Challenges and Advantages of Graphic Novels in the Classroom

Seminar paper from the year 2017 in the subject Didactics for the subject English - Pedagogy, Literature Studies, grade: 2,3, University of Frankfurt (Main), language: English, abstract: In the following chapters definitions and a short scientific reflection on graphic novels are provided, as well as the research study poster and the book presentation which were conducted in the seminar. Graphic novels - a term that is used diligently by educators, teachers, parents and their children in recent years. It is indisputable that graphic novels have an increasing fan base. One can find graphic novel supporters advocating the use of it as a new text format in the classroom and opponents who are taking a skeptical view towards graphic novels. I personally have never been a fan of comics or graphic novels, because I never really got in touch with them during my school career. "Graphic Novels and Research" was the second seminar about graphic novels I attended at university to enhance my knowledge and especially on how to use comics in the EFL classroom. Graphic novels do not necessarily need text to be understood, the reader can freely interpret and analyze what the depicted story means to him. In the EFL classroom graphic novels should be used more often and well-considered, because students are animated to think about the content from another point of view. Some topics might be about sociology, history, gender or culture, many of those topics might be easier understood if adapted as a graphic novel. Students improve their reading competence, transcultural competence and their visual literacy. Hence, graphic novels are a creative, visualized way of approaching and teaching in the EFL classroom.