Week 3

Comics and Graphic Novels

Does the use of comics and graphic novels within the primary literacy curriculum undermine the values of the classroom or do they offer opportunities for learning?

 

Before engaging with this seminar and readings I had not thought about using comics in the classroom, however, from engaging with a comic and the potential educational uses they have, my imagination has been broadened with the purposeful uses of comics and graphic novels offering a broad number of opportunities for learning.

‘Comic books are credible literature’ (Stafford, 2009:120) and offer opportunities in specific areas of the curriculum. ‘It is frequently assumed that only those who are unable to read the words have a need for illustration’ (Millard & Marsh, 2001:27) however Education Scotland disagrees stating ‘graphic novels/comics enhance rather than undermine reading skills’. They can help children to read both print and visual elements, teachers interviewed by Millard and Marsh (2001) ‘incorporated work based on comic characters and the linguistic features of comics into their literacy curriculum’ (page 33).

Features of Comics such as character profiles provide experience of descriptive language, interviews provide strong examples of open questions which could be applied to activities such as hot seating, and not to mention the endless uses of comic strips provide examples of onomatopoeia, inference and deduction, and the use of speech. These features meet many curriculum requirements; children in year 1 are required to use ‘organisational features [...] including captions and illustrations’ and in key stage 2 are required to use inference and deduction (DfEE, 1999).

 
In seminars the fears many teachers express about the language and themes that can occur in comics were discussed, ‘the content of comics [...] is often challenging to the social discourse constructed by teachers and their introduction into the classroom a threat to that moral order’ (Millard & Marsh, 2001:27). However; aren’t all types of reading material open to this? As Stafford (2009) supports children’s novels such as Harry Potter also depict acts of violence. ‘Teachers need to be aware of the popularity of comic reading’ (Millard & Marsh, 2001:26) if children want to read comics they will read them outside the classroom, teachers can provide a safe environment for children to discuss such themes and language. One teacher stated they removed one of the comics because he considered the level of violence it depicted to be unacceptable (Millard & Marsh, 2001:3), Stafford (2009) states comics can be checked through in a matter of minutes to reveal if it is suitable for a particular class and also states there are many comics that do not contain such themes. 
 

DfEE (1999) The National Curriculum London: HMSO

Learning and Teaching Scotland: Graphic Novels in the Curriculum http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/g/graphicnovels/intro.asp

Millard and Marsh (2001) ‘Sending Minnie the Minx Home: comics and reading choices’ Cambridge Journal of Education, 31:1, 25 – 38

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