Comics and graphic novels

This is the comic which I have made using comic life programme. I found it an easy to use programme and enjoyed creating the comic.

The use of comics and graphic novels in the primary classroom can be used as an effective literacy tool, yet, there are some issues when considering the use of these texts. There is much evidence that shows the growing increase of interest for graphic novels and comics suggesting their popularity and therefore being more contemporary and important to pupils. Marsh and Millard (2008) highlight the importance of providing children with a variety of texts to engage them in their learning and reading.

 However, there is no requirement for their use in the National Curriculum (DfES, 2013), even though they were listed as a text in the PNS Literacy Framework (DfES, 2006). This does not mean that they cannot still be used; it is the teacher’s decision to decide whether they are appropriate and relevant to the class and topic of the lesson.

Millard and Marsh (2001) and Dean (2010) convey the concerns about the use of comics and graphic novels in the classroom, conveying that children are reading comics and graphics novel which are not seen as educational at all due to the colloquial language and cartoon pictures. In contrast to this, in the seminar we discussed the idea of using comics and graphic novels to teach the non-standard forms of English, as well as using comics to develop children’s comprehension skills as the story often revolves around the comic pictures as well as the text. The UKLA (2005) suggests the development of children’s reading and comprehension skills

Graphic Novels in the Curriculum website highlights that although there are some issues that surround the use of comics and graphic novels they suggest the positive impact they have on children’s ideas and work. Marsh and Millard (2001) portray that these types of text are popular with children as the bridge the home-school link and are often not seen as “reading”.

Bibliography:

-          Dean, G (2010) ‘Rethinking Literacy’ in Bazalgette, C. (ed) (2010) Teaching Media in Primary Classrooms. London: Sage

-          DfES (2006) Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics, DFES

-          DfES (2013) National Curriculum for England And Ireland. DfES Publications.

-          Learning and Teaching Scotland: Graphic Novels in the Curriculum (see online)
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/g/graphicnovels/intro.asp (Accessed: 1/02/2014)

-          Millard, E. and Marsh, J. (2001) ‘Sending Minnie the Minx Home: comics and reading choices’, Cambridge Journal of Education, 31 (1)

-          QCA/UKLA (2005) More than words 2: Creating Stories on page and screen. London: QCA