from an academic community that have been expressed through personal/introspective conditions constitute another gap in this review. These narratives help people make sense of their experiences and knowledge, and they also address the fact that realities and concerns are not limited to one location, even though they are always changing, depending on the human aspects of life (Mendieta, 2013).

Narratives as a Methodological Approach in ELT Research

Among the various understandings of narratives that contribute to a comprehensive view of their role in ELT research in Latin America, one of paramount importance concerns methodological perspectives that advocate the use of narratives across different paradigms, methods, approaches, designs, and strategies. There seems to be an overlap in uses and understandings, and a plurality of voices encoded in the literature review, so that both the researcher and participants in a narrative study need to make an informed decision to clearly state in their narratives their understanding of the methodological aspects that characterize this sort of research approach. As suggested by Mendieta (2013), narrative research does not adhere to a single approach but encompasses a variety of methods and theoretical frameworks: “Narrative researchers make use of different methods and rely on different, though not necessarily competing, epistemological or theoretical ideas” (p. 140).

According to Sierra Ospina and Giraldo Gil (2020), narratives as a research approach allow researchers to interrogate the particularities of teaching contexts and the complexities of teachers’ subjective experiences. From that view, situated scenarios and personal voices are key to better comprehending the ELT field. In Latin America, narratives have been used for understanding the complexities of teacher identities and revealing the lived realities of educators (Cruz-Arcila, 2020), as well as diverse life dimensions, including individuals’ worldviews, actions, decision-making processes, conclusions, and personal judgments (Trejo Guzmán & Mora Vásquez, 2014). An important point concerns how researchers conceive the relationship between their own role and that of the participants. As Aguirre-Garzón and Ubaque-Casallas (2024) explain, “we are not talking here about an information collection process but about a sustained process of co-construction of knowledge” (p. 79). In this view, what matters is not only the data themselves but also the constant dialogue and the collaborative effort to make sense of participants’ experiences.

For some scholars, narrative inquiry should complement rather than replace traditional research methods, as it offers unique insights into situated contexts. Seerig and Nicolaides (2022, as cited in Barkhuizen et al., 2013) argue that “narrative inquiry is relevant . . . because it enhances our comprehension of the inner thoughts of both teachers and students” (p. 190). Ubaque-Casallas (2023a) links narrative inquiry to the “no-methodology” approach, which allows for a more fluid and ethical engagement with narratives, where the focus is on co-constructing meaning rather than merely collecting data. Narrative inquiry represents a shift from viewing research as a data collection exercise to understanding it as a collaborative process that fosters deeper insights and transformative learning. This view not only enriches research findings but also empowers participants by acknowledging their agency and promotes ethical research practices.

Narratives have also been used as instruments (Mendieta Aguilar, 2011), whether in the form of oral, written, pictorial, and multimodal texts (Berkenbroc-Rosito et al., 2021). Moreover, they also coexist with complementary research instruments and techniques such as surveys, participant observation, notes, group discussions, recordings, recalls, and reflective activities, among others (Castañeda-Trujillo & Aguirre-Hernández, 2018). Narratives are used as data sources to explore, among other things, the emotional landscape of teaching, which, as Ramos (2022) suggests, is necessary to comprehend teachers’ development.

As some scholars have documented, narrative research in ELT overcomes a narrow view of methodological design. Castañeda-Trujillo et al. (2022) propose that narrative researchers do not simply gather stories; they should interpret them to make sense of their meanings and to unveil how they connect with research itself. Likewise, Ochoa Delgado et al. (2023) argue that this type of inquiry is hermeneutic in nature, and it involves a mutual relationship between the parts and the whole. Furthermore, de Laurentiis Brandão et al. (2023) argue that the flexibility of narrative inquiry enables the exploration of teaching and learning as it brings together different data sources, supports holistic analysis, values participants’ voices, fosters reflection, and situates narratives within broader contexts. Taken together, these features allow researchers to have more informed insights into educational processes.

Despite their strengths, narrative studies in ELT also show certain limitations. The absence of a shared methodological framework leads to different interpretations, which can create inconsistencies or leave some accounts less firmly grounded. Because narratives focus on personal experience, questions of subjectivity and research bias inevitably arise, and these have often been spotted by more hegemonic perspectives concerned with traditional rigor. Another challenge has to do with scope: findings are usually attached to specific contexts, which limits generalization but at the same time acknowledges the importance of the local. Ethical issues such as agency and power relations also deserve closer attention. Finally, the potential of digital narratives and new technologies remains unexplored, even though they are becoming increasingly relevant in research.

Narratives to Nurture Pedagogical Practice

A key aspect highlighted in this review is the influence of narratives in language teaching programs and in studies conducted across different contexts in the region. Narratives are not limited to epistemological, ontological, and methodological considerations; they also promote reflections on teaching practices themselves. Through stories and the contexts in which they emerge, such practices can be strengthened, questioned, and enriched by pedagogical approaches that draw on narrative as both inspiration and method. Some pedagogical understandings derived from narratives are described below.

Some scholars suggest that narratives can serve as reflective tools for the development and professional growth of preservice and in-service teachers by fostering self-reflection, critical thinking, dialogue, and collaborative learning among educators and students (Aguirre-Garzón & Ubaque-Casallas, 2022; de Laurentiis Brandão, 2021; Huchim Aguilar & Reyes Chávez, 2013; Ubaque-Casallas, 2023b). Narratives may also contribute to language teaching and learning when teachers bring learners’ stories into the classroom. Doing so can foster a more responsive environment that recognizes and builds on the students’ diverse backgrounds and experiences (Ubaque, 2016). Besides, the possibility of understanding the reasons behind some students’ resistance to learning English can inspire educators to think of effective and culturally situated teaching strategies (Rocha Pessoa & Plaza Pinto, 2013).

In our review, we also found that narratives (a) are valuable tools to foster inclusive and participatory learning environments (De Laurentis & Porta, 2014); (b) they allow individuals to recognize their capabilities and strengths (Bonilla-Medina et al., 2021), which in turn can promote a stronger sense of professional identity; (c) they contribute to understanding the teacher-student relationship and the socio-emotional dimensions of education (Rosas-Maldonado et al., 2021); and (d) they can acknowledge the leaners’ diverse identities and experiences to craft inclusive and socially responsive educational practices (Bonilla-Medina et al., 2021; Nascimento, 2019). For example, Nascimento (2019) explored how the narratives of Black teachers might offer a critical perspective on classroom materials and methods to confront the ideologies that reproduce racism and exclusion in educational settings.

Aguirre-Garzón and Ubaque-Casallas (2024) propose another interesting view. They suggest that narratives can be understood as “pedagogical sites” where learners and educators problematize and share who they are, for instance, as professionals. Narratives also open the possibility to rethink research practices in ethical and political terms. For instance, they can welcome voices often marginalized within educational discourse. Mosquera-Pérez and Losada-Rivas (2022) also claim that narratives can enhance the views of teachers that inform their pedagogical philosophies and methodologies.

The review also showed that a comprehensive understanding of identities and experiences is achieved when learners and teachers share their stories (Caldeira Andrade, 2007). Therefore, narratives might be considered a bridge between personal histories and language learning. In this sense, they become a democratizing tool in education (Sarasa, 2015), one that can “liberate students and teachers alike” (p. 15) and revalue local experiences within broader global dynamics. Ubaque-Casallas (2021) argues that narratives can challenge instrumental approaches to language teaching and promote social transformation. Therefore, a pedagogical view of narratives not only discusses epistemic, methodological, and ontological questions but also opens up the possibility of interrogating local practices and unveiling lived experiences.

Despite this overview, there are still some challenges, such as the limited empirical evidence on how narratives affect learning outcomes, which makes it difficult to assess their impact beyond a qualitative stance. Moreover, even though they promote inclusion and critical reflection, the use of narratives in the classroom often depends on teachers’ readiness to integrate them. Institutional pressures, rigid assessment schemes, and the prevalence of standardized testing might restrict the potential of narratives.

Another limitation is the tendency to focus on teacher narratives, sometimes overlooking student voices and the ways learners actively construct meaning through storytelling. Furthermore, although narratives challenge dominant ideologies, their transformative potential is constrained when they are not accompanied by broader systemic changes in language education policies and practices.