Comics and kids were meant for each other. If it was banned at school, then the kids wanted to read it. Most kids may even have read more comic books than textbooks, which shouldn’t be very surprising. Comic books are short, fast, and easy, while textbooks can put anyone to sleep before getting past the table of contents. Teachers should take advantage of kids’ prior knowledge and use comics in the classroom.
The Myths of Comics in the Classroom
Comics are usually banned from the classroom, so why the suddenly change in attitude? In Going Graphic by Stephen Cary [Heinemann, 2004] he points out the myths commonly held about comics. The number one myth is that comics are all violent, raunchy, or sexist. Yet, they now have classics such as David Copperfield by Charles Dickens and Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain as graphic novels.
Another common misconception is that readers only look at the pictures. If a reader only looked at the picture, he would be missing half the story. Comics are different from pictures in a book. A lot of books have a picture to create space or illustrate a scene. A student would understand the story with or without the picture. A comic or graphic novel is different. The words and the pictures don’t necessarily have to match. They complement each other.
One of the biggest complaints is that comics have minimal written text. It may be true that some wordless comics have no text, but it is equally true that some graphic novels are so long that they would equal a novel. If selected carefully, comics can help readers excel.
How Comics Help Second Language Learners
Second language learners have a hard time reading texts in the classroom. Regular classroom texts have a dense amount of material and few clues to help a reader. Entering a fifth grade classroom with less than a first grade reading level would complicate matters even more. Opening a page and seeing a square of gibberish could frighten a child into never reading again. Graphic novels pull in reluctant readers rather than pushing them away.
Using a comic is less intimidating. The words may still be unfamiliar, but at least the pictures are universal. Having less text means fewer words to look up. Looking up three words is more manageable than looking up twenty-five. Fighting fatigue over keeping track of all the different vocabulary can cause second language learners to give up before they have the full story. Pictures are there to help students understand the story. Once students are engaged and understand part of the story, they’ll want to find out more. It’s easier to plug in the missing pieces than to piece the entire story together word by word.
How to Use Comics in the Classroom
Using wordless graphic novels allows the students to interpret the story. Two great examples are Gon by Masashi Tanaka [DC Comics, 2007] and Owly by Andy Runton [Top Shelf Productions, 2004]. Both have many volumes in the series. After the students have read one story together, the teacher uses shared writing to create a class story. When students get better, they can work in groups. Students could also write a sequel. After reading the story, have students brainstorm other problems for the superhero to solve.
If comics are too controversial, try using the comic strip template in the classroom. After reading Holes by Louis Sachar [Yearling Books, 1998], have students create a comic to summarize the story or identify the main characters. The format will be familiar to students, yet their task would still be the same. Using the three panel comic strip, teachers can easily see whether students understand the concept of beginning, middle, and end.
Teachers can also use the comic strip format to present teaching materials. Better yet, have students design a one panel comic strip to teach a topic. Comic strips aren’t that different from posters. If it engages the students, use it.
Students are curious about the world around them. If the answers are easily accessible, they will learn. The best way to teach is to use materials familiar to the students. Graphic novels provide high interest material in an easily understandable format. Students will be reading them anyway, so take full advantage of their prior knowledge to help them learn things in the classroom.
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