Sometimes I feel like graphic novels are pushed aside because they can be seen as just "picture books". I think that teachers, including myself, sometimes look down upon them as whole genre because they aren't like the classics, and they aren't like the "real" literature that students need. This class is changing my views. Last year I had a student find a complete series of graphic novels and was reading them religiously. His scores improved by 44 percentile points simply because he was engaging in literature and reading. I did not discuss these stories with him in class because we were working through novels and classic literature and writing. It is amazing what can be triggered by the brain in graphic novels.
I will admit, when I saw the graphic novels on the syllabus, I was not excited. I have never really gotten into graphic novels. I do know that several students read them, regardless of their age. Are these graphic novels a new approach to teaching literacy? I don't think so. I believe that the early stages of comic books and "funnies" led the way to more in depth literature with the use of picture elements. One of my biggest revelations while reading Hugo Cabret was that the pictures really add more to the story. Sometimes when I think about graphic novels and pictures, I think that the pictures can take away from the words and what the author is trying to get across. My thinking there cannot be more wrong. I think the pictures actually add to what the author is trying to say. It seems silly to reveal that, but my exposure to graphic novels was limited. I still do not have a good grasp on good graphic novels to recommend, but I will be opening my searches up and not dismissing a book simply because it is a graphic novel. I am still unsure of how a graphic novel could fit in the curriculum, but that will also be one of my continuing plans for changing my teaching.
Megan, I was in the same boat as you: not excited about reading graphic novels. Once again, I was pleasantly surprised! Though I agree that graphic novels will not replace literature as a whole, I think there is a lot of value that can be found in a graphic novel! The possibilities are endless! (Comparing the original to a graphic adaptation? Writing their own graphic adaptations?)
ReplyDeleteI agree ladies. Graphic novels do not replace literature, but they can be a great way to get students "hooked" on reading in general.
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way about being required to read graphic novels. I thought I would struggle, not being able to immerse myself in reading. I was completely mistaken. I was actually mesmerized by the story and found that the graphics did not take away from the story. I was pleasently surprised. Will I begin reading graphic novels, probably not, but I will make them available in my classroom as a resource for students who do enjoy them.
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