Comics Are Key to Promoting Literacy in Boys, Study Says
RSSBy SLJ Staff
Just in time for Comic-Con 2010, a new report says comics and graphic novels may hold the secret to promoting literacy in young boys.
Long dismissed as fluff by parents, educators, and even librarians, the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) reaffirms what researchers have long held to be true: girls are generally more inclined to read than boys. But it goes on to say that's partly because their literary interests aren't well represented in school libraries and classrooms.
| Photo: Steve mason |
Boys are more likely to enjoy reading science and nonfiction, informational texts, how-to manuals, fantasy, adventure stories, and stories that are scary or gross, along with books about hobbies and things they do or want to do. They also tend to prefer visual media, such as the Internet, newspapers, and magazines that focus on sports, electronics and video games.
"While boys show clear preferences for specific reading material, these genres and media are generally under-represented or even unavailable in school libraries, a reflection of the views of teachers and librarians who judge such material inappropriate," says the CCL.
The Organisation for Economic Development and Co-operation (OECD), a Paris-based organization that promotes economic growth, says comics are the second most popular reading choice for boys after newspapers and magazines. In elementary school, for example, the proportion of boys who read comics rises to 75 percent from 69 percent, while the proportion of girls falls to 50 percent from 60 percent.
Yet 15-year-old Canadian girls outscored boys in reading achievement by 32 points (the average Canadian girl scored in the 67th percentile and the average Canadian boy scored in the 54th percentile), according to the latest Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).
CCL states in its Lessons in Learning article "More than just funny books: Comics and prose literacy for boys" that comics and graphic novels "hold untapped potential to address this disparity by promoting improved literacy among young males" and provides an overview of current research on the reading habits of boys and the potential for comics to boost their literacy.
"For decades, tests have shown that young boys underperform in reading achievement and do not derive the same level of enjoyment from reading as girls," says Paul Cappon, president and CEO of CCL. "As this new article makes clear, comics and graphic novels hold untapped potential to address this disparity by promoting improved literacy among young males."
The report says comics serve as an effective gateway to reading prose-based works and contribute to visual literacy, as well as the ability to understand and respond to a visual image. Comics also can help develop many of the same literacy skills as books, such as how to follow a sequence of events; connect narratives to the reader's own experiences, predict what will happen next, and interpret symbols.
Even before children are ready to read text, comic books can give them practice in understanding material printed on a page, tracking left to right and top to bottom, and inferring what happens between individual panels in a story, the report says, adding that thanks to their strong visual element, they're a used as teaching aids for second-language learners and students with learning difficulties.
"It is clear that comics have become an undeniable and potentially powerful part of our society and culture," says Cappon. "Considering the evidence it is time that educators and parents put aside any misgivings that they may have and embrace comics as a positive teaching and learning tool."
