Give Your Library Literacy Program Super Powers

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Give Your Library Literacy Program Super Powers

• Penny Chaiko
• Teacher-Librarian
• Nantyr Shores Secondary School
• SCDSB
• pchaiko_at_mail.scdsb.on.ca

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Agenda

• Introduction
• Research
• Appropriate comics
• Literacy Lessons
• Resources

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Introduction
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• Read comics when I was growing up
• Looking for a way to bring in reluctant readers
• Comics are familiar to all students
• Many art classes look at comics and discuss the
  technical side of animation
• Used comics for book reviews/book talks
• Decided to use comics to teach literacy

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Research
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Using Graphic Novels, Anime, and the Internet in
an Urban High School

• Using popular culture builds on students
  multiple literacies as we found when we employed
  alternative genres such as graphic novels, manga,
  and anime.
• (Frey and Fisher, Jan 2004)

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• Frey, Nancy, Fisher, Douglas. (January 2004).
  Using graphic novels, anime, and the internet in
  an urban high school. English Journal. 93, 19-25.

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Graphic NovelsResources for Teachers Librarian

• Assist Poor ReadersComics and graphic novels are
  excellent tools for use with children and young
  adults with poor reading skills.
• Connect with Visual LearnersAs educators become
  increasingly aware of the importance of different
  learning styles, it is clear that Graphic Novels
  can be a powerful tool for reaching visual
  learners.
• Develop Strong Language Arts SkillsSeveral
  studies have shown that students who read Graphic
  Novels regularly have better vocabularies and are
  more likely to read above grade-level.
• Encourage Unmotivated and "Dormant"
  ReadersTeachers often use non-book materials to
  encourage reading. Graphic Novels are an ideal
  medium to spark interest, equate reading with
  enjoyment, and develop the reading habit.

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Graphic NovelsResources for Teachers Librarian

• Convey Educational Messages Government agencies,
  the military, museums, and other nonprofit
  organizations have long used educational comics
  to reach general audiences.
• Stimulate Readers to Explore Other Literature
  Many Graphic Novel fans become avid book
  readers. Comics can stimulate interest in all
  types of fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, historical,
  etc.) as well as mythology, legends, and
  nonfiction.
• Engage Adult ReadersThe average age of American
  Graphic Novel readers is 25. Many readers who
  were avid fans as teenagers continue reading into
  adulthood, broadening their taste in Graphic
  Novel genres to reflect more mature interests.
• From http//library.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/gui
  des/graphicnovels/inlibraries/reading.php

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In Graphic Detail Using Graphic Novels in the
Classroom

• . . . many of todays graphic novels include a
  complex and art-filled variety of genres, ranging
  from fiction to biography and social studies to
  science.
• (Booth and Lundy, p. 30)

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New Literacies

• Internet
• Email
• Virtual worlds
• Social Networking
• Video games
• Ability to comment on everything happening in the
  world

• Comics
• Magazines
• Newspapers
• Smart Phones
• You Tube
• Blogs

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Graphic NovelsResources for Teachers Librarian

• Visual Literacy
• Today's young adults feel comfortable with
  non-text visual media, from video games to
  graphical icons used with standard computer
  programs.
• Graphic Novels employ a highly cinematic approach
  to storytelling.
• Graphic Novels utilize combinations of text and
  pictures (sequential art) to convey messages in a
  manner unique to comics.
• Understanding comics requires a special type of
  visual literacy, which in turn offers a
  translatable skill in today's highly graphical
  environment.
• Reading comics with a critical eye helps develop
  an appreciation for art and different artistic
  styles.
• From http//library.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/gui
  des/graphicnovels/inlibraries/visual.php

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Appropriate Comics
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Appropriate Comics

• This is different for every school
• Check with your local comic store
• Do some reading
• Ask your students
• Ask other Teacher Librarians

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Literacy Lessons
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Literacy Lessons

• Can use any literacy lesson with comics books
• Think Literacy is a good starting point
• Check bibliography for other useful literacy
  resources

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THINK LITERACY Reading Strategies

• Getting Ready to Read
• Previewing a Text
• Analyzing the Features of a Text
• Finding Organizational Patterns
• Anticipation Guide
• Finding Signal Words
• Extending Vocabulary (Word Wall)
• Engaging in Reading
• Using Context to Find Meaning
• Reading Between the Lines (Inferences)
• Most/Least Important Idea(s) Information
• Sorting Ideas Using a Concept Map
• Visualizing
• Making Notes
• Reacting to Reading
• Responding to Text (Graffiti)
• Drawing Conclusions (I Read/I Think/Therefore)
• Making Judgements (Both Sides Now)

• Reading Different Text Forms
• Reading Informational Texts
• Reading Graphical Texts
• Reading Literary Texts
• Following Instructions
• Posters for Instruction Reading
• Before Reading - Ask Questions
• During Reading - Ask Questions
• During Reading - Understand the Text
• During Reading - Make Inferences
• During Reading - Visualize
• During Reading - Make Connections
• During Reading - Think to Read
• During Reading - Take Good Notes
• After Reading - Ask Questions
• After Reading - Find the Main Idea(s)
• After Reading - Think About the Text

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Pre-Reading Activity
Pre -Reading Activity What is the title of the
book? Who wrote the book? Describe the
picture on the cover of the book. Do you think
it is a good cover? YES NO Explain. How many
pages are in this book? Read the summary of
the story. Using the information from the cover
and from the summary, write 3 sentences on what
this book is about. Now read the first 3 pages
of the book. Does your sentences above fit the
story so far? YES NO Explain. Do you want to
read this story? YES NO Explain.
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Daisy Kutter The Last Train
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Talk Aloud

• Show students the first 6-8 panels from a comic
• Do a Talk Aloud describing what you see and
  asking questions about the comic
• Get students to write key words while they listen
• Ask students if they are unsure about any parts
  of the story
• Ask students to write the story using as much
  detail as possible and write an appropriate ending

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Thick and Thin Questions

• Explain why I am using a picture book for this
  lesson to the class
• Show students the cover
• Ask them to generate some questions about the
  book
• Read the book
• Ask for interesting questions about the book

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Thick and Thin Questions

• Explain the difference between Thick and Thin
  questions
• Label sample questions as Thick or Thin
• Which are easier to write? To answer?
• Write 10 Thin questions and 5 Thick questions for
  the comic that they are reading

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Newspaper article

• Review the 5Ws of a newspaper article
• Show web sites for Todd McFarlane
• Give some background information
• Notes page (2 forms)
• Show Todd McFarlane The Devil You Know
• Students record notes on page provided
• Write a newspaper article

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Todd McFarlane

• Todd McFarlane The Devil You Know NAME
• DATE
• WHO
• __________________________________________________
  ______
• __________________________________________________
  ______
• __________________________________________________
  ______
• WHERE
• __________________________________________________
  ______
• __________________________________________________
  ______
• WHEN
• __________________________________________________
  ______
• __________________________________________________
  ______
• __________________________________________________
  ______
• WHAT
• __________________________________________________
  ______
• __________________________________________________
  ______
• __________________________________________________
  ______
• __________________________________________________
  ______
• __________________________________________________
  ______

Newspaper Article Notes Subject
WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN WHY

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How Do You Know If Your Students Understand the
Comic?

• Draw/sketch a picture from the beginning of your
  story. Label your diagram. Then write 2 sentences
  describing the sketch and 1 sentence on why this
  scene is important. Add colour only if you have
  time at the end.

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
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• From Student Material _at_
• readwritethink.org

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Comic Creator
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Biocube
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Identifying Character Traits
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Personal Profile
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Fortunately by Charlip Remy
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Resources
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Bibliography

• Available on the OLA SuperConference website for
  this presentation. (425)