First Impressions Matter

Abstract

Graphic novels in the K-12 classroom are most often used to motivate marginalized readers because of the lower text load and assumption of easy reading. This assumption has thus far been unexplored by reading research. This qualitative multiple-case study utilized think-aloud protocols in a new attention-mapping activity to better understand how expert readers use intentional attention shifts to make meaning in graphic novels. Four expert graphic novel readers, and four expert printdominant readers, between ages 16 and 20 were asked to trace their attention across the opening pages of five graphic novels and to predict what the story was about. Utilizing digital video recordings as the primary data source, analysis included creating a visual representation of each reader's attention patterns, time used, as well as the complexity and accuracy of his or her predicted stories. Findings indicate that the expert graphic novel readers initially attended to visual elements to gain an understanding of genre, character, and possible plot points. Only after attending to the illustrations did they decode the written text, and finally synthesized the two. The expert print-dominant readers predominantly attended to written text effectively but did not use illustrations to support or extend their understanding or meaning making in the text. This study complicates current assumptions about the ease of reading graphic novels by observing expert-print dominant readers and expert graphic novel readers negotiate written text and illustrations.

What's Going On in a Graphic Novel?

“…As more students read graphic novels, we encourage educators to consider these texts as valuable additions to their curriculum, closely read graphic novels themselves, and teach students the skills they need to unpack the intricacies of these multimodal formats. As noted by Jimenez and Meyer (2016), teachers who incorporate graphic novels into their teaching need to learn effective ways to read this format. Prior research has suggested that teach ers tend not to read graphic novels (Jimenez & Meyer, 2016;Lapp et al, 2011) and that teachers lack knowl edge in reading text in this graphic format (Cooper, Nesmith, & Schwarz, 2013;Pagliaro, 2014).…”

“…As noted by Jimenez and Meyer (2016), teachers who incorporate graphic novels into their teaching need to learn effective ways to read this format. Prior research has suggested that teach ers tend not to read graphic novels (Jimenez & Meyer, 2016;Lapp et al, 2011) and that teachers lack knowl edge in reading text in this graphic format (Cooper, Nesmith, & Schwarz, 2013;Pagliaro, 2014). Jimenez and Meyer (2016) found that reading graphic novels takes specialized knowledge that de velops with experience.…”

“…Even though this format is popular among read ers and worthy of prestigious awards, in schools, de spite teachers' willingness to use graphic novels, re searchers found a lack of instructional models and a lack of comfort with the format that limits their use in curriculum (Lapp, Wolsey, Fisher, & Frey, 2011). Relatively little describes how readers make sense of them, the processes used to understand them (Jimenez & Meyer, 2016;Serafini, 2010), or instruc tional strategies teachers use to help readers make meaning from a combination of images and words (Serafini, 2012).…”

“…Despite the stigma, graphic formats persisted, although it took several decades for them to become accepted as "real" read ing. Their current popularity means that their use in classrooms is likely to continue (Connors, 2013;Jimenez & Meyer, 2016;Pantaleo, 2013), partly be cause of the rise in status that accompanies presti gious literary honors.…”

Moving Our Can(n)ons: Toward an Appreciation of Multimodal Texts in the Classroom

“…In short, reading graphic novels differs from reading their more traditional counterparts and thus requires readers to employ a somewhat different cadre of strategies. Now for the good news: Graphic novel comprehension can be taught (Jiménez & Meyer, 2016), and a relatively small amount of instruction can go a long way toward supporting comprehension. Many of Mrs. Waito's students were already reading graphic novels, but just like readers of any other type of text, they did so with varying degrees of strategic skill.…”