Week 3: Comics and Graphic Novels in the Classroom

Comics and graphic novels are one of the many multimodal texts children encounter and can play a role in developing children as readers (Collins 2008). These texts are an everyday part of children’s lives and they expect to experience similar texts while at school (UKLA 2005). Teaching children how to understand these texts is an issue that teachers have to tackle if they are to prepare children for 21^st century life (Harrett & Benjamin 2009). However many teachers see the use of comics and graphic novels as conflicting with curriculum expectations and therefore do not include them within lessons (Lambirth 2003).

This view of graphic texts hinders their inclusion within the classroom, having been seen as an enemy of reading for decades many have concerns that they are dumbed down literacies (Dean 2010). Furthermore Millard and Marsh (2001) found that due to the assumption that pictures are only needed for people who cannot read they are seen as inferior to more literal texts. Likewise Dean (2010) found that educators believe graphic texts require less mental effort to decipher meaning from and therefore regard them as ‘inappropriate and second rate in educational settings’ (pp55). This has caused them to be called the beef burger of the literary world; they fill you up but do not nourish you (Millard & Marsh 2001).

Dean (2010) argues that the reason that graphic texts are seen as inferior is because teachers often have little knowledge of the texts that their pupils read. Arthur (2004) has shown that when teachers are knowledgeable about children's cultural capital they are able to use it to generate interest and provide beneficial learning experiences. This is supported by Harrett and Benjamin (2009) who argue that teachers need to change the way they approach teaching with media in order for it to be effective.

The most important issue when choosing texts to use with children is the appropriateness of the content (Stafford 2009) and the images and language used within some graphic texts is seen as offensive and over-sexualised (Millard & Marsh 2001). However, the violence and stereotypes that can be found within these texts offer an opportunity to address these matters within the classroom (Arthur 2004). To use graphic texts successfully within the classroom they must be introduced so that they are seen as a credible literary source (Stafford 2009) and as with all literary stimuli it is how the teacher integrates it into the lesson that decides on its success (Collins 2008).

Stafford (2009) suggests many ways in which graphic texts can be used; these include removing the dialogue so that children have to interpret the pictures and supply their own; encouraging children to write their own comic scripts with directions for the artist, this method will help to develop children's creative and description skills; and the more formal aspects of illustration that comics employ.

In conclusion graphic texts are a rich resource that if used correctly can be a very effective tool in teaching literacy to children.

 

Bibliography

Arthur, L. (2004) ‘Popular Culture: Views of Parents and Educators’ in Marsh, J. [ed] Popular Culture, New Media and Digital Literacy in Early Childhood. London: RoutledgeFarmer

Collins, F.M (2008) ‘Reading Resources’ in Graham, J & Kelly, A. [eds.] Reading under Control 3^rd Ed. Oxon: David Fulton

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

Harrett, J & Benjamin, T. (2009) ‘Travel with a Time Lord: Using Media to Enhance Literacy’ in Literacy, Vol 43. Number 3.

Millard, E. & Marsh, J. (2001) ‘Sending Minnie the Minx Home: Comics and Reading Choices’ in  Cambridge Jouranl of Education Vol 31 No.1.

Stafford, T. (2009) ‘Teaching Comics’ in Duncan, D. [ed] Teaching children's Literature: Making Stories Work in the Classroom. London: Routledge

UKLA (2005) More Than Words 2: Creating Stories on Page and Screen. London: QCA