Comic books could help boost literacy rates
Posted Jul 22, 2010 8:00 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Comic books are more than just funny.
The President and CEO of the Canadian Council on Learning says new research shows that comics and graphic novels could go a long way to improve reading achievement scores and literacy rates, especially among boys.
Dr. Paul Cappon says it’s time teachers reconsider the use of comics as a learning tool.
Surveys show that many educators still consider comics unsuitable reading material, judging them to be cheap, disposable and of poor quality.
The Organization for Economic Development and Co-operation says comic books are the second most popular reading material for boys.
75 per cent of elementary school-aged boys reported reading comics, compared to just 50 per cent of elementary school-aged girls.
Girls routinely outperform boys in reading achievement tests.
Research also suggests that comic books serve as an effective gateway to reading prose-based works and that they contribute to the development of visual literacy.
