Visualizing Shakespeare
Engaging Teenage Second Language
Learners in the Bard
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
Overview
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A few disclaimers!
What is manga?
What is Manga Shakespeare?
A brief course description
Why use Manga Shakespeare?
(Theoretical framework)
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
A few disclaimers!
• I am not a Shakespeare expert
• I am not a manga expert
• I am not an expert on adaptation
• I am, however, interested in knowing more
about all of the above
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
What is manga?
• Origin of the word
dates back to 18th
century
• Today, denotes
Japanese style
comics
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
What is manga?
• What are comics?
• According to expert Scott McCloud comics tend
to be mistaken for…
“crude, poorly-drawn, semiliterate, cheap,
disposable kiddie fare”
• Let’s look at his definition…
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
What is Manga?
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Manga’s popularity steadily increasing
In Japan, began to thrive after WWII
Outside Japan, began to blossom in 1980s
Today, integral part of mainstream popular
culture, with Europe following Japan as the
largest consumer
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
What is Manga Shakespeare?
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Published by…
Began in 2007
UK Young Publisher of the Year 2008
14 adaptations of plays already
Additional educational resources
Supported by British Council
http://www.mangashakespeare.com/index.html
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
What is Manga Shakespeare?
• Testimonials…
“Watch out! Self Made Hero’s Manga Shakespeare books are
seriously good. Students are reading them for pleasure!”
Anne Walker, School Librarian, Leeds
“It’s great to see Shakespeare become cool again, by taking
these timeless dramas and placing them in fresh, relevant
contexts that will excite and challenge modern readers.
Welcome to the 21st century, Will.”
Gavin Lees, English Network Leader, Livingstone
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
Course Description
• Student-aimed:
マンガシェイクスピル！MANGA SHAKESPEARE!
Want to study SHAKESPEARE the visual and fun way? Now
you can! In this course we will cover the background to
Shakespeare’s life and times and take a close look at three of
his major PLAYS… in MANGA format! You will have an
opportunity to enrich your English VOCABULARY and to add a
few JAPANESE words to your lexicon. You will also get to
nurture your CREATIVE side through fun project work. Join
now!
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
Course Description
• Not a substitute!
• Prerequisite usually
English 503, instead
suggesting 303 or 403
• Reaching a wider
group of students
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
Course Description
• Shakespeare’s life and times
• Three plays, most likely Romeo and
Juliet,Macbeth and ?
• Educational resources from Self Made Hero
• Create additional material, such as group
projects, exercises and assignments
• Other topics include: manga, Japan and
Japanese, visual literacy, multiculturalism etc.
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
Course Description
• Assessment divided into term and final grade
• Term grade = 10% class participation, 15%
reading tests, 15% individual assignment, 10%
group project
• Final grade = 25% final essay, 25% oral exam
• Fair and fun evaluation!
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
Why Use Manga Shakespeare?
• Popularity not reason enough!
• Here are a few reasons…
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
Why Use Manga Shakespeare?
VISUAL AIDS
Zone of Proximal Development / Scaffolding
Tools for negotiating meaning
Helpful to students with learning disabilities
Offer opportunities to explore complex ideas
NB! Danger of too much reliance
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
Why Use Manga Shakespeare?
VISUAL LITERACY
The ability to construct meaning from visual
images
Exploration, critique and reflection
Deeper understanding of aesthetics /
awareness of manipulation
Need for active teaching
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
Why Use Manga Shakespeare?
CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING
Emphasis on critical thinking skills
Lack of creativity is a problem
“When reasoning fails, Imagination saves you!
When Intuition fails, reason saves you” (Crane,
1983)
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Dr. Craig Roland’s classification
of critical and creative thinking
NB! This is only a partial list
Why Use Manga Shakespeare?
GARDNER’S MULTIPLE INTELLEGENCES
People have multiple intellegences that are
independent of on another and each has its
strengths and constraints
Emphasis on linguistic and logical-mathematical
intellegence
Manga likely to appeal most to the spatially
intellegent (bodily-kinesthetic, musical etc.)
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
Why Use Manga Shakespeare?
GENDER ASPECTS
Comics usually associated with boys, but
manga appeals to both genders
Masculine and feminine domains in educational
system
Gender bias in the manga themselves?
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
Why Use Manga Shakespeare?
MULTICULTURALISM
“Multiculturalism is the appreciation,
acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures”
(wikipedia.org)
For example Japanese
culture and language
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
Summary
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Manga can be a legitimate educational resource
Manga engages young readers
Visual aids can benefit language learners
Need for teaching visual literacy
Need for teaching not only critical but also
creative thinking
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011
Summary
• Appeals to multiple intellegences
• Appeals to both genders
• Creates opportunities to explore
multiculturalism
• Any more ideas?
Íris Lilja Ragnarsdóttir 2011