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A review by brinnet
Worth a Thousand Words: Using Graphic Novels to Teach Visual and Verbal Literacy by Talia Hurwich, Meryl Jaffe
4.0
This is a book for educators or those who doubt the educational potential of graphic novels. By 2020, I'd hope that people aren't still in the mindset of "oh, but it looks like a comic book, so it must be rotting brains," but I guess some people still are.
Basically, the book leans heavily on Scott McCloud's (1993) book Understanding Comics, which explains the deliberate artistic choices that comic book artists make to help convey information through art. This allows for readers to understand the words more easily, by having art alongside to help improve comprehension. It also helps engage readers. And the simple fact that it looks different from something you'd typically read in class can be fun and interesting, so also more engaging. And there's lots more about how complex literary ideas, like metaphor and foreshadowing, are more accessible through the use of graphic novels.
It's a plea for the use of graphic novels in the classroom.
As someone who works with English language learners, I loved what Jaffe and Hurwich had to say. They also include images from graphic novels, sample lesson plans relating to different chapter themes, and chapters on using graphic novels in classes like social studies, science, or math.
I've had some time to get to know the book. It's been checked out from the library for six months -- overdue, then re-checked out, and overdue again. Sorry, Sonoma County Library! It's just a great resource and I needed it for a paper I was writing.
It's time to release it back to the library, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll be checking this one out again.
If you're a teacher and you haven't considered using graphic novels before, give this book a look. Definitely recommended.
For the random person on the street, however, I think Scott McCloud's book on how graphic novels are designed makes a bit more sense to read. After all, lots of the ideas from Jaffe and Hurwich are clearly informed or inspired by his work.
Basically, the book leans heavily on Scott McCloud's (1993) book Understanding Comics, which explains the deliberate artistic choices that comic book artists make to help convey information through art. This allows for readers to understand the words more easily, by having art alongside to help improve comprehension. It also helps engage readers. And the simple fact that it looks different from something you'd typically read in class can be fun and interesting, so also more engaging. And there's lots more about how complex literary ideas, like metaphor and foreshadowing, are more accessible through the use of graphic novels.
It's a plea for the use of graphic novels in the classroom.
As someone who works with English language learners, I loved what Jaffe and Hurwich had to say. They also include images from graphic novels, sample lesson plans relating to different chapter themes, and chapters on using graphic novels in classes like social studies, science, or math.
I've had some time to get to know the book. It's been checked out from the library for six months -- overdue, then re-checked out, and overdue again. Sorry, Sonoma County Library! It's just a great resource and I needed it for a paper I was writing.
It's time to release it back to the library, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll be checking this one out again.
If you're a teacher and you haven't considered using graphic novels before, give this book a look. Definitely recommended.
For the random person on the street, however, I think Scott McCloud's book on how graphic novels are designed makes a bit more sense to read. After all, lots of the ideas from Jaffe and Hurwich are clearly informed or inspired by his work.