Blog 3   Ephrem Uwalaka

Does the use of comics and graphic novels (hard copy/electronic versions) within the primary literacy curriculum undermine the values of the classroom or do they offer opportunities for learning?

The argument about the value of comics for the benefit of children’s’ literacy has been fought over many decades and still is in question (Marsh and Millard, 2001). As a trainee teacher, as a reader and once a child my position in this debate is as follows.

 In today’s two seminars my peers and I examined and made comics. We also evaluated and discussed a wide variety of different comics from a range intended for a diverse readership of differing ages, gender, interests etc. The former seminar was fun, interesting, creative, engaging… The latter seminar was more in-depth about the deeper impact reading comics has on a reader and the pros and cons of this type of genre and why the argument still reins.

For one moment, let us consider what Marsh and Millard (2001) wrote about how bad comics are and their subsequent inquiry. They are over sexualised, intensely violent, and poor in grammar, weak in depth of meaning through text and a real threat to children’s development of traditional literature. Furthermore, the most damning views called for a ban, blaming medical conditions were caused by this (comics) type of popular culture. Marsh and Millard (2001) conducted a small scale research project and their findings were contrasting. They found that comics had many benefits such as similar amount of unknown words within the text and the comics acted as a bridge to further literacy in the form of scaffolding. Some of the distained comments earlier mentioned were addressed. Regarding comics in schools, teachers need to scrutinize any material sent home but the benefits as an interlude and as another form of other text, as mentioned in the National Curriculum (DfE, 2013), is valid. Overall, many positives were found.  Numerous mixed perceptions from teachers and pupils alike were heard and Marsh and Millard’s (2001) conclusion was not conclusive but they confirmed there are valuable benefits found within comics. Ultimately they established that popular culture does have a place somewhere in-between school and home.

Now I am going to discuss the first seminar. In the last paragraph, Marsh and Millard (2001) discussed comics in school and home; it related more to the latter seminar mentioned earlier. Here, we designed and created our own individual comic strip (see uploaded snapshot on blog). This exercise was motivating, fun, interesting engaging and holistically beneficial to my teaching practice in so many ways. Popular opinion would find it hard to refute or dismiss as un-educational.  The Book Trust (2014) support comics as an educational avenue, and sits firmly within their rich range of literature. Comic life is an online programme where children can create their own comic in a secure classroom setting. Abbotswood Junior School use comic making in lessons and they report that this puts the comics in the hands of the children; it engages them with the opportunity of creativity, individualism, inclusivity, writing, literacy narrative and ultimately an interesting genre as described in the Marsh and Millard (2001) research. In our seminar the evidence to support comics as a constructive means toward literacy demonstrated the full potential and as such, I will advocate their use within my pedagogical spectrum.  

Bibliography

Abbotswood Junior School. Comic Life  planning. [online] http://www.abbotswood.hants.sch.uk/planning/comiclife.html (Accessed on: 31/01/2014)

Book Trust (2014) Inspiring a Love of Books [online] http://www.booktrust.org.uk/about-us/research/ (Accessed on: 31/01/2014)

Comic Life [online] http://comic-life.en.softonic.com/ (Accessed on: 31/01/2014)

DoE, (September 2013) English Programmes of Study: key stages 1 and 2 National curriculum in England [online on] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/260491/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_English_RS2.pdf (Accessed: 02/02/2014)

Marsh, E. and Millard, J. (2001) Sending Minni the Minx Home. Cambridge Journal of education. Volume 31, No.1, pp 25-38