Narrative reflective writing: 'It got easier as I went along'

It has been argued that narrative is a natural way of making sense of experience and that it has a particular value in fostering teachers' reflective thinking. This paper looks at these arguments critically through a study of teachers' responses to narrative writing tasks in coursework. The study focuses on the teachers' perceptions of their enjoyment, anxieties, confidence and understanding in relation to narrative writing before and after the coursework. Findings tentatively indicate that narrative writing did come naturally to most of the teachers but that their responses became more positive as they developed experience in narrative writing within a supportive environment.