Tiny Titans #1, a popular comic book geared for kids
A recently released study by the University of Illinois says that comics and comic books are just as valid as other forms of literature in promoting literacy in young readers.
The study, conducted by University of Illinois professor of library and information science Carol L. Tilley, showed that comics and comic books can be just as instructive and promote literacy just as much as other kinds of books. The key, says Tilley, is to understand that reading is more than the simple act of “assimilating text.”
From the University of Illinois’ article:
“If reading is to lead to any meaningful knowledge or comprehension, readers must approach a text with an understanding of the relevant social, linguistic and cultural conventions,” [Tilley] said. “And if you really consider how the pictures and words work together in consonance to tell a story, you can make the case that comics are just as complex as any other kind of literature.”
Tilley also advocated the creation of more “independent” children’s comics. Most American children’s comics are generally licensed properties from other mediums: television, movies, toy lines, and even kid-friendly adaptations of mainstream super-heroes. Even more literate comic books and graphic novel publishers, like Scholastic’s Graphix line, is made up primarily of adaptations of some of their more popular young adult titles.
You can read the University of Illinois full article on the report here. And you can read an analysis of the report from a mainstream comic book reader’s point-of-view at Newsarama.com.
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