Denver Public Schools teacher Jenn Anya Prosser feels pretty strongly about children reading graphic novels in school. When she was young, graphic novels helped her work through dyslexia and become a better student, according to Colorado Public Radio. That's why she's teaching a workshop called "Teaching with Comics and the Common Core" at Denver Comic Con this year.
"With comics … you don't recognize all of the pieces you're putting together," Prosser told Colorado Public Radio. "You have images that support the text and you're developing really important skills and creating an understanding of literature by reading comics. From one panel to the next, there's a gap where you insert your own imagination into the story and that empowers you as a reader. You become more interested in what you are reading."
Prosser is not the first educator who understands the benefits of teaching this kind of literature, though. In fact, graphic novels are even included in the Common Core State Standards. Here's how the novels connect to the Common Core:
Graphic novels and the Common Core
The Common Core's fifth grade English/language arts Standards specifically call out graphic novels. One Standard asks students to "analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text," including, it says, in texts like graphic novels or other multimedia versions of fiction. Because visual elements are a large part of the story in graphic novels, students must work to draw inferences about what the illustrations could mean. Graphic novels don't spell out plot points for the reader – children have to use critical reading skills to break down and analyze what's important.
That's not their only merit, though. They're also a great introduction to literature as a whole, especially because they're something children already know and like. For those students who may not have ever considered picking up a book for fun, graphic novels can introduce them to the exciting world of stories.
What graphic novels should teachers use?
According to Prosser, the graphic novel that peaked her interest in the genre as a child was "Maus,"Art Spiegelman's beautifully illustrated retelling of his father's experience in the Holocaust. Like "Maus," there are a vast number of graphic novels that are both interesting and educational. In fact, graphic novel distributor Diamond Comics put together a comprehensive list (broken down by grade level) of graphic novels that can be used in Common Core-aligned ELA lessons.
Graphic novels are not just educational – they're an effective way of getting young students excited about reading.
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