INCLUDING GRAPHIC NOVELS IN A LIBRARY COLLECTION by Jeffrey B. English An Abstract of a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Education Specialist in Human Services, Learning Resources in the Department of Educational Leadership and Human Development University of Central Missouri May, 2012
ABSTRACT By Jeffrey B. English Teaching literacy is an important part of education; however, some students are reluctant to read. This research was aimed at determining if graphic novels are a valuable reading material for high school students. In order to answer the research goals, the researcher opted to obtain the view of students on this subject. Specifically, a total of 36 respondents from two separate classes were self-selected to make up the sample. The research was conducted in a midsized high school in a suburb of a Midwestern city. It involved co-teaching with an English teacher Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to a class of high school English I students. The students were placed in these classes because they needed additional support in the subject area of English. The findings indicate that graphic novels improve reading skills, help struggling readers, offer many benefits in the classroom, and should be included in a library collection.
INCLUDING GRAPHIC NOVELS IN A LIBRARY COLLECTION by Jeffrey B. English A Thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Education Specialist in the Department of Educational Leadership and Human Development University of Central Missouri May, 2012
2012 Jeffrey B. English ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
INCLUDING GRAPHIC NOVELS IN A LIBRARY COLLECTION by Jeffrey B. English May, 2012 APPROVED: Thesis Chair: Patricia Antrim Thesis Committee Member: Jennifer Robins Thesis Committee Member: Naomi Williamson ACCEPTED: Chair, Department of Educational Leadership and Human Development: Patricia Antrim UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI WARRENSBURG, MISSOURI
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Paula Erickson, Fort Osage High School librarian, for her help in steering me toward a topic that I was extremely interested in but had not realized would be an excellent research area. I would also like to thank Matt Hakes and Jason Morton for their help in collecting data. I would like to thank my wife, Emily, for being a sounding board and tolerating all of the time I spent talking about graphic novels and this thesis. Finally, I would like to thank my thesis committee for their helpful guidance.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES... ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION...1 Problem of the Study...1 Purpose of the Study...1 Research Questions...2 Limitations and Delimitations of the Study...2 Definition of Terms...3 Literature Search Strategies...3 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE...5 Graphic Novels Hook Readers...5 Graphic Novels Support Struggling Readers...10 Teaching Literary Analysis...13 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY...15 Research Design...16 Participants...16 Instruments...17 Data Processing and Analysis...17 Ethical Considerations...17 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS...19 Questionnaire 1 Results...19 Questionnaire 2 Results...22 vii
Questionnaire Comparison...24 Focus group Responses...25 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECCOMNDATIONS...27 Graphic Novels Improve Reading Skills...27 Graphic Novels Help Struggling Readers...28 Graphic Novels have Benefits in the Classroom...29 Library Collections Should Include Graphic Novels...30 REFERENCES...32 APPENDICES A. Graphic Novel Questionnaire 1...35 B. Graphic Novel Questionnaire 2...37 C. The Use of Graphic Novels in the Classroom Assent Form...38 D. Parental Consent Form...40 E. Signed Approval Memo...42 viii
LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Questionnaire 1 Results...20 2. Questionnaire 2 Results...23 ix
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Graphic Novels 1 Graphic novels can be a way to help teach literacy. They hook readers through the combination of images with text. They are considered light reading, which Stephen Krashen (2009) demonstrates is an important first step in promoting life-long reading. They are also a tool in assisting struggling readers because those students use the visual images to decode the meaning of new or unfamiliar words. Teachers use graphic novels to help teach literary devices such as allusion, irony, or satire (Gorman, 2003, p. 14). Therefore, graphic novels have a legitimate place in education. Problem of the Study Teaching literacy is an important part of education; however, some students are reluctant to read. School librarians seek different ways to reach these students and help them become successful, avid readers. Light reading, such as comics and graphic novels, help children attain the skills necessary to comprehend and appreciate more complex reading material and foster a love of reading. Purpose of the Study Graphic novels and their predecessor, comics, have been around for decades. Only recently, however, have they been taken seriously by critics and educators. Over the past 15 years this genre has developed into a legitimate literary form that is as skillfully crafted as more traditional texts. Recent research conducted by Cleaver (2008) has shown that graphic novels appeal to teens and young adults because they are accustomed to viewing mixed-media messages. According to Krashen (2009), light
Graphic Novels 2 reading (which graphic novels are considered) is a way to hook students. Gorman (2003) has addressed how graphic novels assist students who learn visually as a way to teach literary analysis. Graphic novels help struggling readers, as shown through the research of Krashen (2009), Young (2007), and Holston and Nguyen (2008). These are reasons to include graphic novels in the library collection. The purpose of this study is to show the benefits students experience from reading graphic novels and why they belong in a school library. Research Questions 1. How do graphic novels improve reading skills? 2. How do graphic novels help struggling students be successful readers? 3. What benefit do graphic novels offer in the classroom setting? 4. Why should a library collection include graphic novels? Limitations and Delimitations of the Study The research in this study has some limitations. This study addresses children in the secondary level from varied and diverse backgrounds. The research was conducted on a small population (36) of a single medium-size high school in a suburban school district in the Midwest. The study involved students working with only one graphic novel. The results may not be typical of all children at all schools. The delimitations for this study include the following. The study addresses students in the secondary level of education between the ages of 14 and 18, not k-8 students. The study involved using a single graphic novel, Romeo and Juliet (Sexton &
Graphic Novels 3 Lin, 2008). The research looks at this graphic novel as it was used in an English class setting, not in all subject areas. Definition of Terms Definitions of terms are included to clarify the characteristics of graphic novels and the concepts related to them. 1. Closure Where the mind must make incomplete images complete and fill in the necessary information between panels. 2. Graphic novel An original book-length story published in comic book style that combines graphics and writing. It can be either fiction or non-fiction, and can be one continuous story or a combination of several shorter stories bound together. 3. Media Means of communication, including print, video, radio, and the Internet. 4. Media literacy The ability to explore, understand, and create information through a variety of media. 5. Mixed-media message A message that combines a variety of media such as visuals (still images or video), print, and sound. Messages delivered over the Internet and television are the most popular examples. 6. Visual learner Someone who learns through the association or use of graphics and images. Literature Search Strategies My exploration of the literature included searching library databases and consulting with expert colleagues. I began my research by using Academic Search Premier, searching for a combination of terms including, graphic novels, literacy,
Graphic Novels 4 and reluctant readers. I also used Library Literature and Information Science Full Text. After finding several articles and beginning to narrow the subject down, I approached the school librarian at Fort Osage High School and asked for her assistance. She shared some material (websites, articles, and one book) she had collected and come across on the subject of graphic novels in a library collection with me. Summary Now that the purpose of the study has been explained, the research questions have been presented, and the terms have been defined, it is time to take a closer look at graphic novels. Chapter two will cover a review of the literature, specifically how graphic novels and comics hook readers, how graphic novels assist visual learners and support struggling readers, and how they teach literary analysis. Chapter three will describe the method of research conducted in a high school English I class with Romeo and Juliet and graphic novels. Chapter four will present the findings from the research with the students, and chapter five will answer the research questions presented in this chapter based on the literature and research.
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Graphic Novels 5 Graphic novels have a place in the educational setting. They hook reluctant and struggling readers, promote reading, and can be used to teach literary analysis. The research shows that there is a correlation between those with poor literacy skills and those who do not like to read (Horton, 2005, p. 2). Woolcott (as quoted by Horton, 2005) noted that children had a more enjoyable experience reading when it was perceived as being easy (p. 2). Graphic novels help in both of these instances since they are considered light reading, and teachers have used them to teach literacy skills. Reluctant readers may be highly selective in what they read, but they are willing to read if it is something that provides interest (Snowball, 2005, p. 43). Graphic novels may be that material that provides the link. Graphic Novels Hook Readers Graphic novels are a way to hook readers. Students relate to the combination of visuals and words if they have grown up viewing these types of mixed media messages on the Internet and television (Bruggeman, 1997). Graphic novels are considered light reading, and light reading is a way to hook students and help them become life-long readers. Graphic novels help visual learners improve their reading skills. Mixed Media Reading Graphic novels and comics are a way to attract to reading a generation that has grown up on a mixed media diet of information. Children are comfortable combining visuals and text, and comic books offer a way to reinforce traditional grammar and
Graphic Novels 6 spelling in a format similar to this new media (Cleaver, 2008). Educators have embraced this new learning style as they prepare students for the future. Cleaver relates how a comic book can look like a storyboard for a film or Web-based media project. Throughout graphic novels are connections to media literacy, which is the ability to explore, understand, and create information through a variety of media. Comics tap into the way students are already learning naturally and help 21 st -century students relate to big themes and topics. It may seem chaotic and disorganized to older generations because they were not raised being bombarded with so many stimuli, but Bruggeman (1997) describes how comics and graphic novels are important tools for conveying the literary experience to a generation of readers who have grown up with television and computers. They are accustomed to a visual literacy, which graphic novels take advantage of. Because the format uses lots of graphics with its text, it can also motivate reluctant readers. Children, especially boys, state that they hate to read a book, but they will spend hours reading the storyline of a video game or surfing the Web (Horton, 2005). They have a strong interest in electronic and graphic forms of reading practice. Gorman (2003) states that a graphic novel would be a bridge between the video game world and the world of reading. Snowball quotes Schwarz as she confirms Gorman s ideas: Teenagers today have so much to keep them occupied and are surrounded by diverse and increasingly complex media. Correspondingly their expectations for entertainment are high. They have been raised in a very visual world, with widescreen television, electronic games, and the Internet. Comics are a natural tool for reaching this generation. (quoted in Snowball, 2005, p. 43-44)
Graphic Novels 7 Little (2005) also relates how the format, flow, and methods of graphic storytelling are similar to the Internet. Gorman (2003) asserts, unlike any older generation, this age group of readers is comfortable with graphic media and is therefore more at ease reading the combination of words and pictures utilized in this non-text visual format to tell a story. Textbook companies and even standardized tests are now trying to use this new visual literacy. Many standardized tests are introducing a visual component to assessment. The graphic novel, combined with the overload of visual media in their everyday lives, is set to tap student s enthusiasm and further their learning (Leckbee, 2005, p. 31). Light Reading Hooks Students Graphic novels have been considered light reading, but research points to light reading is a way to hook students (Krashen, 2009). Krashen states, Perhaps the most powerful way of encouraging children to read is by exposing them to light reading, a kind of reading that [school personnel] pretend does not exist and a kind of reading that many children, for economic or ideological reasons, are deprived of (quoted in Crawford, 2004, p. 26). An effective way for school librarians to foster students love of reading, according to Crawford, is to add graphic novels to the library collection (p. 26). School librarians have an obligation to their clients, the students, to provide a wide variety of reading material (American Association of School Librarians, 1998, p. 157). At the middle and secondary levels there is a shift to curriculum-related nonfiction material. Nothing will ruin a student s love of reading more than the idea that they must read for someone else (Little, 2005). Educators at middle and secondary levels need to understand that graphic novels provide students with a rich and rewarding literary
Graphic Novels 8 experience at a time when they may not comprehend a prose masterpiece because of its length, vocabulary, and style (Seyfried, 2008, p. 47). Just getting reluctant readers to read something can help in their discovery of the joy of reading (Snowball, 2005, p. 44). Teenage reluctant readers are attracted to comics because they have low readability levels, which makes them easier for less proficient readers (Snowball, 2005, p. 43). Cleaver (2008) found that students who have behavior problems during typical reading and writing activities were the most engaged during graphic novel lessons. This may be attributed to three main factors (Leckbee, 2005, p. 30). Some students are not excited about reading, peer pressure can punish many of those who are excited, and graphic novels have a cool factor which means a teen is rarely embarrassed to be seen reading one. This light reading is just the catalyst needed to help some struggling readers have a positive reading experience. The research literature also contains a number of case histories, cases in which self-selected voluntary reading resulting in unmistakable improvement in reading and other aspects of literacy (Krashen, 2009, p. 20). The easier a reading experience is perceived to be, the more enjoyable the experience is to the student (Horton, 2005). Gorman (2003) writes, A graphic novel provides a visual message alongside minimal print which can help a reader to understand the story better, providing a literary experience for a beginning reader which is not filled with the typical frustrations and struggles that a traditional text-only book might give (p. 11). School librarians advocate for including graphic novels in the school. After all, the best way to promote lifelong readers is by providing a diverse selection of reading materials to students (Crawford, 2004, p. 26). Little (2005) argues that if reader interest is
Graphic Novels 9 an important factor in promoting literacy, and one goal of literacy is to raise the levels of reading of all children, then a genre that appeals to young readers worldwide must be taken seriously. A graphic novel, as light reading, a way to reach students, and the research supports this (Snowball, 2005). Thompson (2007) writes, even if graphic novels and comics were a basic form of reading, best practices recognize the value and need of both light reading and a wide array of reading to help improve comprehension, fluency, and reading endurance (p. 29). Graphic Novels Assist Visual Learners Another benefit to offering graphic novels in the media center is that they assist students who learn visually (Gorman, 2003). A comic-style book requires the reader to employ a special type of visual literacy where he must connect images with the text in order to fully grasp the meaning of the story, similar to picture books that he read when he was younger (Gorman, 2003, p. 9-10). Graphic novels may help those who learn more visually as compared with more traditional literary source even though graphic novels have mainly been used as a source of entertainment (Fallis, 2005, p. 16). Visual learners are able to connect with a graphic novel in a way they cannot with text-only books because graphic books help students to experience the story like an imagined movie (Young, 2007). By offering graphic novels, students are not only reading, but also interpreting what they see in each picture pane. As Teale, Kim, and Boerman-Cornell (2008) found in their research, making meaning between the text and images in a graphic novel requires a variety of different and complex skills (p. 6). These skills of connecting the text and images can strengthen those students who naturally learn through visuals and
Graphic Novels 10 help non-visual learners improve on those skills. Graphic novels acknowledge the impact of visuals for literacy by offering a new medium full of value and variety (Schwarz, 2002). Just as many students say they prefer a movie to a book, Compelling visuals that move literature beyond a simple collection of words into a form of visual literature is the power of the graphic novel (Leckbee, 2005, p. 30). No longer are the characters described by the author, but they have faces, they show emotions, and they look like someone the students might know. In many of these novels, students connect visually and relate to the characters found within the pages on a personal level. The characters come alive because the visual images helps those students make that connection. Graphic Novels Support Struggling Readers Graphic novels help struggling readers (Crawford, 2004, p. 26). They both challenge students who are fluent in more traditional literature and stimulate reluctant readers interest (Cleaver, 2008). Little (2005) makes this connection: Causative evidence is elusive, but internationally the countries with high youth literacy rates also have vibrant comics cultures, notably Finland and Japan (The nuts and bolts of comics, 4). He continues: Text bubbles are less intimidating to struggling and reluctant readers. The pictures, narration, and placement of text in comics allow readers multiple opportunities for successfully navigating texts (The nuts and bolts of comics, 7). Educators want all children to be successful, and graphic novels are a strong tool for motivating reluctant readers (Crawford, 2004, p. 26). Comic books and graphic novels provide contextual clues to the meaning of words for teenagers who choose not to read because they find it difficult (Snowball, 2005, p. 44). Thompson (2007) offers additional
Graphic Novels 11 support for this theory: the pictures in the graphic-style format offer additional support in a less threatening manner to struggling students to help them understand the meaning of the text, figure out new or unknown vocabulary, and move the story line along (p. 29). Similarly, graphic novels help English language learners. Graphic novels help second language learners improve their literacy development and vocabulary (Crawford, 2004, p. 26). Graphic books motivate disinterested readers of other genres, teach content area concepts, and help model colloquial phrases authentically for English Language Learners (Thompson, 2007, p. 29). Cleaver (2008) addresses how graphic novels and comics teach literacy: The words and illustrations are meant to be read together. As long as you re reading comics, you re using visual literacy skills. Comics are focused on sequence: First leads to second. You have to imagine the story playing out in your mind, and between the first and second panels there are inferences about the characters. (p. 29) In fact, inferring what occurs between the panels is only one literacy skill developed through reading graphic novels and comics. Little (2005) sees three, distinct skills being addressed. While reading a comic, the reader must use a skill called closure where the mind must make incomplete images complete and fill in the necessary information between panels. Little (2005) expounds on closure, the mind's ability to make incomplete pictures complete and to fill in incomplete images (The nuts and bolts of comics, 1) this way: it is a powerful aid to understanding and can be a natural form of the kind of active reading that is good literacy practice ( 2). The second skill, known as
Graphic Novels 12 narrative density, is the reader s ability to absorb a large amount of information in a single panel, and the third skill is called amplification. Amplification referred to the use of words to enhance the narrative flow of symbols (pictures), in an educational or literacy sense, pictures and words scaffold one another to aid overall comprehension. (The nuts and bolts of comics, 1) These are skills that every language arts teacher struggles to engrain in students (Crawford, 2004, p. 26). However, even for a traditionalist, the goals of traditional literacy are promoted through reading of graphic novels (Schwarz, 2006, p. 58). Graphic novels are a way for school librarians to reach begrudging readers. The research shows that those who read more read better (Holston and Nguyen, 2008). Krashen (2009) argues, They also write better, spell better, have larger vocabularies, and have control of complex grammatical constructions (p. 20). The role of educators has changed. There is a competition for the attention and interest of young people. The research shows that graphic novels have a place in the school curriculum and library collection. Having students examine graphic novels is a strategy for bringing media literacy into any subject area or curriculum (Schwarz, 2002). School librarians have deep expertise in Digital Literacy Skills; have well-developed instructional strategies based on thinking critically, communicating creatively in a variety of media, and solving problems creatively (Trilling, 2010, p. 44). Media literacy is one of the highest priorities for a teacher-librarian, and graphic novels help. Graphic novels hook students, help visual learners, and teach literary analysis and literacy skills in a medium that young people are used to.
Teaching Literary Analysis Graphic Novels 13 Another benefit that graphic novels offer to the language arts teachers is an alternative way to teach literary analysis. First, Leckbee (2005) argues that graphic novels be accepted as a literary form, and then the teachers need to understand that this is not to replace the traditional literature, but rather to supplement it (p. 30). Leckbee writes, Thematic structure, the use of metaphor, simile, exaggeration, and other literary tools are enhanced by the ethical underpinning of the characters and multicultural perspective the artist brings to the genre (p. 30). Schwarz (2002, 2006) has written extensively on using graphic novels in the classroom. She described how some English teachers use graphic novels to teach literary terms and techniques such as dialogue. Gorman (2003) includes a list of graphic novels and the literary devices they address (p. 14). For example, she suggests that foreshadowing can be taught using Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, by Frank Miller; Bone, by Jeff Smith; or Watchmen, by Alan Moore (Gorman, 2003, p. 14). Teachers find comics and graphic novels are an appealing way to analyze literary conventions, character development, satire, and language structures as well as develop writing and research skills (Schwarz, 2006, p. 58). Whereas this is an additional way to teach literary analysis for any classroom, it is especially useful with low-level readers because of the visual nature of graphic novels. Young (2007) put it this way: Reluctant or low-ability readers can have much success reading all levels of graphic books because of the visual clues that help them to determine the plot and understand the character development (p. 26). This does not mean that using graphic novels is in any way a dumbed-down method of teaching. Leckbee (2005)
Graphic Novels 14 believes this to be the opposite: Graphic novels require students to use both their analyzing and synthesizing skills which requires more involvement and focus during their reading (p. 31). Graphic novels are used to teach literary analysis in English courses, but they are also used to teach complex issues in a social studies class. Summary Graphic novels have a place in the educational setting. It has been shown through the research in this chapter that graphic novels help hook reluctant and struggling readers, promote reading, and help teach literary analysis. Chapter three will describe the research method used in a high school English I class using a graphic novel version to teach Romeo and Juliet. Chapter four will present the findings from the research, and chapter five will answer the research questions presented in chapter one based on the literature and research.
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY Graphic Novels 15 Chapter three will cover the methodology of the research conducted. It will explain why the research was conducted, the research design, and participants. It will also cover the instruments used to conduct the research, how the research was processed and analyzed, and any ethical considerations involved in the research. Overview This research was conducted to support the argument that graphic novels are a valuable reading material for high school students. The advantages and disadvantages of using graphic novels in a classroom setting were also objectives of this study. In order to meet these research goals, the researcher opted to obtain the view of students on this subject. Specifically, a total of 36 respondents from two separate classes were selfselected to make up the sample. All 36 participants answered a survey questionnaire at the start of the research process, but only 29 participants answered the second questionnaire at the end of the research process. Of the seven who did not complete the second questionnaire, four were absent when questionnaire 2 was presented to the focus group, two were absent on days between questionnaire 1 and questionnaire 2 and were not allowed by the regular classroom teacher to be excused from class to participate in the research, and one student was being tested in another subject area by a special education teacher. After answering the second questionnaire, the remaining 29 participants also participated in a focus group discussion about the experience of reading a graphic novel.
Research Design Graphic Novels 16 The research was conducted in a midsized high school in a suburb of a Midwestern city. It involved co-teaching with an English teacher Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to a class of high school English I students during the spring semester of the 2010-2011 school year. A subset of that class (voluntary and self-selected) volunteered to read the graphic novel version of Romeo and Juliet (Sexton & Lin, 2008) after reading the traditional text with the rest of the class. This was an e-book version of the graphic novel. The researcher and participants read it as a group using a projector and Smart Board. Before they read this version, the researcher administered to them Graphic Novel Questionnaire 1 (see Appendix A). After the students read the graphic novel version, the researcher conducted a focus group discussion of the experience of reading the graphic novel version of the play and the participants completed a second survey, Graphic Novel Questionnaire 2 (see Appendix B). Participants The research subjects were self-selected from two separate English I classes. The students were placed in these classes because they needed additional support in the subject area of English. The researcher made an invitation to all students in the two classes. They were male and female in the age range of 14 to 18. Minors were targeted because they are the students in the class, and the purpose of the study is to support the use of graphic novels in the grades 9-12 school setting. All participants had to sign an assent form (see Appendix C) and their parent or guardian had to sign a consent form (see Appendix D) because the research involved minors. No identifiable information was
Graphic Novels 17 collected. Each participant was assigned a pseudonym to maintain confidentiality. Those pseudonyms were used in chapter four: Findings Instruments The students answered a questionnaire (see Appendix A) before reading the graphic novel. The researcher also conducted an open discussion about their opinions of graphic novels. Notes were taken by the researcher during the open discussion. The participants then answered another questionnaire (see Appendix B) after reading the graphic novel and discussed how, or if, their opinions changed. Notes were taken by the researcher during the focus group discussion. Data Processing and Analysis After gathering all of the completed questionnaires from the students, total responses for each item were obtained and tabulated. Responses from the first questionnaire (see Appendix A) were then compared to the responses from the second questionnaire (see Appendix B). The quantitative data from the questionnaires along with the qualitative responses during the focus group discussion were then analyzed and will be presented in chapter four: Findings. Quantitative data from the questionnaires was collected and then organized into categories based on responses. Qualitative responses were written down by the researcher during the focus group. The responses were then organized into a narrative and will be presented in chapter four: Findings. Ethical Considerations All research was conducted only after receiving approval from the Human Subjects Review Committee at the University of Central Missouri. Personally identifiable
Graphic Novels 18 information during the focus group or on the surveys was not collected. Only students who volunteered and completed and returned the assent and parental consent forms were allowed to participate. The names of those who participated were replaced with pseudonyms by the researcher before being presented in the next chapter. Students were not identified by their names. They are identified by pseudonyms to maintain confidentiality. Conclusion Students who participated in the focus group had the benefit of small group interaction and the benefits associated with reading the Graphic novel version of the play, Romeo and Juliet. The benefit of this study was to support the collection and use of graphic novels in school libraries and classrooms. The findings from this study will be presented in the next chapter. The research questions will be answered in the final chapter, chapter five.
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS Graphic Novels 19 Chapter four presents the findings from the research. The responses from Graphic Novel Questionnaire 1 (see Appendix A) and Graphic Novel Questionnaire 2 (See Appendix B) are presented. Responses given during the focus group will also be shared. The conclusions and recommendations based on this research will be addressed in chapter five. Overview Students were given the Graphic Novel Questionnaire 1 at the start of the study to obtain a base level of data. Next, they read a graphic novel version of the play Romeo and Juliet (Sexton & Lin, 2008). Then, they answered Graphic Novel Questionnaire 2 in order to see if opinions had changed and to discuss these changes. Questionnaire 1 Results Before reading the graphic novel version of Romeo and Juliet, each participant was given a questionnaire (see Appendix A). The purpose of this questionnaire was to obtain the current level of knowledge about graphic novels and reading preferences. The table below displays the answers to the eight yes or no questions along with the percentage of respondents that the number represents. There were a total of 36 students who participated; however, some students did not answer all questions.
Table 1 Graphic Novels 20 Questionnaire 1 Results Questions Yes No No Response Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent 1. Do you consider 9 25% 26 72% 1 3% yourself an avid reader? 2. Do you enjoy reading? 13 36% 22 61% 1 3% 4. Do you know what a 18 50% 16 44% 2 6% graphic novel is? 5. Have you read a 17 47% 19 53% 0 0% graphic novel before? 7. Do you like graphic 11 31% 24 67% 1 3% novels? 8. Do you prefer graphic 13 36% 20 56% 3 8% novels to traditional text? 9. Do you consider 24 67% 10 28% 2 6% yourself a visual learner? 12. Do you think graphic novels would be appropriate to study in your English class? 18 50% 16 44% 2 6% The majority of the participants in this study do not consider themselves to be avid readers (72%). However, the negative response drops to 61% when asked if they enjoyed reading. Half of the respondents knew what graphic novels were before this study; 47% had actually read one, but only 31% said they liked graphic novels. Question eight displays a slight increase of the positive responses from students who prefer graphic novels to traditional text (36%). However 56% of the students indicated they prefer traditional texts to graphic novels. Yet, 67% of respondents said they were visual learners and 50% believed graphic novels would be appropriate to study in an English class.
Graphic Novels 21 When asked what type of literature they enjoyed reading the most (question 3), this open-ended question generated a wide array of answers. These included adventure, fiction, romance, mystery, magazines, nonfiction, and comic books. Question 6 asked how many graphic novels the respondent had read and gave three choices: 1-5, 6-10, or 11 or more. Of the 17 respondents who had read a graphic novel, 12 had read between one and five graphic novels, one had read between six and 10 graphic novels, and four had read 11 or more graphic novels. Question 10 was another open-ended question where the respondent was given a blank space to write his or her opinion. The most frequent response to question 10, What do you think of the books you read in your English class?, was that they are boring. Other responses were they are too long, they are not worth staying awake for, some of the language is confusing, and they are interesting at times. Question 11, another open-ended question, asked what would be their opinion if graphic novels were assigned in an English class. Responses fell into three broad categories: They would like it because it would involve less reading, they would like it because they include visuals, and indifference. Seven respondents said it would be better than the novels they read now and that they would like it because it would be less reading. Three responses fell into the category that they would like the visuals. The largest response (17) displayed indifference with something like I would read it because it is assigned. Nine left the question blank. Question 12 asked if they felt a graphic novel was appropriate to study in an English class and had a blank for a response to the question, Why? Eighteen students agreed that graphic novels were appropriate, but 16
Graphic Novels 22 disagreed. Some of the reasons listed for yes included it is the same story, it would be better to understand, it helps you get a visual, and it would be interesting. Of the 16 who gave no responses, their reasons included because they can have cuss words or sexual pictures, it should be in an art class, they do not use proper grammar and words, and I do not know what graphic novels are. Questionnaire 2 Results After reading the graphic novel version of Romeo and Juliet, the students were given a second questionnaire. The purpose of this questionnaire was to see if their opinions about graphic novels had changed and if so, how. This questionnaire differed from the first questionnaire by asking if the respondent s opinion about graphic novels had changed, if they enjoyed reading the graphic novel, and whether it helped in understanding the story of Romeo and Juliet. There were also questions that were readdressed from the first questionnaire including, Do you like graphic novels? Do you prefer graphic novels to traditional text? What would you think if your teachers assigned graphic novels in your English class? and Do you think graphic novels would be appropriate to study in your English class? The answers to six of the yes-no questions are displayed below in table 2. Question 4, Do you feel it helped improve your test score over the material?, was excluded because the students were tested over Romeo and Juliet before reading the graphic novel version. Twenty-nine students filled out questionnaire 2. The number of responses for questionnaire 2 is seven fewer than for questionnaire 1. The number of respondents to questionnaire 1 and questionnaire 2 differ because some students were absent when the surveys were administered.
Table 2 Graphic Novels 23 Questionnaire 2 Results Questions Yes No No Response Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent 1. Has your opinion 13 45% 15 52% 1 3% about graphic novels changed? 2. Did you enjoy reading 26 90% 3 10% 0 0% the graphic novel? 3. Did it help you 27 93% 2 7% 0 0% understand the story better? 5. Do you like graphic 25 86% 3 10% 1 3% novels? 6. Do you prefer graphic 19 66% 9 31% 1 3% novels to traditional text? 8. Do you think graphic novels would be appropriate to study in your English class? 25 86% 4 14% 0 0% Fifty-two percent said their opinion about graphic novels had not changed, but 90% said they enjoyed reading the graphic novel and 93% said it helped them understand the story better. Eighty-six percent said they like graphic novels after reading the graphic novel version of Romeo and Juliet and 66% prefer graphic novels to traditional text. Eighty-six percent also thought graphic novels would be appropriate to study in an English class. The results from both questionnaires will be compared later in this chapter. Question 1 also had an open-ended portion and asked how their opinion had changed. Of the 13 who answered yes, some of the reasons were because they had a lot of pictures and they explained a lot, I did not know what they were before and now I like them, they looked hard before, there are more pictures and it helps me read
Graphic Novels 24 better, and they have a lot less words than I thought. Fifteen students said their opinion had not changed. Three of the fifteen stated that they liked graphic novels before this study and still liked them after reading Romeo and Juliet. Question 7, another openended question, asked again what they would think if a graphic novel were assigned in their English class. Some of the responses are listed here: It would help me understand the story better, More students would pay attention, I would do better on the test, It would teach kids to read different types of reading material, and It would be easier to read. Twenty-five students (86% of the respondents) felt that it would be appropriate to read graphic novels in an English class. They were also asked why and given a blank space to respond. Some of the responses were It would be easier to visualize the story, Test scores would improve, It allows a new perspective, They are fun to read, They would help kids who struggle in English, and Because it is still reading. Of the four students who responded no, only two gave reasons. One student said the graphic novel was boring and the other student said it should be an art project. Questionnaire Comparison Looking at the results from the first questionnaire next to the results from the second questionnaire, some numbers stand out. Before reading the graphic novel, 50% of the study participants stated that they knew what a graphic novel was and 44% said they did not know what it was. The researcher assumed all participants knew what a graphic novel was after reading Romeo and Juliet. Afterwards, 45% said their opinion about graphic novels had changed and 52% said it had not. In questionnaire 1, 31% responded
Graphic Novels 25 that they liked graphic novels and in questionnaire 2 that number increased to 86%. After reading the graphic novel version of Romeo and Juliet, 66% of the participants said they preferred graphic novels to traditional text. In the first questionnaire that number was only 36%. There was also an increase in the response to the following question, Do you think graphic novels would be appropriate to study in your English class? Fifty percent said yes in questionnaire 1 and that increased to 86% in questionnaire 2. Focus Group Responses After answering the second questionnaire, the researcher conducted a focus group discussion with the students. They discussed opinions about graphic novels, preconceived notions about graphic novels, and the difference between reading graphic novels and traditional texts. Emily (all names used in this section are pseudonyms) stated, Graphic novels are easier to read than higher up material. She went on to explain that the novels and plays they read in class were more difficult to understand. Reading the graphic novel helped her understand the story better because the pictures offered more detail. Sarah agreed with Emily, adding, I like to read the dialogue with pictures. It s like you get to be nosey and listen to their conversation. Sarah admitted that it was difficult at first to understand how the graphic novel was put together. She found the format of the panels confusing. Others agreed, but most said they picked up on how the panels worked quickly. Sarah said she figured it out when the story jumped and she realized she had skipped a small portion.
Graphic Novels 26 Eric said he had always struggled in English class, but the graphic novel seemed easier to read, plus it was fun. Josh added that it was like reading a comic book, which he liked. Several of the other boys agreed on this point. Josh added, I like that it is all dialogue and no paragraphs. Eric said, The story was confusing, but I could tell the meaning from the pictures of what s happening. Another student, Cali, added that she thinks it is easier to visualize what is happening when reading a graphic novel because she turns the pictures into a movie in her head. Overall, the focus group only had positive comments about reading the graphic novel. Kim put it best. She said she had read the play, Romeo and Juliet, and watched the movie version, but the graphic novel was the easiest to understand because she could take her time and look at each picture while reading the dialogue. Summary This chapter presented the findings from Graphic Novel Questionnaire 1, Graphic Novel Questionnaire 2, and the focus group. It also included a focus group discussion of the students views after they had experienced Romeo and Juliet in graphic novel form. Chapter five will present the answers to the research questions posed in chapter 1, conclusions, and recommendations of the researcher based on these findings and the review of literature.
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Graphic Novels 27 Chapter five will answer the research questions presented in chapter one based on the literature review in chapter two and the research findings presented in chapter four. There is strong support for the inclusion of graphic novels in schools, classrooms, and library media centers. The recommendation is made that graphic novels have a place in the educational setting and should be included in school curriculums and library collections. The following research questions will be answered. 1. How do graphic novels improve reading skills? 2. How do graphic novels help struggling students be successful readers? 3. What benefit do graphic novels offer in the classroom setting? 4. Why should a library collection include graphic novels? Graphic Novels Improve Reading Skills Including graphic novels in a language arts program supports teachers and school librarians efforts to improve reading skills for struggling readers, visual learners, and advanced students. The research (Holston and Nguyen, 2008) shows that those who read more read better, and as Horton (2005) put it, the easier the reading experience is perceived to be, the more enjoyable the experience is. The graphic novel genre, however, does not exclude those students who are proficient at reading. Graphic novels require a variety of different and complex skills because the reader must make meaning between the text and images. Visual learners will already be adept at learning this way, but graphic novels help strengthen these skills in
Graphic Novels 28 non-visual learners as well. Making the connections between the visuals and text leads to a richer understanding of the material and helps the story come alive. As Sarah stated in this study, It s like you get to be nosey and listen to their conversation. Graphic novels also help teach literary analysis to advanced students in a way that they may not have seen before. Thematic structure, the use of metaphor, simile, exaggeration, and other literary tools are enhanced by the ethical underpinning of the characters and multicultural perspective the artist brings to the genre (Leckbee, 2005, p. 30). They are used in a supplemental fashion to help teach a wide variety of literary conventions in a new and interesting way. Based on the research reviewed for this study, graphic novels in no way dumb-down the material and in fact require students to have more involvement and focus while reading. The research results supported this, as well. Of the students surveyed, 93% said that the graphic novel version of Romeo and Juliet helped them understand the story better. One student wrote in an open-response section of the second questionnaire, graphic novels would teach kids to read different types of reading material. Graphic Novels Help Struggling Readers Light reading, which graphic novels are considered to be, helps promote a positive reading experience (Seyfried, 2008). By using the images to make inferences about the story and text, a struggling reader will build the literacy skills and vocabulary to tackle tougher reading material. Graphic novels reduce the frustrations that a low-level reader will normally encounter with a traditional text by having a visual message alongside minimal text. This format is less threatening to those who struggle with text-
Graphic Novels 29 based reading. The images and text are meant to be read together and can help a student decipher meaning of words and phrases through clues in the images. This success can then lead to more reading, and the more students read, the better they read. However, Krashen (2009) believes, They also write better, spell better, have larger vocabularies, and have control of complex grammatical constructions (p.20). The findings in chapter four strongly support this. Of the students who participated in the research, 72% stated they were not avid readers and 61% did not even enjoy the act of reading. After reading the graphic novel version of Romeo and Juliet, 90% said they enjoyed it; 93% of the students surveyed believed that the graphic novel version of Romeo and Juliet helped them understand the story better. Graphic Novels have Benefits in the Classroom As already stated graphic novels help hook readers, support struggling readers, and improve reading skills. Before reading the graphic novel of Romeo and Juliet only 36% of students stated they enjoyed reading, but in questionnaire 2, 90% said they enjoyed reading the graphic novel. Ninety-three percent believed that they understood the story of Romeo and Juliet better after reading the graphic novel version, and two out of every three students said they prefer graphic novels to traditional text. These results support the need for inclusion of graphic novels in the classroom. Graphic novels are a useful resource in the classroom for promoting literacy and deeper understanding of a subject matter. Graphic novels need not replace what is already being used in the classroom, but they offer an alternative or supplemental resource. Graphic novels of classic texts are available and can be used as an additional review of
Graphic Novels 30 the material. Ninety-three percent of the participants in this study found that the graphic novel helped them to a better understanding of Romeo and Juliet, a story with difficult language. Graphic novels are used to teach literary analysis in English courses, but they are also used to teach complex issues in a social studies class. Library Collections Should Include Graphic Novels Reasons for library collections to include graphic novels are because they hook readers, they help support struggling readers, and they are one of the many genres school librarians can provide. Graphic novels are a way to attract young adult readers. Students relate to the style of graphic novels with their combination of visuals and text because they have grown up seeing these types of mixed messages on television and the Internet (Bruggeman, 1997). Teenagers have no problem viewing a combination of images and text and merging the two as they read (Cleaver, 2008). This type of light reading can also help foster a lifelong love of reading, as well as improve literacy skills (Thompson, 2007). Struggling readers will have a positive reading experience because they use the visual clues to help them understand the text and story. This success will lead to further reading and a deeper understanding of the material. Comics and graphic novels also have a cool factor so students will not be embarrassed to be seen reading them (Leckbee, 2005, p. 30). The findings from this study suggest that including graphic novels in a school library collection will support the efforts of school librarians promoting literacy. Students in this study (72%) indicated they were not avid readers. This could be due to any number of reasons, but one strong point made in the focus group was that graphic novels