Okay, Here's What I Need... Books about Teaching Comics!

4/5/2014

by Glen Downey, Comics in Education, www.comicsineducation.com

Books that Provide Teachers with the Ideas and Activities for Teaching Visual Narrative in the K-12 Classroom

Once teachers have read a few comics for their own enjoyment, done some additional reading about the genre, and found a good graphic novel to use with their students, only one thing remains. They need to do some reading about how to teach the genre to young people. Below are four excellent resources that teachers can use when they want to bring visual narrative to the K-12 classroom.

In Graphic Detail

by David Booth and Kathy Gould-Lundy

Award-winning educators, David Booth and Kathy Gould Lundy, look at the use of graphic novels in this activities-based book designed for the K-12 classroom. Exercises involve not simply reading and writing but help to develop the student's ability to express their learning through visual art and drama.

Learning to Read with Graphic Power

by David Booth and Larry Swartz

This book is designed to develop core literacy skills by having students engage with visual narrative. Using examples from the award-winning Boldprint Kids Graphic Readers series, the book shows why graphic novels should be in the classroom and how they can connect to pre-existing literacy programs.

Teaching Visual Literacy

by Nancy Frey and Douglas B. Fisher

This resource by Nancy Frey and Douglas B. Fisher is an everything-you-need-to-know look at comics, graphic novels, cartoons, and manga as a way to foster and develop thinking and visual literacy skills in the classroom. It shows readers not only that a picture is worth a thousand words, but how visual imagery can inspire and engage reluctant readers.

Wham! Teaching with Graphic Novels Across the Curriculum

by William Brozo, Gary Moorman, and Carla K. Meyer

As part of the Language and Literacy series, illiam Brozo, GaryMoorman, and Carla Meyer give readers a resource for teaching with graphic novels across the curriculum. Focusing on the high school classroom, the book shows teachers how to incorporate graphic novels into content area instruction while motivating reluctant and struggling readers.

3 Comments

Bill

6/5/2014 09:09:34 am

I just retired in January from 28 years asa COURT SCHOOL teacher in San Diego- Thanks in large part to Dr Robin Hill ( rhill@nu.edu) I used comics in the classroom and had amazing results- GO FOR IT!

Frank Baker link

6/5/2014 01:49:14 pm

I did not see you list ANY books written by Katie Monin of the University of Florida. She has three or four out now and each is excellent. I believe her publisher is Maupin Press. You won't go wrong, I promise.

Ethan Delavan link

6/5/2014 09:57:41 am

See also: Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics" at http://scottmccloud.com/2-print/1-uc/

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Glen Downey

Dr. Glen Downey is an award-winning children's author, educator, and academic from Oakville, Ontario. He works as a children's writer for Rubicon Publishing, a reviewer for PW Comics World, an editor for the Sequart Organization, and serves as the Chair of English and Drama at The York School in Toronto.

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