My school library has recently acquired a variety of graphic novels, ranging from classics such as Harper Lee’s, “To Kill a Mockingbird” to swashbuckling tales of pirates, and fantastical stories of superheroes from the Avengers franchise. There are multiple reasons behind the acquisition of these resources; tacking reluctant readers engagement with reading, boosting traditional and multimodal literacy and addressing the needs of the curriculum.
BAM! Literacy and fun- TOGETHER!
Graphic novels have widespread appeal across generations. From adolescent reluctant readers to highly literate adult geeks, graphic novels can inspire a cult following. I can only chuckle when I reminisce about Sheldon Cooper and his obsession with comics in the popular TV series “Big Bang Theory”. The popularity seems to stem from the presence of popular genres such as Manga, funny and superhero comics and their use of contemporary characters (Crowley, 2015; Hughes et al., 2011). The Marvel and DC comic series in particular, have reached new zeniths in popularity due to the recent plethora of movies being released this decade.
Literacy teachers common use graphic novels as a method of engaging students who are reluctant readers boosting literacy. As mentioned in earlier blog posts, reluctant readers often struggle to engage with traditional texts for a multitude of reasons, most commonly, low literacy. Aliteracy or illiteracy, can preclude students from comprehending large text paragraphs (Crowley, 2015). Graphic novels with their text juxtapositioned with pictures format allows students to use visual stimuli to assist with decoding text (Cook & Kirchoff, 2017). The drawings create a tangible image for the reader allowing them to be captivated more easily by the narrative within. This engagement can often influence students with low literacy to become more prolific with their reading, which has a direct correlation to increased literacy and overall academic achievement. Due to their popularity and narrative style, graphic novels epitomise the adage, ‘reading for pleasure’. For schools with wide reading programs, a strong graphic novel investment is highly advised.
There are other benefits to adding graphic novels to a collection. The advent of the information age has demanded a strong requirement for students to be literate across modalities. Graphic novels with their images and text colligated together, confer visual, gestural and spatial elements simultaneously, causing the reader to engage with the material on multiple levels. As mentioned previously, graphic adaptations of class texts and other classics are extremely beneficial in engaging students as it is unfortunate that prescribed texts often seem to lack appeal with the student cohort. A graphic adaptation has the duality of both ENGAGING disinterested students and ASSISTING students with DIVERSE learning needs. By adding graphic novel adaptations of class texts to the collection, a school library is acknowledging the diverse learning needs of their students whilst addressing curriculum requirements mandated by ACARA.
References
Cook, M., & Kirchoff, J. (2017). Teaching multimodal literacy through reading and writing graphic novels. Language and Literacy. Vol. 19 (4). Pp. 76-95
Crowley, J. (2015) Graphic novels in a the school library. The School Library. Vol 63 (3) Pp140-142
Hughes, J., King, A., Perkins, P. & Fuke, V. (2011) Adolescents and the Autographics; Reading and writing coming of age graphic novels. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. Vol. (54(8). DOI: doi:10.1598/JAAL.54.8.
For many people the language they use is indicative of their nationality, culture and geographical placement. Language, especially a mother language, has the ability to motivate the individual to raise their strongest voice.
My life is a linguistic soap opera. Born in Mumbai, India, I completed the majority of my schooling in Brisbane before living sporadically along the eastern seaboard of Australia. Currently based in Canberra, I am a Mumbaikar by birth to Goan parents that never lived in Goa. By this convuluted history, I should possess the linguistic arsenal of Konkani, Marati, Hindi and English from my childhood years; and be reasonably fluent in Yugara, from my time spent in Brisbane and be commencing to learn Ngunnawal, the language of Canberra.
But no. Sadly I am only fluent in English, accented as it can be and possess a smattering of inappropriate words in a few other languages. Think more like a sailor and less like a teacher, if you get my drift!
I am also sure that I am not the only emigrant with this linguistic dilemma with a dismal knowledge of my native tongue. As new citizens, my parents so keen on assimilation that they discarded all linguistic connections to the motherland to ensure we settled in as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, this discarding of language has lead to feelings of inadequacy as an adult. Besides feeling like a ‘fake’, the saddest aspect of my own inadequacies of language is that I cannot teach my children their heritage. This death of language diversity can be attributed to numerous reasons, with emigration as mine. Other reasons include, political persecution, globalisation and civil war (Strochlic, 2018). In Australia alone, over 100 Aboriginal languages have disappeared since Philipsy and his ruffian filled boats docked in Sydney (Strochlic, 2018). You don’t have to try too hard to imagine why… do you?
Strochlic (2018) reminds us all that over 200 languages have become extinct since the end of WW2, with every fortnight another language dying a silent death. It is predicted that by the end of this century, another 90% will disappear. This loss is tragedy for current and future generations.
But all is not lost. Modern Hebrew, made a dramatic reappearance in the 18th century. Conversational Hebrew had all but disappeared in the 4th Century and was revived in the late 18th. As aspects of the language were preserved in copies of the Torah and Talmund across the world, the words and phrases within could then be extrapolated to frame conversational Hebrew (Bensadoun, 2015).
Another memorable reincarnation are the Egyptian hieroglyphs, which were decoded using the famous Rosetta stone. This stone was paramount in aiding academics in understanding the amazing wonders of that ancient empire. The stone helped construe the pictorial script into ancient Greek, which could then be further translated into modern day English (British Museum, 2017).
But what about languages with no written component? What will happen to those mother tongues? The speed in which languages disappear is heightened when they are only exist in an oral form as there is no documentation to ensure preservation. Communities with distinctive languages will become extinct and this death is a blot on society.
What can we do about it?
Well, there are several groups around the world that are seeking to preserve rare dialects and languages using wikis. These groups use available technology to record, store and transfer these conversations for preservation purposes. Noone (2015), additionally advocates the use of technology as a preservation tool to document and record languages for future generations. Other ICT tools such as Skype or Facetime, can be used by people to converse with greater ease even if separated by large distances. Language, like all other skills, becomes rusty with lack of use and regression is quite common when unused for extended periods. By using these tools, people all over the world can converse and practice their skills.
As teacher librarians, we can assist students and teachers access these audible resources. Libraries are no longer just archives for the storing of information. Instead, they are centres of ‘resourcing’ information. The same technology that permits us to document and preserve these languages also enables us to access and share them.
The State Library of Queensland has an impressive collation of Indigenous language resources on their webpage. They are working towards preserving and documenting the various dialects of the region and are drawing these word lists from their range of historical texts within the collection (SLQ, 2019b). I like the word lists. It is a simple way for me to learn some common use terms for myself and then share them with my children. SLQ also has another challenge on their portal called the ‘ Say G’day in an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Language’. As 2019 is UNESCO’s Year of Indigenous Language, SLQ is challenging Queenslanders to use an Indigenous language to greet their mates in an effort to help raise awareness and promote Indigenous cultural awareness.
SLQ (2019) Languages of Queensland – including the Torres Strait
This sentiment is shared by this years NAIDOC’s them of “Voice, Treaty, Truth” as it places great emphasis on the importance of giving voice to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia. But as indigenous languages fade into the history pages, the voices that speak these languages are then also muted. There cannot be a treaty if voices are not heard. For voices to be heard and understood, we must understand that Australia is more than just English.
NAIDOC 2019 – Voices need to be heard
Whilst I do regret my inadequacy of mother tongue, I also regret not learning the language of land in which I stand on. It never crossed my mind to learn the local Indigenous dialect. That in itself is something I need to resolve as I forge my way through this M. Ed.
So I leave you with these greetings as I acknowledge that the language heritage and knowledge reside with the traditional owners, elders and custodians of the various nations. So from me to you,
I’ve always taken my kids to the library. My eldest first visited when she was six days old. I was a new nursing mum and desperate for reading materials to keep me entertained through those numerous breastfeeds. Throughout her infancy we visited different libraries on rotation. Some had great books. Others had great coffee nearby. Some had social groups that I was interested in. Either way the local library was where I felt relaxed and welcome.
Fast forward to mothering toddlers and then preschoolers, the library was where we did ‘Rhyme time’, ‘toddler time’, and ‘storytime’. Each session was eagerly awaited by mother and enjoyed whoheartedly by child and then, children.
Now as a mum of three, my library visits are less regulated mainly cos life is busy. But I do believe that my children are thriving, because of their lifetime access to books.
Local libraries are more than just a warehouse of books. They are an escape from the mundane, a breath of fresh air, and most importantly, a welcoming space.
So I dare you. Go to a local library. Take the kids and watch the magic happen.
Reading is a vital skill for learning at school and success in later life. There is multitudes of research to show that an early exposure to books has a direct correlation to literacy success. This success during formative schooling years often translates to ameliorated schooling outcomes in primary and high school, increased self esteem and overall positive well being. Unfortunately, substandard literacy skills often convert to poor education outcomes, decreased earnings and lower health outcomes. Thus it seems fairly obvious that literacy needs to be the forefront of the education system to ensure that our young citizens have the best chance at a successful and happy future.
But the statistics are dreadful. ABS (2013) reports that over 40% of Australian adults lack sufficient literacy skills to cope with daily life. This is astounding! For a first world nation this is unacceptable. How does this even happen in Australia?
Softlink (2011) research indicates that literacy levels are proportional to the presence of a school library and a qualified teacher librarian. This is further corroborated by UNESCO (2016), that libraries are the keystone in which literacy is built and promoted upon. By this token, it seems plausible that all educational facilities have a library and librarian.
Australian correctional centres have embraced this life long learning challenges by mandating that all prisons, jails, correctional facilities and detention centres have a library on site (ALIA, 2015). These libraries serve three main causes, to provide information for personal development; to improve educational outcomes and for recreational purposes (ALIA, 2015). Bevan (1984) takes the point further to ensure that detainees are encouraged to read and to have access to the library.
What a marvelous thing this is? I wish our children had the same access.
Yes, it is true. All inmates of correctional centres have the right to access a library which is run by a qualified librarian. Yet in Tasmania less than 50% of schools have a teacher librarian. Victoria has seen the numbers of qualified teacher librarians drop significantly over the past decade (Better Beginnings, n.d.). Well meaning but unqualified teachers and or assistants are resourcing the library and implementing literacy goals for our students, and it is not working out.
Once again, society bemoans the inadequacies of our children in their reading and writing without actually thinking as to the cause of it. Blame is flung eagerly at social media, inattentive parents, flying pigs and the like. But the real reason why our children’s literacy levels are deteriorating is because the information expert is absent from the school context.
The 2011 House of Representatives inquiry into schools and their libraries detailed the importance that teacher librarians bring to schools and their community. UNESCO (2016) Institute for Lifelong Learning published a policy dictating how libraries support lifelong literacy. Even the Bevan (1984) Institute of Criminology has mandated that prisoners get access to a library and books in order to improve well being and increase their chance of re-entering society.
Why can’t we give our children the same chance as we give the incarcerated?
Peschers, G (2011) Books Open Worlds for People Behind Bars: Library Services in Prison as Exemplified by the Münster Prison Library, Germany’s “Library of the Year 2007”. Library Trends 59:3 pp520-543
Learning through the Library 