People across all ages and backgrounds find comic books to be quite intriguing. When it comes to the classroom, the same is reflected. Teachers are now turning their lessons into engaging sessions, and students are benefiting by finding it easy to learn.
Comics bring about lots of benefits in education. For instance, students build confidence in studying, thus enhancing their literacy. They also encourage diverse thinking while also sparking creativity among learners. Those experiencing learning difficulties also find it easier to grasp concepts as they can be easily communicated through pictures.
Without the proper knowledge, however, you may fail to achieve your goals. These tips will guide you on the do’s and don’ts when planning to incorporate comics into your classroom.
Tips When Introducing Comics to Your Classroom
Looking to adopt comics in your classroom sessions? Here are some crucial tips:
Start Visiting Your Local Comic Store
It is usual for a teacher to feel at home whenever they are in a bookstore, but the same may not apply to when you are in a bookstore. However, it would be best if you fought the bookstore urge and begin taking the crucial trips to the comic shop nearby. But get this; when the comic own shop owner learns that you intend to improve learning in class through comics, chances are they will be willing to assist you.
Conduct Adequate Research
The Common Core State Standards highly recommend that tutors expose learners to a wide range of textual formats. That is why the incorporation of graphic novels inside classroom sessions is highly encouraged. It may not be easy, and most of the time, teachers face hurdles when adopting the use of comics in teaching. To beat these, you need to be armed with enough information and scholarly writings.
A lot of studies have been conducted to demonstrate how comics can be used to change the perceptions of learners for the better. Furthermore, you can access lots of publications online and relevant articles on essay writing websites to guide you on how you can strengthen the literacy of your class.
Interact with Comic Experts
Remember that gentleman you saw wearing the Green Lantern jacket on his way to work? Or that old lady who had a Wonder Woman badge attached to her trench coat? Look for them and discuss with them on the same. You can ask them about their favorite comics and what they may be reading at the moment. Better yet, you can ask them even more specific questions such as:
- Which is the ideal comic that can help me teach symbolism to high school students?
- Any recommendations for someone writing an excellent book that features a tough lady protagonist?
- Which comics can you suggest for my fourth-grade students?
As experts in the field, these individuals understand that cartoons cover a vast selection of skills, material, and content. Thus, they will support you as you plan to introduce learning through pictures.
Read a Lot
Even with experts by your side, it is you, who understands what works with students, and what does not correctly. Therefore, the duty of finding all the necessary material is still yours in the end. But you do not have to worry since comics are unimaginable quick reads. Indeed, tutors nowadays have limited time to teach a particular concept exhaustively. But even with the longest comic books, your class will take at most two hours to read and consume all the information contained.
Furthermore, you can leverage loads of licensed works like popular franchises and superheroes that the class is already familiar with. This will be the most appropriate place to begin reading since you already have an idea about the characters and material that would engage your students well.
Get Social
Ensure that you are linked to industry experts by following them on social media platforms. This way, you will always access helpful information and be updated with the latest trends. Furthermore, you will get professional development and other growth opportunities when you attend comic book conventions since the events. Often, you can also participate in comic-centered occasions that take place within the neighborhood bookstores and libraries.
Another helpful move is by joining professional learning communities and interact with like-minded professionals seeking to exploit the benefits of comics. All these people could be resourceful down the line.
Using comics in class will bring about significant improvement in the attention span of your students as well as their delivery. Graphic novels also enhance creativity, and it is an innovative way of delivering knowledge even to learners with disabilities. The impact of these intriguing images goes beyond the class sessions, to the exam room, and further into a learner’s eventual career.