The first source I found was an online PDF of a case study done by Nancy Frey and Douglas Fisher (both professors of Educational Leadership at San Diego University) in a particularly low performing school in San Diego. Entitled “Using Graphic Novels, Anime, and the Internet in an Urban High School,” this article was an inspiring look at the noticeable success that can come with using alternative literature in the real-life high school classroom. Within the article are ideas on using Graphic Novels as writing prompts with Native English speakers and English Language Learners alike, so it will be interesting to see if more literature specifically geared towards English Language Learners and Graphic Novels exists.
Another resource I found was an essay by Gretchen Schwarz (a Ph. D. in Secondary Ed with degrees in English and Humanities) entitled “Graphic Novels for Multiple Literacies.” In this essay, Schwarz describes the need for Graphic Novels in the classroom based on the “diverse literacies” she believes they support in students. Schwarz goes as far as to say that “reading graphic novels may require more complex cognitive skills than the reading of text alone.” It is wonderful to see professionals in the field of teaching working in support of the use of Graphic Novels in schools, and it will be these voices which drive my research during this project.
As my research moves forward, I continue to encounter voices in support of using Graphic Novels in the classroom, and it is exciting to see that people in the field of education are spearheading this practice.
Allie: This is a good beginning, and as you can imagine, there's a ton out there! First, I want to encourage you to start using Twitter to connect with the actual artists in the world of graphic novels. Part of understanding this form and literary format is to get into the heads and lives of the folks actually making the graphic novels. Some people to start following asap are: Scott McCloud, Julia Wertz, Jessica Abel, Matt Madden, Linda Barry. Once you get started, other artists will pop up on your feed to tempt you! Also, look into the twitter feeds of graphic novel publishing houses like Fantagraphics, Dark Horse Comics, Drawn & Quarterly.
ReplyDeleteSome books to check out...and I think that for this Isearch question, you absolutely need to be willing to read BOOKS (not just articles! and you probably already realize that)...are Matt Madden & Jessica Abel's Drawing Words, Writing Pictures. They draw comics and teach comics in NYC and France. They are awesome! Also Linda Barry's What It Is and Picture This, two funky collage-y comic-y instructional books for writing and being creative, done by a comic artist. (I'm trying to offer up books that blend comics with instructional methods and teaching/learning to make comics or write narratives!). Think of it this way: If I were doing a research project on Herman Melville, I'd better go read a lot of Herman Melville first, you know? So...maybe, just maybe...you need to go read a bunch of graphic novels and/or books about drawing/writing graphic novels, from an artists and creators point of view. THEN...get the teaching point of view.
But, just like we're trying to do in class together, let's be writers first, teachers second. What do you think?
First of all... "Drawn & Quarterly"...LOVE IT. I am new to twitter, as you know, but I'm going to find the people you listed and see where that takes me ASAP. I can't wait to look into the books you listed as well--especially the ones which, like you said, blend comics with instructional methods. I feel like that is a direction in which I really need to take this project before I really get into the teaching part as you suggested. Really good point.
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