Is there a place for comics and graphic novels in the modern classroom?

Although the terms comic book and graphic novel are sometimes used interchangeably, a comic, at about the length of a picture book, tends to be shorter than a graphic novel. Both are uniquely made up of images and text in a way that evokes a quality of film. Drawing on children’s existing knowledge of this medium, children can become creators of their own comics and graphic novels and thereby enhance understanding of paper-based multimodal texts (UKLA, 2005). With intuitive programmes such as Comic Life and even PowerPoint, children can record their own experiences or a narrative in a new and relevant way. Their value for reading and writing development is acknowledged in the Primary National Strategy for literacy (DfES, 2006).

Reflecting a growing positive sentiment, the graphic novel has emerged as a rising segment of book publishing as librarians and educators embrace their potential for motivating children to read (Scholastic, 2007). Reports demonstrate soaring circulation figures, most notably amongst boys who are traditionally difficult to engage (Sainsbury & Clarkson, 2008; Krensky, 2008). At the same time, examples with rich, complex plots and narrative structures can satisfy and challenge more advanced readers (Scholastic, 2007). For instance, the teachers’ pack containing graphic novel representations of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Kossuth, 2011) offers great flexibility through varying text content. They claim to be ‘Making Shakespeare accessible for students and teachers’ and this, as well as other examples of his plays are arguably ideal for the genre, as they were never intended to be read without images. Images are therefore viewed as a valuable opportunity to make meaning, rather than as something which demines the text in line with today’s image dominated society (Jacobs, 2007; Mackey & McClay, 2000).

Looking at whether comics and graphic novels in fact undermine the values of the classroom, it is important to consider where notable reservations stem from. Those in a position to provide children with appropriate texts, such as teachers and parents may associate the term “graphic novel” with content that is not suitable for young readers (Scholastic, 2007). Of course teachers must take care to ensure suitability of content for both comics and graphic novels, yet should also acknowledge their potential to portray a range of topics suitable for cross-curricular learning. It is they who are the best judge of whether a text’s inclusion of violence or challenging themes are appropriate for their individual class (Stafford, 2009).

Others fail to recognise that graphic novels in particular can help children to move on with their reading, but instead believe that they undercut “real reading”. In contrast, Gaiman (1999) believes that rather than inferior literature, they have intellectual value in the classroom. The notion that graphic novels are too simplistic to be regarded as serious reading is outdated as they demand the decoding and comprehension of diverse literary devises including narrative structures and symbolism (Scholastic, 2007). The critical skills involved are similar to that used for traditional texts but also encourages children to interpret meaning behind facial and bodily expressions and the pictures’ composition and viewpoint. An effective strategy to promote inference, as observed on placement with the comic The Bash Street Kids  is to remove the dialogue from a page and ask children to decipher what characters could be saying (Stafford, 2007). For struggling or unconfident readers, graphic novels such as The Savage (Almond, 2009) act as a stepping stone, bridging the gap between comics and novels. The illustrations provide contextual clues to the written narrative that could otherwise appear daunting.

The layout of both mediums may also be difficult for early readers to decipher, yet this can be overcome with explicit teaching of their conventions. This relates to my practice, on which several children omitted the speech bubbles in texts suggesting an unfamiliarity with the concept. Initial discussions on comics should introduce children to their characteristics and install them as a credible form of literature in their minds (Stafford, 2009). The non-fiction graphic novel Water Goes Round: The Water Cycle (Kootz, 2011) acknowledges this by telling its reader how to navigate the pictures before proceeding. Once children and adults become familiar with the layout, they are better equipped to make meaning from them. In conclusion, providing young people of all abilities with diverse reading materials, including graphic novels and comics, can help them become lifelong readers.

Useful Resources for creating comics online:

·       http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/

·       http://marvelkids.marvel.com/games/play/75/create_your_own_comic

·       http://www.garfield.com/fungames/comiccreator.html

References

Almond, D. (2009) The Savage Walker Books

DfES (2006) Primary National Strategy London: DfES

Gaiman, N. (1999) in Bender, H. The Sandman Companion (New York: Vertigo Books, 1999), 4. 

Jacobs, D. (2007). More than words: Comics as a means of teaching multiple literacies. English Journal, 96(3), 19-25.

Kossuth, K. (2011) A Midsummer Night's Dream Teaching Resource Pack Towcester: Classical Comics

Kootz, R. (2011) Water Goes Round: The Water Cycle Minnesota: Capstone Press

Krensky, S. (2008) Comic Book Century: The History of American Comic Books Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books

Mackey, M., & McClay, J. (2000). Graphic routes to electronic literacy: Polysemy and picture books. Changing English, 7(2), 191-201.

QCA/UKLA (2005) More than words 2: Creating Stories on page and screen. London: QCA pp19-23:

Sainsbury, M. and Clarkson, R. (2008) Attitudes to Reading at Ages Nine and Eleven: Full Report. Slough: NFER.

Scholastic (2007) Using Graphic Novels with Children and Teens: A Guide for Teachers and Librarians http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/using-graphic-novels-children-and-teens-guide-teachers-and-librarians Accessed 28-01-14

Stafford, T (2009) ‘Teaching Comics’ in Duncan, D. (2009) Teaching Children’s Literature: Making stories work in the classroom Abingdon:Routledge

Thomson & Co. Ltd. (2003) The Bash Street Kids