Teaching with Comics

I’m preparing for a session I will be leading at an MLTI Summer Institute and I realized that it’s been a long time since I’ve posted anything to this blog.  My session is all about promoting literacy with cartoons, comics and graphic novels.  Maybe I’ll find a way to use this blog as I try to stir up a little interest in the topic. I’ve done a short (one hour) presentation on this topic in the past but this one will be three-hours long with opportunities for some hands-on work.

I think many teachers are still skeptical about using comics in their teaching and my challenge will be to prove that comic art has a legitimate place in a well-rounded literacy program.  I hope the topic will appeal to teachers in all subject areas.  I’ve been thinking a lot about using comics for teaching ESL students.  I may start with this quote:

“I’ve always said that I learned the English I know through two sources — Marvel Comics and Finnegans Wake.”  – Umberto Eco