In
primary education comics and graphic novels are often approached with caution
because their content is seen as controversial and undermining of literacy
(Learning and Teaching Scotland). One
concern surrounding comics and graphic novels is that they stereotype gender
roles which could influence children’s thinking (Arthur, 2005), male characters
and shown as braver and more independent than female characters and, in
superhero comics, more violent (Millard and Marsh, 2001) which could affect
classroom values negatively.
Another
point in which comics are classed as undermining classroom values is that they
are seen as the ‘enfant terrible’ of literature and are an immature imitation
of the novel (Stafford, 2011). Schools, therefore, often perceive comics as
being suitable for their ‘less able’ pupils (Learning and Teaching Scotland),
and while comics do encourage less able children to read allowing them access
to the stories through the pictures (Millard and Marsh, 2001) they are also
suitable for more able readers as they are far more complex than first
perceived.
On
the other hand comics and graphic novels do offer a wide range of opportunities
for learning. On SE3 I observed an activity, with the Year 3 children achieving
higher than expectations, in which they were given a Dennis the Menace Comic
Strip but the teacher had taken the dialogue from the speech bubbles. The
children had to create their own speech for each picture. This not only taught
the children about dialogue but also taught them to infer meaning from the
pictures, as well as allow for discussion about form, structure, character and
plot (Stafford, 2009). Additionally the activity above, and other activities
suggested by Stafford (2009) using comics and graphic novels, allows for richer
creativity when reading and writing by supporting children’s vocabulary
development and the generation, organisations and refinement of their ideas
(Learning and Teaching Scotland). Furthermore comics can be used across the
curriculum such as PSHE in which comics can be used to teach citizenship and
enterprise (Learning and Teaching Scotland).
In
conclusion, in using comics and graphic novels we need to be aware of the
issues and concerns which arise and use this, along with our knowledge of the
children, to decide which comics or novels we use before we think about how we
use them (Stafford, 2009). However as
demonstrated above comics can provide numerous resources and opportunities to
develop children’s thinking skills (Learning and Teaching Scotland) as well as
be able to read the different modes that text is made up of; writing, print,
images, sound, gesture and movement (UKLA, 2005).
Bibliography
Arthur,
L. (2005) ‘Popular Culture: views of parents and educators’ in Marsh, J. (2005)
Popular Culture, New Media and Digital Literacy in Early Childhood Oxon:
RoutledgeFalmer
Learning
and Teaching Scotland: Graphic Novels in the Curriculum (see online) 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
UKLA (2005) More than words 2: Creating Stories
on page and screen. London: QCA pp19-23: (see online) http://www.suehorner.com/resources/8_More+than+words+2+$282005$29.pdf
Stafford, T (2009) ‘Teaching Comics’ in Duncan, D.
(2009) Teaching Children’s Literature: Making stories work in the
classroom Abingdon: Routledge
Stafford, T. (2011) Teaching
Visual Literacy in the Primary Classroom Abingdon: Routledge
