In the classroom we are teaching pupils
digital literacy to prepare them to participate in the society we live in. It
is impossible to teach only by using hard covered novels as they were used
before. Children are losing interest in reading and going to the library only because
of a lot of opportunities in the digital word.
Comics/graphic novels can be used as a way of
boosting pupils reading skills and interest. Here are the results from the experiment in
Scotland where they followed two groups
of 15 boys in stage S3. The first group were regular (non-reading) library
users. The second group contained already keen readers and most of them where
comic and graphic novels enthusiasts. The second group participated
enthusiastically and with responsibility in the group and that in a stage where
boys are normally quitting their reading habits. (educationscotland.gov.uk)
This experiment tells us, that
we need to have comics/graphic novels in our curriculum because it exercises
the concept literacy and engage reading skills. It is a good idea to let
schools and libraries do a workshop together. This can make the pupils feel
confident with the library and make it more likely that they will use it.
Dr. Frederick Wertham has a
thesis about ‘That comic books could be held accountable for the growth of in
juvenile delinquency.’
But the pupils committed to
reading and the use of library are not the ones to commit delinquency, they are
learning to take part and responsibility in the society.
And is it not better to engage
in reading furthermore for S3 pupils – than have boys quitting on reading
already in that stage?
Furthermore the use of comics
and graphic novels can be used to:
-Provide challenging reading
for even the most sophisticated reader.
-Enhance and encourage desire
and ability to access books.
-Improve literacy through the
medium of graphic novels. (educationscotland.gov.uk)
The layout comes in a lot of
different shapes. There can be only pictures, big chunks of text, colors, and
different speech bubbles and with details in the drawings. And again there is
the part where the pupils are the designers of their own comics. That is
exactly what contributes to digital literacy.
We used the program Comic Life
to create our own comics which also figures on the blog and that was a lot of
fun. It is easy to use and will challenge the pupils in a good way.
One of the Graphic novels that
I do not know but that I will buy is ‘Ethel and Ernest’. From my point of view
it is a great opportunity to learn history through graphic novels because even
those who have a hard time reading it will participate in this class.
I see comics/graphic novels as
a great option in the curriculum and I am sure that they will help us to have
better and more interested readers and writers in the classroom.
Bibliography
Merchant, G (2007) Wrighting
the future in the digital age Literacy 41
(3) pp118-128
Millard and Marsh (2001)
‘Sending Minnie the Minx home: comic and reading choices’
Cambridge
Journal of Education, 31:1, 25-38
I definitely agree that comics can engage low ability readers, however strong readers can also use comics to extend and challenge ideas. Your list of uses for graphic novels and comics are interesting.
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