1st Recommendation
The use of comics (Graphic novels) in the classroom is not new. Many educators use humorous cartoons to liven boring lectures or to teach topics in a fun and engaging way (Park, Kim, and Chung 2011). The use of graphic novels, comics books and strips undeniably have shown advantages in the classroom in the way of improving attention, literacy skills, complexed thinking, and retention of such skills and so much more. These skills are the basic foundations all teachers seek withing their students as they advance through the grades, and to show they went above basic teaching on their teacher evaluations by showing improved grades, not only for their skilled students but those who struggle and result in their lowering of grade
BUT, graphics have far more ranging uses within the classroom, other than humor or improving literacy skills. Graphics can also be used as an assessment tools to correct conceptualization of ideas during quizzes and testing. Rather than students trying to interpret words to find the best possible answer on tests, another way is to depict cartoons. Such as, depicting a group of images showing explanations for an observed phenomenon such as a rusting nail. Only one cartoon depicts the correct answer of why rust forms. In this way, “the concept cartoons help students explore and think through correct and incorrect answers to a question, ruminating on why they may be right or wrong. (Akamca, Ellez, and Hamurcu 2009; Keogh and Naylor 1999)” This method of assessment is beneficial for English as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and younger students who still lack word comprehension (LeCompte and Bauml 2012).
Students can create Comics as a means of showing comprehension, such as drawing out a story board describing the subject. Websites available for creating your own short graphic novels(comics), which can be used in the classroom. Such as https://www.storyboardthat.com/storyboard-creator or https://www.pixton.com enabling teachers and/or students to develop short comics which can be used as anchor charts, subject reminders or literary circle assignments
2nd Recommendation
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The use of graphic novels has been shown to be beneficial for both struggling and non-struggling students and as a means to improve vocabulary, visual literacy, reading skills and subject comprehension in literature, history (Bach 2018, Alverson 2014, Frey 2008, Teale 2008) and now science. Teachers should invest the time to identify suitable graphic novels for their classroom focusing on the subjects they plan to teach and especially for subjects their students struggle in. Since many struggling students find it difficult to read, comprehend and retain information from traditional readings, the use of graphic novels has shown to enable students to retain information better from reading using in this format. (Alverson,2014). Reports have shown “that students with combined text and used graphic novels yielded a median of “65% more creative solutions” than those having a text-only explanation (Mayer 1997)
The use of graphic novels and the shorter comics strips have been used for centuries to inform the limited or un-educated public about political views (Baumgartner 2008), and for advertising products. The impact of graphics has transformed the world beyond what most can imagine from a simple cartoon drawing (Dougherty 2002; Owens 2016). They have been shown to be effective in ALL classroom setting from literature to history and STEM. Toh in 2009 and later Wylie and Neely in 2016 showed its effectiveness in college level engineering algebra. The use of graphic novels in the classroom offers solid advantages in literature and other subjects which cannot be overlooked!
You cannot deny that graphic novels have an advantage in teaching a variety of subject matter, but graphic novels should not be used as substitute for traditional textbooks and teaching, but should be used as an additional learning strategy to help struggling students comprehend subject matter.(Teale 2008)
3rd Recommendation
Because many graphic novels are written towards adults who enjoyed reading children’s comic books as a child but now want something more reflective of the modern world, many graphic novels may contain strong graphic imagery such as sex, violence, torture and foul or offensive language, It is highly recommended for teachers to preview any graphic novel planed for use within the classroom to prevent any unwanted material from being read. Introducing such unwanted material can create such implication as parental complaints, and administrative issues. Screening graphic novels has become much easier with publishers and organizations realizing the benefits graphic novels have for education.
Resources are now available to help educators and librarians to find safe graphic novels for their schools and classrooms. “The American Library Association’s (ALA) Banned Books Week planning committee, working with the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), has made comics and graphic novels the focus of this year’s Banned Books Week (BBW; September 21–27). The CBLDF site has a free, downloadable BBW handbook and also tracks challenges in schools and public libraries, and offers advice on the educational use of graphic novels.( Alverson 2014)” http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks. Also the website Common sense media has a large listing of children safe graphic novels for various ages between 5-16 making it easy to find safe graphic novels for the class room. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/graphic-novels.
Publishers are now open to except child friendly graphic novels making it easier for authors/artist to create and publish their works. Some publishers are even able to connect authors to artist as a way to assist in publication of this newly and highly demanded literary domain for schools (Owens, et al, 2020).