Teaching Visual Literacy: Using Comic Books, Graphic Novels, Anime, Cartoons, and More to Develop Comprehension and Thinking Skills

by Nancy Frey, Douglas Fisher

These innovative articles show how to use high-interest visual materials to capture the attention of learners, strengthen multiple literacy competencies, and boost critical thinking skills.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Graphic Novels, Grad School, Art

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 2008

About the author

Nancy Frey, Ph.D., is an educator and Professor of Literacy in the Department of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University.
Shehas taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels and is a teacher-leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College.

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Reviews

[Anna]

Ich habe jetzt so viele Texte zu Graphic Novels anstelle von Büchern, auf die ich eigentlich Lust hatte gelesen, irgendwas muss ich hier mal stellvertretend für die ganze Misere tracken.

[Brandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This text is formatted like a professional journal. Each chapter focuses on a different topic related to visual literacy and is written by a different author. Overall, I found this title to be disappointing. It is slightly dated, but also didn’t contain a lot of new information (at least for this reader). The chapter on using images as visual literacy supports for students with disabilities was the most helpful overall, but there was one awesome project idea presented in the chapter on using film in the classroom. The chapter on political cartoons was also illuminating. Recommended only for educators who are unfamiliar with graphic novels and/or using other forms of visual media.

[Brandy]

A few pages that I'll scan in and keep, but on the whole, this book falls flat. Part of the issue is that it's over a decade old, so a lot of the book is concerned with using these new-fangled "graphic novels" in classrooms. A bunch of essays from different people, so there's a range of opinion and practice represented, for better or worse.
Skimmed, really, but ultimately I'm glad I got it from the library.

[Ginny Daniels · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are lots possible lesson ideas for teaching visual literacy, but most of them are not new, though this book was written over a decade ago. It did help me think about re-evaluating my current library lessons continuum though, to incorporate more of a visual literacy focus.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an awesome look at bringing visual literacy into the classroom. I particularly enjoyed the resources and ideas for using political cartoons and videos in the classroom!

[Amy M. Mize · Rating 4 out of 5]

MEDT 7490 Textbook Fall 2020: A little dated, but this book gets 4 stars for being focused on how to use visual texts in the classroom. Mostly practical, not theoretical.

[Katie VanderZanden · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little outdated, but a good resource in general.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great survey of the ways in which teachers can utilize visuals in the classroom. I loved the format of articles by experts in their respective fields. I personally was looking forward to the discussions of comics and graphic novels the most, but was surprised at how much the chapter on anime and manga interested me. Definitely reconsidering those genres.

I'll offer a more in-depth review another time, but my only complaint is that this book is not in color. For a book about visual literacy with an opening chapter on, of all things, color, I think this should have been in color. There were even references by authors of the articles to the colors in a specific figure/image, which made me think these folks thought the book would be in color as well.

Other than that I think this is a great intro for folks looking at ways to implement visuals into the classroom and use them to differentiate instruction. If you're well-versed in comics like myself, the graphic novel chapter may be a little remedial, but overall I learned tremendously from this book. Highly recommended.

[Mar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection of essays/chapters written by educators who describe how teachers can use visual elements in their classrooms. I think most readers will go to the chapters that apply to them rather than read the whole book.

I found some of the resources to be helpful, although as the book ages, fewer webpages are currently active. I enjoyed the chapters on graphic novels, anime and political cartoons, but the one on picture books was also interesting--I just don't teach them.

[jacky]

not in MINERVA

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource for information on visual literacy and using graphic novels in the classroom.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great Ideas but makes some bold claims at times.

[Abbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

decent.