Graphic Narratives as Teaching Tools

Rationale

The National Literacy Trust in the UK reports, “In 2023, only 2 in 5 (43.4%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 told us that they enjoyed reading in their free time. Despite this, 2 in 5 (40.7%) told us that they read comics or graphic novels in their free time at least once a month.” ²As a public school English teacher in Richmond, Virginia, I notice this trend to be reflected in my students as well. Given the choice of a text to be used for independent reading activities, students almost select a graphic novel or manga. At an urban high school with academic struggles, including students reading below grade level, it is heartening to see engagement with reading. Another observation I often make in class is that students are reluctant to express various aspects of their identities in certain circumstances due to fear of judgement. These could be racial, cultural, or gender-based identities. The title of this unit “We Wear the Mask”, is taken from the poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar, in which he describes the way “We wear the mask that grins and lies/ It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes.”³  Dunbar here is describing his experience as a black man in the American south, forced to wear a “mask” in a society unaccepting of his identity. In this unit I hope to accomplish three main goals. My first objective is for students to gain critical reading skills that can be beneficially applied across multiple subject areas. I also aim to encourage students to embrace their identities and recognize the power of doing so.