NECAC Conference supports graphic novels in the classroom

Comic Books + Children = Reading

This simple math equation was the theme of last Saturday's New England Comic Arts in the Classroom Conference, according to an article in Publisher’s Weekly.

Held at Rhode Island College in Providence, RI, the conference brought together 120 graphic novelists, educators, students and industry professionals to discuss the educational benefits of graphic novels.

Speakers like Raina Telgemeier, the author of Smile, and Nancy Silberkleit, the co-CEO of Archie Comics, discussed some of the benefits of implementing graphic novels in the classroom such as the diversity in themes and their ability to build skills like vocabulary and inference.

Maupin House author James Bucky Carter was a presenter at the NECAC conference, moderating the Comics and Censorship Panel Discussion.

This panel discussed Rationales for Teaching Graphic Novels – Maupin House’s CD resource edited by Carter.

More than 20 authors collaborated on this comprehensive CD that acts as a resource to aid teaching graphic novels in the classroom.

Rationales provides teachers with 108 novels presented as rationales that include plot summaries, ideas for lesson plans, the strengths and unique characteristics of each work, the intended audiences, possible objections, ideas for thematic braidings, awards, reviews, and lists of resources.

Carter is also the author of Super-Powered Word Study: Teaching Words and Word Parts Through Comics. This resource provides teachers with 15 mini-comics that provide the framework for showing the meanings of words and word parts in context in a format that is especially motivating for ELL and reluctant readers.

In the interactive software accompanying Super-Powered Word Study, students are given the opportunity to create their own comics – something that NECAC conference presenter Michael Bitz says is essential in any writing curriculum.

Graphic novels give students a deeper understanding of the story by supplementing the text in ways that are impossible with solely the written word. This understanding fosters higher-level reading strategies such as comprehension, questioning and inferring.

It’s clear that this format of literature is increasingly gaining legitimacy as a teaching tool.

Michael Gianfancesco, one of the organizers of the NECAC Conference, believes comics can be used to inspire all learners to read and write.

“I believe in reading,” he said. “I believe in reading comics.”