What is the role of sequential art, graphic novels, and comics in the English Language Arts (ELA) classroom?
The role of sequential art, graphic novels, and comics in the English Language Arts (ELA) classroom is to encourage all types of readers to engage with the text in a visual way. Reading graphic novels can entice even the most reluctant readers to enjoy a novel. In particular, “Nonfiction sequential art is kin to traditional nonfiction as it presents information for purposes of educating or informing… but in an accessible and reader-friendly format” (Kelly 5). When students are learning about difficult or abstract concepts, it is helpful to provide them with the novel in a sequential art format so that the student can “see” the concepts they are reading about.
Graphic novels are especially helpful for low-level students or English Language Learners (ELLs). Instead of focusing on decoding and translating the words of the text, they can look at the pictures and use their context clues to build their literacy skills without much frustration on their end. “It should also be noted that both images (Figures 1 and 2) show universal emotional responses that any student, even readers struggling with English, can easily comprehend and process. The images can further develop students’ conceptual knowledge of what abstract concepts, such as emotions, entail” (Kelly 5). Using graphic novels can build students’ literacy in a new, exciting way that many readers haven’t been exposed to. Sequential art is enjoyable to read, and is a great addition to any ELA classroom.
Post-Reading Discussion Prompts for This One Summer:
- How are Rose’s emotions portrayed through the use of the panels on pgs 138-139?
- Examine how the authors use images to add audio cues to the story on pgs 180-181. Explain how this affects the rising action and tension of the plot.
- How is Jenny’s embarrassment shown through the actual text and images on pgs 212-218?
- The novel This One Summer tackles mature themes, like teen pregnancy, miscarriage, and maritial problems. What artistic choices do the authors make to highlight these issues in the panels?
- Alice withdraws from her family and friends throughout the novel. How does this affect the other characters? Use details from the panels or actual text.
Works Cited
Kelly, Brian. “Sequential Art, Graphic Novels, and Comics.” SANE Journal: Sequential Art Narrative in Education, vol. 1, no. 1, 1 Jan. 2010, pp. 1-24., <https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/sane/vol1/iss1/10>.
Tamaki, Mariko, and Tamaki, Jillian. This One Summer. First Second, 2014.
Goodell YAL 