This article presents a study of prospective teachers' writing about service-learning experiences. Focusing on three teachers' writing about their work with students who are 'at-risk' of school failure, this article outlines how Bakhtin's theory of dialogism assists in understanding the responsive quality of writing. Specifically, the article depicts how Bakhtin's concepts of heteroglossia, internally persuasive discourse and answerability are present within teachers' texts. Through exploring prospective teachers' writing as related to their work within service-learning contexts, this article explores how writing becomes a site for inquiry and reflection for prospective teachers to consider the act of teaching.