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Katie Subra English Language Fellow

subr0054@umn.eduelfbelarus.wordpress.com

Using Comics and Graphic Novels for Reading, Writing &

Visual Literacy Activities

+How can comics and graphic novels improve language abilities?Speaking ReadingWriting ListeningVocabulary …but what about other

Grammar literacy skills?

+Using comics and graphic novels can also increase:

Cultural literacy: Discovering personal stories and national perspectives through graphic novels and comics

Visual literacy: Reading colors, symbols, expressions, signs, icons…

Civic literacy: Facilitating community building & group work

+Example 1: Blankets

Literacy Skill Targeted:Cultural – Personal story with religion, family life, teenage-angst, growing pains, first love, self-reflection…

+Example 1: Blankets by Craig Thompson

Literacy Skill Targeted:Visual – Color, patterns, body language, facial expressions, setting, space, formatting (gutter, panel, dialogue & thought balloons, motion, sound effects… )

+Example 1: Blankets by Craig Thompson

Literacy Skill Targeted:Civic – Creating a common, authentic dialogue in the classroom through group work and language skill practice

+SpeakingGraphic Novels & comics provide excellent

conversational material Pick out themes to discuss and compare Retell the story Describe the relevance of the visuals Predict the next panel/page Role play the story (You already know what it is

supposed to look like, so why not reproduce it any way you want?)

Try a dramatic reading of the text and assign roles

+ReadingMake graphic novels & comics required reading Compare Cultural themes in multiple personal

narratives: Persepolis, Maus, Blankets, La Perdida, American Born Chinese, … (this may inspire some writing tasks)

Start a graphic novel/comic book club Ask students to fill out a plot diagram Problemetize the plot diagram Read reviews of the novel Compare reviews to your students'

own views Conduct reading comprehension quizzes

+WritingUse both academic and free writing exercises to

tackle many themes Do a character analysis Compare/contrast multiple characters or choose

one to compare/contract with yourself Write a cause/effect essay describing the

sequence of events in the novel or comic Write a review of the graphic novel/comic Fill in captions and dialogue based on visual

cues

+Grammar & Vocabulary

1. Find a comic strip or graphic novel appropriate for the target grammar/vocabulary. You can also use pictures or ads!

2. Remove the text.3. Provide students with a list of

required grammatical structures or vocabulary to use.

↵Example:Question: Use a modal to fill in

the speech bubble (should, can, would, must, ought, could…)

Answer: "You shouldn't expect a note in a bottle to get you off a deserted island!"

+Task-based instructionCreating an authentic project-based assignment

that demonstrates the comprehension of the subject.Create personal narrative in the

form of a graphic novel or comic combining cut-out pictures or illustration skills with text (captions, dialogue/thought balloons, sound effects)Or, create a storyboard about any course theme which can be described sequentially (history, cooking, science projects, …)As a group task, each member can create one part of the plot which they fit into a one-page storyboard

Questions? Need more resources?subr0054@umn.edu – http://elfbelarus.wordpress.comCrawford, Philip. "Using Graphic Novels to Attract Reluctant Readers

and Promote Literacy." Library Media Connection. February, 2004. Volume 22, Issue 5, p26-8.

Eisner, Will. Comics and Sequential Art. W. W. Norton & Company, August 2008.

Little, Drego. "In a Single Bound: A Short Primer on Comics for Educators." March 2005. New Horizons for Learning. www.newhorizons.org/strategies/literacy/little.htm.

McCloud, Scott. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. William Morrow Paperpacks, April 1994.

Schwarz, Gretchen E. "Graphic Novels for Multiple Literacies." Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. November 2002. Volume 46, Issue 3, p282-5.

Weiner, Stephen. Faster Than a Speeding Bullet: The Rise of the Graphic Novel. Nantier Beall Minoustchine Publishing, November 2003.