Fifth graders’ enjoyment, ınterest, and comprehension of graphic novels compared to heavily-ıllustrated and traditional novels
Keywords:
Comprehension, Graphic NovelsAbstract
The comparative effectiveness of graphic novels, heavily illustrated novels, and traditional
novels as reading teaching tools has been sparsely researched. During the 2011-2012 school
year, 24 mixed-ability fifth grade students chose to read six novels: two traditional novels, two
highly illustrated novels and two graphic novels. Students participated in discussion groups
structured with thinking skills, and completed assignments during and after reading the books.
Student comprehension and enjoyment were measured by rubric-graded assignments and
rating scales. The numbers of student responses during discussions per type of novel were
tabulated. The graphic novel received the highest scores in all categories. The researchers
conclude that graphic novels be considered an engaging and effective method of teaching
reading to fifth graders.
Keywords:
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References
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STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 13(1), 1-12.
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versus identified gifted middleschoolers during a prairie restoration project.
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Smith, J. (2005). Bone: Out from Boneville. New York: Graphix.
Snowball, C. (2005) Teenage reluctant readers and graphic novels, Young Adult Library
Services, 3(4) 43-45.
Telgemeier, R. (2010). Smile. New York: Graphix.
Trabachnick, S. (Ed.). (2009). Teaching the Graphic Novel. New York, NY: The Modern
Language Association of America.
Wood, D. (2008). Into the Volcano: A Graphic Novel. New York: The Blue Sky Press.
Zohar, A., & Dori, Y. J. (2003). Higher order thinking skills and low-achieving students: Are they
mutually exclusive? The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 12(2), 145-181.
Allington, R. (2011). What really matters for struggling readers, 3rd Ed. New York: Allyn &
Bacon.
Babbit, N. (1975). Tuck Everlasting. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Barack, M., & Doppelt, Y. (1999). Integrating the Cognitive Research Trust (CoRT) programme
for creative thinking into a project-based technology curriculum. Research in Science and
Technological Education,17(2), 139–151.
Bosma, K., Rule, A. C., & Krueger, K. S. (2013). Memorable, enjoyable reading about American
Revolution with graphic novels. Social Studies Research and Practice, 8 (1).
Briggs, S. R. (2010). Using Literature Circles to Increase Reading Comprehension in Third
Grade Elementary Students. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 511 091.
Brozo, W. G., Shiel, G. & Topping, K. (2010). Engagement in Reading: Lessons Learned from
Three PISA Countries. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 51, 304-315.
Certo,J., Moxley, K., Reffitt, K., & Miller, J. (2010). I Learned How to Talk About a Book:
Children's Perceptions of Literature Circles Across Grade and Ability Levels. Literacy
Research and Instruction, 49(3),
Clay, M. (2000). Becoming literate: The construction of inner control. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Cronin, D. (2000). Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type. New York, NY. Simon & Schuster
Children’s Publishing Division.
Dahl, R. (1984). The BFG. New York: Puffin Books.
Daniels, H. (1994) Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in the Student-Centered Classroom.
York, ME: Stenhouse.
de Bono, E. (1970). Lateral thinking: Creativity step by step. New York, NY: Harper and Row
Publishers
Edwards, B. (2009). Motivating middle school learners: The graphic novel link. School Library
Media Activities Monthly, 25(8), 56-58.
Guthrie, J.T. (2001). Contexts for engagement and motivation in reading. Reading Online, 4(8).
Available: http://www.readingonline.org/articles/art_inde
x.asp?HREF=/articles/handbook/guthrie/inde x.html
Jewett, C. (2008) Multimodality and literacy in school classrooms, Review of Research in
Education. 32(1)241-267.
Juster, N. (1961). The Phantom Tollbooth. New York: Random House, Inc.
Kibuishi, K. (2008). Amulet: Book One: The Storekeeper. New York: Graphix.
Kinney, J. (2007). Diary of a Wimpy Kid. New York, NY: Amulet Books, 2007.
Kress, G. (2003). Literacy in the new media age. New York, NY: Routledge
Lavin, M.R. (1998). Comic books and graphic novels for libraries: What to buy. Serials Review,
24(2), 31–46.
Lyga, A., & Lyga, B. (2004). Graphic novels in your media center: A definitive guide. Westport,
CT: Libraries Unlimited
Martin, A. (2009). Graphic novels in the classroom. Library Media Connection, 28(2), 30-31.
Martin, A., & Godwin, L. (2002). The Doll People. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.
Matthews, S (2011). Framing preservice teachers’ interpretations of graphic novels in the social
studies classroom. Theory and Research in Social Education, 39(3), 416-446.
Melchior, T. M., Kaufold, R. E., & Edwards, E. (1988). How schools teach thinking: Using CoRT
thinking in schools. Educational Leadership, 45 (7), 32–33.
Michalski, R. (2005). Forward thinking, sideways. C M A Management, 79(2), 20.
Mills, H. & Jennings, L. (2011) Talking about Talk: Reclaiming he Value and Power of Literature
Circles. Reading Teacher, 64(8), 590-598. doi:10.1595/RT.64.8.4
Muth, J. (2002). The Three Questions. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
O’English, L. Matthews, J. G., & Lindsay, E. B. (2006). Graphic novels in academic libraries:
From Maus to manga and beyond. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 32(2), 173-182.
Paulsen, G. (1996). Brian’s Winter. New York: Random House.
Peterson, S. , & Belizaire, M. (2006). Another look at roles in literature circles. Middle School
Journal, 37(4), 37-43.
Pilkey, D. (1997). The Adventures of Captain Underpants. New York, NY: The Blue Sky Press.
Ruckman, I. (1984). Night of the Twisters. New York: Harper Collins Publishers Corp.
Rule, A. C., & Barrera, M. T., III. (2008). Three authentic curriculum-integration approaches to
bird adaptations that incorporate technology and thinking skills. ERIC Document
Reproduction Service No. ED 501247.
Rule, A. C., & Barrera, M. T., III, (2006). CoRT thinking skills guide PBL science. Academic
Exchange Quarterly, 10(4), 145-149.
Rule, A. C., & Stefanich, G. P. (2012). Using a Thinking Skills System to Guide Discussions
during a Working Conference on Students with Disabilities Pursuing STEM Fields. Journal of
STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 13(1), 1-12.
Salisbury, K. E., Rule, A. C., & Vander Zanden, S. M. (in review). Performance of high-potential
versus identified gifted middleschoolers during a prairie restoration project.
Selznick, B. (2007). The Invention of Hugo Cabret. New York: Scholastic.
Sipe, L. R. (2008). Young children’s visual meaning making in response to picturebooks.
Handbook on Research on Teaching Literacy through the Communicative and Visual Arts, 2,
381-392.
Smith, J. (2005). Bone: Out from Boneville. New York: Graphix.
Snowball, C. (2005) Teenage reluctant readers and graphic novels, Young Adult Library
Services, 3(4) 43-45.
Telgemeier, R. (2010). Smile. New York: Graphix.
Trabachnick, S. (Ed.). (2009). Teaching the Graphic Novel. New York, NY: The Modern
Language Association of America.
Wood, D. (2008). Into the Volcano: A Graphic Novel. New York: The Blue Sky Press.
Zohar, A., & Dori, Y. J. (2003). Higher order thinking skills and low-achieving students: Are they
mutually exclusive? The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 12(2), 145-181.
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Published
2017-08-04
How to Cite
Jennings, K. A., Rule, A. C., & Zanden, S. M. V. (2017). Fifth graders’ enjoyment, ınterest, and comprehension of graphic novels compared to heavily-ıllustrated and traditional novels. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 6(2), 257–274. Retrieved from https://www.iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/44
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