Graphic Novels in the Classroom

I love the inclusion of graphic novels in classroom content because it’s a way to appeal to students who like reading graphic novels and visual learners who comprehend the text with the pictures.  I think graphic novels would be an easy and simple way to involve student-centered learning into the classroom because it can allow for different ways for students to get the same information.  For example, in my practicum, while students were reading Lord of the Flies, they had the physical copy of the book, an abridged, online version, and the audiobook.  Hypothetically, if a graphic novel existed for LOTF, I could see myself implemented the book into my classroom.  And I could see a graphic novel implemented in a couple of ways.  I could see using it in combination with the novel, much like how Michelle used The Black Cat graphic novel for students to read during her mini-lesson.  And I could also see using graphic novels much like an abridged or audiobook versions of a novel to allow students another option for reading the novel.  This allows for student choice and they can determine what versions of the text are going to best suit their needs to understand the text and lessons being taught about the texts.  In my Readicide blog, I talked about Gallagher’s inclusion of the 101 books his struggling readers enjoy.  This list is a brilliant idea that I appreciate because it lays out many books teachers can include in their classroom for their readers to enjoy and promote outside reading.  There were not just fiction novels, but non-fiction, poetry, fantasy, coming of age stories, etc., which offers a wide range of topics to appeal to a variety of different students.  On this list, he included a handful of graphic novels, which, again, appeals to a different variety of students.  Students who prefer reading graphic novels can still enjoy reading for fun, just the same as students who like reading fantasy or poetry.