Sequential Smarts

Jeff Parker, guestblogging over at Robot 6, has just posted a wonderful column about the educational value of comics, appropriately titled “I ♥ Learning from Comics“:

“I remember as a kid an old ’50s reprint where Superboy generated a massive amount of static electricity by fashioning a gargantuan glass rod and rubbing a similarly huge silk cloth against it. Many of those stories read as if the writers kept a stack of Popular Science close at hand, and it’s noteworthy that I can’t remember the plot but still remember how Superboy made the electricity he needed. Any young Superman reader would also have a vague understanding of the process that turns carbon into diamond- any time Clark Kent was running low on cash he’d scope around for some charcoal briquets at a cookout and squeeze/heat vision himself up some stones to impress the ladies. The science would usually be fast and loose, but a key connection was still made, and I would have some bit of insight into the physical world.”

Parker also discusses Terry and the Pirates, Prince Valiant, and Xenozoic Tales, as well as overtly “educational” comics like those that teach how DNA works, or what exactly the Federal Reserve does. GT Labs also gets a well-deserved shout-out.

In the comments, readers are already discussing what they’ve learned from reading comics. I have to personally admit that, like a couple of others, I was actually inspired to do my own research into Norse mythology after having read about Thor in ye olde Marvel comics.

Anyway: Thank you, Jeff, for reminding us all how comics can potentially educate us, even when we least expect it.

This is a fun and super-easy project that I’ve done with EFL learners.  My students were Japanese kids between the ages of twelve and fifteen, although I’m sure that this basic idea could be modified to work for any age group studying any language.

You’ve probably heard of this one before, too.  It’s easy: Just pick a comic strip, blank out the word bubbles, hand the “blanked” strip to your students, and let them fill in the word bubbles with their own funny, creative dialogue.

Also, this wasn’t my idea.  I can’t even remember where I first came across this idea, as it’s been posted to many forums and “teacher resources” websites before.  But I do remember that somehow, somewhen, I actually picked up on the idea of using Penny Arcade strips from Karen Healey.  And Penny Arcade strips really do work beautifully, since they tend to feature lush, highly expressive cartoony artwork, which in turn inspires some pretty creative results from students.

Here are two strips that worked well for me.

Original Strip

Original Strip

I’ve admittedly never tried this exercise with other strips before, but I imagine that Peanuts strips, or certain strips from Calvin and Hobbes, would work equally as well.

Now this would be the part where I post some of the best results from what my students have done with their strips.  Unfortunately, I can’t get any of my Japanese students to give me permission to post their strips on this here blog, because they’re shy.  I’m working on it, though.  They were the ones who taught me how to perfect the art of puppy-dog eyes in the first place.

Title: Amar Chitra Katha (series)

Author: Various

Format: Individual issues, trade paperbacks, and hardcover collections are all available.

Reviewed by: Elena

Beautifully illustrated, meticulously-researched comics that present both the real history and the folklore/mythology of India to readers around the world.

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