GRAPHIC NOVELS FOR ADULT ENGLISH LANGUAGE
LEARNERS: A TEACHING PORTFOLIO
A MASTER’S PROJECT PRESENTED BY
LINDSAY DELAND
TO THE LINGUISTICS DEPARTMENT
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN LINGUISTICS
WITH A LANGUAGE TEACHING SPECIALIZATION
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
March 22, 2016
i
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS, COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES MA
MASTER’S PROJECT APPROVAL FORM
March 22, 2016
The examining committee appointed by the Department of Linguistics for the Master’s
Project submitted by
LINDSAY DELAND
has read this Master’s Project and determined that it satisfactorily fulfills the program
requirement for the degree of Master of Arts.
Project title:
Graphic Novels as Motivating Authentic Texts for Adult English
Language Learners
Committee Chair:
________________________________
Dr. Deborah Healey
Committee Member:
________________________________
Andrew Noonan
Department Chair:
_________________________________
Dr. Scott Delancey
ii
ABSTRACT
Title:
Graphic Novels as Motivating Authentic Texts for Adult
English Language Learners
Author:
Lindsay DeLand
Committee Chair:
Dr. Deborah Healey
Committee Member:
Andrew Noonan
Program:
Language Teaching Specialization, Department of Linguistics
While the use of authentic literature for teaching adult English language learners is
by no means a recent phenomenon, graphic novels represent one genre of authentic
literature that has gone largely unexplored in the language teaching world. Because they
combine sophisticated linguistic content with visual scaffolding and diverse themes that
are often culturally relevant to non-native English speakers in the U.S., graphic novels
represent an opportunity to uniquely appeal to adult language learners from diverse
backgrounds. Recent research on motivation, authentic literature, and teaching with
comics are combined here with a needs analysis investigating the needs and attitudes of
adult language learners and their instructors in order to inform a product adaptable to a
variety of teaching contexts. This portfolio contains a number of suggested activities
demonstrating how graphic novels can be utilized to benefit advanced adult language
learners in both flexible and regulated classroom contexts, organized so that instructors
may easily select activities as appropriate to their needs. Recommended graphic novel
iii
titles, sample materials, and sample lesson plans are additionally included in order to
further model successful incorporation of graphic novels into the classroom.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents ....................................................................................................... iv
Chapter I: Introduction .............................................................................................. 1
Chapter II: Literature Review ................................................................................... 3
Motivation and Language Learning ................................................................................. 3
Teaching Language with Authentic Texts and Literature .............................................. 5
Teaching Language with Graphic Novels ........................................................................ 9
Chapter III: Needs Analysis ..................................................................................... 13
Instructor Surveys ............................................................................................................ 13
Participants ..................................................................................................................... 13
Instruments ..................................................................................................................... 14
Procedures ...................................................................................................................... 15
Results ............................................................................................................................ 15
Student Surveys ................................................................................................................ 19
Participants ..................................................................................................................... 19
Instruments ..................................................................................................................... 19
Procedures ...................................................................................................................... 20
Results ............................................................................................................................ 21
Instructor Interviews........................................................................................................ 24
Participants ..................................................................................................................... 24
Instruments ..................................................................................................................... 25
Procedures ...................................................................................................................... 25
Results ............................................................................................................................ 25
Chapter IV: Overview of Portfolio .......................................................................... 29
Project Rationale .............................................................................................................. 29
Teaching Approaches ....................................................................................................... 32
Portfolio Criteria .............................................................................................................. 33
Explanation of Portfolio Organization ........................................................................... 36
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection ............................................................................... 38
Activities Description ....................................................................................................... 38
Self-Contained Activities.................................................................................................. 39
Multi-Part Activities ......................................................................................................... 45
Project-Based Activities ................................................................................................... 51
Recommended Graphic Novel Titles .............................................................................. 57
Chapter VI: Conclusion ........................................................................................... 61
Project Limitations ........................................................................................................... 61
Future Investigations........................................................................................................ 63
References .................................................................................................................. 65
Materials References ................................................................................................ 68
Appendix A: Instruments from Needs Analysis ..................................................... 69
Appendix B: Lesson Plans ........................................................................................ 80
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials ............................................................ 85
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 1
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
While today most linguists and language teachers alike agree that motivation is an
important contributing factor in what makes a successful language learner (Dörnyei,
2000; Gardner, 2007; Mori, 2002), there is some contention surrounding the question of
how much impact teaching materials and methods are capable of having on learner
motivation. When considering materials, several studies have found a significant
correlation between type of text used in language instruction and perceived or selfreported learner motivation levels (Chun, 2009; Ghosn, 2002; Gilmore, 2007; Norton,
2003; Peacock, 1997). Still, even in the face of convincing research connecting types of
texts and motivation, other factors contribute to the selection of materials for language
teaching, including linguistic merit and difficulty level. Of particular interest recently is
the question of whether or not authentic literature or simplified texts are more appropriate
for advanced adult English language instruction.
Despite a marked shift in favor of the use of authentic texts for language instruction
in recent years (Crossley et. al., 2007), different researchers are of different minds
regarding the benefits and drawbacks of authentic and simplified texts. In certain contexts
and for certain purposes, either type of text may prove more appropriate, but there exists
compelling evidence that authentic texts are more motivating and contain language that is
more pragmatically relevant and, in some cases, even easier to understand than simplified
texts (Crossley et. al., 2007; Gilmore, 2007). Authentic literature has proven to be
especially motivating to language learners, in part thanks to its rich narratives and
universal themes (Ghosn, 2002). However, while authentic literature may be consistently
Chapter I: Introduction
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 2
more motivating and linguistically beneficial than simplified texts, some studies have
found it to be less interesting and engaging to learners (Gilmore, 2007; Peacock, 1997).
In order to provide language learners with sufficiently motivating, educational, and
enjoyable material that also inspires them to learn, it is important that instructors
carefully select literature that accounts for language learners' linguistic needs as well as
their cultural contexts and individual interests. Graphic novels represent one
underexplored genre of authentic literature that could greatly enrich and improve the field
of second language instruction. Chun (2009) writes that linguistically and thematically
complex graphic novels, such as Art Spiegelman's (1992) Maus, have unique potential as
authentic materials for language instruction because they contain themes that resonate
with many language learners' personal experiences and cultural backgrounds. Graphic
novels may additionally scaffold language acquisition through the effective incorporation
of visual cues and authentic, meaningful language in context (Cary, 2004; Chun, 2009).
The goal of this project is to illustrate how graphic novels can be effectively utilized
in order to provide language learners with quality language instruction that is also
motivating and compelling. Chapter II reviews some of the existing research surrounding
motivation, authentic literature in language teaching, and graphic novels in language
teaching in order to provide the reader with a strong theoretical context for the project.
Chapter III explains the methodology and results of the needs analysis, which consists of
student and instructor surveys of attitudes toward the use of graphic novels for language
teaching and interviews with instructors who have experience teaching using comics or
literature. Chapters IV and V include a rationale for the project, sample activities and
materials, and a reference list with additional suggested titles.
Chapter I: Introduction
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 3
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW
This literature review consists of three main sections. The first section explores
relevant research on motivation and language learning. The second addresses various
perspectives on the use of authentic literature for language teaching. Finally, the third
section reviews research on the use of comics and graphic novels for educational
purposes in general and language teaching specifically.
Motivation and Language Learning
In an attempt to define what motivation looks like in a learner, R. C. Gardner (2007)
observes, "the motivated individual is goal directed, expends effort, is persistent, is
attentive, has desires (wants), exhibits positive affect, is aroused, has expectancies,
demonstrates self-confidence (self-efficacy), and has reasons (motives)" (p. 10). This
definition might at first seem self-evident, but it effectively illustrates just how
multifaceted and complex the construct of motivation is when it comes to language
learning. Gardner's characteristics of a motivated learner are not inconsiderable, and, as
any teacher can attest, it is a rare student who embodies all at once. Moreover, motivation
is such an inherently nebulous concept that it can be difficult to envision how instructors,
curricula, and materials can have an influence on what is often a deeply personal
endeavor. Yet it would be irresponsible to dismiss motivation as an inflexible or
irrelevant aspect of language learning when so many studies indicate a significant
correlation between motivation and language learning success (Ehrman & Oxford, 1995;
Gardner, 2007; Young & Gardner, 1990).
Chapter II: Literature Review
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 4
What becomes important, then, is determining how we can harness motivation in
order to allow language learners to achieve the greatest possible success. Gardner (2007)
believes it is possible for instructors and curriculum designers to influence student
motivation to an extent, particularly through increased efforts to attend to students'
educational and cultural contexts (p. 14). While it may be tempting to focus more efforts
on educational context simply because matters of classroom environment and teaching
methods are fairly easily addressed by an individual instructor, attending to cultural
context is at least as crucial. Second language learning, as opposed to most other fields of
study, places a unique challenge on learners to consider and adapt to the conventions of
another culture, sometimes to the extent that learners must compromise elements of their
own cultural identities (Gardner, 2007, p. 13). Taking this unique challenge into account
and validating learners' cultural backgrounds can make a crucial difference in learner
motivation and helping learners develop positive attitudes toward a new language and
culture (Gardner, 2007; Ghosn, 2002).
Inherently connected to cultural context is Gardner's (1985) concept of
integrativeness, which, Gardner later elaborates, could also be understood as openness
(Gardner, 2007, p. 15). Integrativeness can be defined as a learner's attitudes toward and
willingness to participate in a new language community. While some have criticized
Gardner's definition of integrativeness as ambiguous or overly simplistic (Mori, 2002),
the assertion that language learners are more successful when they are open-minded
about the culture associated with their L2 seems self-evident, as students who are under
the influence of xenophobic attitudes or stereotypes toward a language community can
hardly be expected to successfully integrate into it. It is crucial, then, that language
Chapter II: Literature Review
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 5
instructors take into consideration not only how to effectively teach the vocabulary,
grammar, and other technical skills necessary to speak a language, but how to most
effectively guide students toward gaining understanding of new cultures while still
preserving respect for their own (Gardner, 2007).
One way instructors can do this is by carefully selecting texts and other instructional
materials that are capable of both resonating with students' cultural identities and
introducing students to a broader worldview in a respectful and enlightening manner.
Multiple studies of literacy instruction in both traditional K-12 and ESL education have
found culturally rich and complex narratives, such as memoirs, coming-of-age stories,
and war stories, to be significantly beneficial to young learners and ESL learners in
particular because these texts touch on universal themes that resonate with learners from
any cultural background (Carter, 2007; Chun, 2009; Ghosn 2002; Danzak, 2011;
Hişmanoğlu, 2005; Hughes et. al., 2011; Khatib et. al., 2011). By providing students with
materials with which they can make meaningful connections, instructors can increase the
likelihood of their students finding the self-motivation necessary to succeed at learning a
second language.
Teaching Language with Authentic Texts and Literature
When choosing materials to use in the language classroom, then, the question
becomes exactly what kinds of texts will be most effectively motivating and culturally
enriching for students. Instructors and researchers have long debated the various positive
and negative qualities of using authentic texts, or "text[s] originally created to fulfill a
social purpose in the language community for which [they were] intended" (Crossley et.
Chapter II: Literature Review
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 6
al., 2007, p. 17), as opposed to using texts that have been simplified in an attempt to cater
to learners' language proficiency levels (Crossley et. al., 2007). If an instructor's main
consideration in choosing a particular text is cultural content, it stands to reason that
either authentic or simplified texts could work equally well, considering that simplified
versions of novels and other texts already exist or could easily be created while still
arguably retaining the important cultural themes.
However, some researchers argue that the process of simplifying texts results in a loss
of some of the original symbolic, metaphorical, and cultural value of the source material
in favor of a focus on forms (Crossley et. al., 2007; Gilmore, 2007). Furthermore,
whether or not this assertion is true, there are other convincing reasons why authentic
texts may be especially motivating for language learners. Several researchers argue that,
in spite or even because of the increased difficulty level of authentic texts over simplified
texts, authentic texts are innately motivating because learners feel an increased sense of
pride and accomplishment for having successfully understood them (Gilmore, 2007;
Peacock, 1997). The mere fact that authentic texts are authentic can actually improve
learners' motivation to put effort into consuming the material simply because they are
seen as "real" (Peacock, 1997). The effect of improved motivation on learner
performance cannot be underestimated; in one study of the impact authentic materials
have on EFL learners, Peacock (1997) found significant increases in observed on-task
classroom behavior as well as self-reported motivation levels for students when using
authentic materials.
Besides motivational gains, there exist a number of other compelling reasons to use
authentic materials for language teaching. When it comes to comprehensibility, some
Chapter II: Literature Review
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 7
studies have found that, in their effort to make the language more intelligible for less
proficient learners, simplified texts may actually be achieving the opposite effect.
Crossley et al. (2007) found that the most common types of constructions employed by
simplified texts "may create a burdensome syntactic structure that does not lead to either
authentic discourse or ease of understanding," thereby "plac[ing] a heavier processing
burden on the reader" (p. 26). Other studies have found that the language featured in the
majority of ESL and EFL textbooks tends to be grossly under-representative of the kind
of language nonnative speakers typically encounter in authentic contexts. Prominent
pragmatic language features such as idioms, modal lexical items, and discourse grammars
are rarely featured in textbooks and other texts created specifically for language teaching
despite their prolificacy and practicality in real communicative language use (Gilmore,
2007).
One possible downside to authentic texts is that some researchers have found learners
may actually consider them to be less interesting than simplified texts, even in cases
where they consider them to be more motivating (Gilmore, 2007; Peacock, 1997). These
findings indicate that motivation and interest in materials are perhaps more disparate
components of learning than previously assumed (Peacock, 1997). However, the solution
to this problem may be as simple as allowing learners to choose from a selection of texts
that have been tailored to their needs and interests in order to provide them with learning
material that is linguistically relevant as well as interesting and enjoyable. In this way,
narrative literature, from novels to children's books, may have the greatest potential to
appeal to learner interests because they are by and large written not only to inform, but
also to entertain.
Chapter II: Literature Review
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 8
Many of the benefits of using literature for language teaching are a reflection of the
benefits of using authentic texts, including motivational properties and modeling of real
language use in context. Literature can be especially useful for the development of
sociolinguistic and pragmatic skills precisely because it provides a more meaningful
context for the language than, for example, an excerpt from a newspaper, which learners
may have a more difficult time connecting with than a narrative written to entertain.
Ghosn (2002) holds that the narrative form of children's literature appeals to students in a
way that many ESL textbooks fail to do, allowing students to actually find pleasure in
reading in addition to making linguistic gains.
This element of gratification is perhaps one of the greatest benefits of using literature
to teach. Quality narratives are inherently compelling, and part of what makes them
compelling is that they often contain themes that are universal, such as death, love, and
faith, which give them the potential to feel familiar and relatable to members of any
culture (Hişmanoğlu, 2005; Khatib et. al., 2011). Discovering the universality of said
themes can, in turn, promote intercultural awareness. In an increasingly globalized world,
intercultural awareness is crucial for language learners in particular, as it teaches lessons
of tolerance and compassion that may allow learners to become "bridge-builders across
cultures" (Ghosn, 2002, p. 176). Additionally, as Gardner (1985, 2007) illustrated,
attention to cultural context is crucial to inspiring learner motivation.
Literature can also be especially useful in preparing students who may go on to study
in an immersive English-speaking educational context. By reading authentic literature of
the type that is often taught in English-speaking academic institutions, learners can build
academic literacy and gain critical thinking skills that will be invaluable to their academic
Chapter II: Literature Review
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 9
success (Ghosn, 2002). This type of training could mean the difference between success
and failure for an ESL student relocating to a new country or an EFL student
participating in a study abroad program, as it may help alleviate some of the more
challenging aspects of culture shock when acclimating to an unfamiliar culture.
Teaching Language with Graphic Novels
Graphic novels have only relatively recently started to be accepted and acknowledged
as a valid form of literature, and have only been considered seriously for their value as
instructional materials even more recently. Even the term "graphic novel" may be
unfamiliar to many readers. For the purposes of this project, I will borrow Gretchen
Schwarz's (2002) definition: graphic novels are "fiction as well as non-fiction with
pictures—comics in book format" (p. 262). However, I will also expand upon this
definition to qualify that graphic novels, generally speaking, are long, intellectually and
thematically sophisticated texts, sometimes (but not always) in contrast to the accepted
idea of traditional comics. In fact, the distinction between what constitutes a comic and
what constitutes a graphic novel is somewhat semantic, and while this project will
primarily focus on graphic novels, comics and graphic novels are in many respects nearly
indistinguishable and thus the educational merits of both will be discussed.
There are several linguistically relevant reasons to consider using comics and graphic
novels for language teaching, primary among them the gains in reading comprehension
that can be connected to visual scaffolding. According to Krashen (1989), the visual
nature of comic books "can provide clues that shed light on the meaning of an unfamiliar
word or grammatical structure" (as cited in Chun, 2009, p. 146), and for English language
Chapter II: Literature Review
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 10
learners in particular, these visual clues may provide the support necessary to allow them
to understand an otherwise complex narrative. Liu (2004) reports on a study where lowlevel ESL students showed significant gains in postreading recall skills when provided
with texts that were accompanied by comic strips compared to students who read the
same texts without accompanying comics. And it is not only complex language that can
be made more accessible through visual contextualization; complex themes, as well, can
become far more relatable and meaningful to the reader through the use of illustration and
visual metaphor (Chun, 2009).
This combination of visual scaffolding and complex content is precisely what makes
graphic novels so beneficial for language learners, and there exist a plethora of examples
of graphic novels that have the potential to appeal to nonnative English speakers in
particular. Art Spiegelman's (1992) Maus, a retelling of the author's father's Holocaust
survival story, is an artfully rendered narrative that could be especially compelling to
students who have resonating experiences with racism or xenophobia in coming to the
U.S. (Chun, 2009). Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (2003) recounts the author's own
experiences growing up in Iran's Islamic revolution before fleeing to Europe, which may
especially resonate with Muslim and refugee students, and American Born Chinese by
Gene Luen Yang (2006) skillfully illustrates the struggles with identity and belonging
experienced by many children of immigrants. The rich, sophisticated themes represented
in these and many more graphic novel titles provide opportunities for instructors to help
build students' language skills and, even more importantly, specifically appeal to
language learners in a way that can most effectively tap into their experiences and
interests.
Chapter II: Literature Review
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 11
One concern that might arise in considering comics or graphic novels for language
teaching purposes is whether these texts might be perceived as too childish to be
appropriate for adult English language learners. Indeed, much of the existing research on
the use of comics or graphic novels in English instruction (for native and nonnative
speakers alike) is focused on young learners precisely because it is presumed to be
particularly motivating to children and adolescents (Cary, 2004; Danzak, 2011; Hughes
et. al., 2011; Norton, 2003; Schwarz, 2002). However, graphic novels should be
considered more than appropriate for adult language learners not only because of the
aforementioned complex and sophisticated themes present in many titles, but because
their intended audience is often actually adults rather than children (Cary, 2004). In fact,
graphic novels may represent some of the best available examples of authentic literature
for adult second language instruction in that they manage to be simultaneously accessible
to nonnative speakers, due to their visual nature, and also intellectually stimulating, so
that they do not condescend (Chun, 2009).
An additional concern in using graphic novels such as Maus or Persepolis—or any
other potentially controversial or emotionally charged literature—to teach language is the
risk of offending or upsetting students. It is of the utmost importance that instructors take
this concern very seriously, as neglecting to do so risks not only offending students, but
alienating them from a subject entirely (Miller Jr. & Flores, 2011). However, by giving
students the tools they need to examine a text critically and creating a classroom
environment in which they feel comfortable doing so, instructors can effectively harness
controversial material to allow students to reevaluate narrow worldviews and engage with
texts on a deeply personal level (Miller Jr. & Flores, 2011). In order to ensure this issue is
Chapter II: Literature Review
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 12
given sufficient consideration in this project, the Needs Analysis will focus on gauging
student and instructor attitudes toward such challenging material and determining the
most appropriate way of utilizing it for the classroom.
Even taking the risks into consideration, there is strong reason to consider the
pedagogical value of graphic novels for adult second language instruction. Graphic
novels, if carefully selected to meet the needs and interests of the target learners, possess
many unique benefits as course texts in a language classroom that other types of literature
do not. In particular, graphic novels have the potential to make motivating, culturally
resonant authentic literature accessible to language learners through visual scaffolding
and engaging, relatable content that additionally allows for significant linguistic gains. It
is the purpose of this project to demonstrate precisely how graphic novels can best be
utilized to bring new inspiration to the English language classroom and new motivation
to the adult English language learner.
Chapter II: Literature Review
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 13
CHAPTER III: NEEDS ANALYSIS
Three different methods were utilized to obtain data for this needs analysis: instructor
surveys, student surveys, and instructor interviews. These methods were created in order
to establish a need for the current project and guide its design. The instructor survey
sought feedback from instructors of adult English language learners because they are the
target teaching demographic for this project. The student survey, similarly, sought
feedback from the adult English language learner student demographic. Finally, instructor
interviews were used to gain useful guidance from instructors with relevant experience
and to elicit more in-depth responses to some of the more challenging questions raised on
the survey. All data came from students or instructors at the American English Institute
(AEI), the intensive English program affiliated with the University of Oregon.
Instructor Surveys
The primary purpose of the instructor surveys used in this needs analysis was to
gauge attitudes toward the use of graphic novels for language instruction. Survey
questions also sought to determine the amount of relevant teaching experience instructors
had using comics or graphic novels, opinions regarding the appropriateness of certain
graphic novel titles for instructors' learners and contexts, and instructor willingness to
work with comics and graphic novels in the classroom.
Participants
Instructor participants were either currently teaching in the most advanced levels
(five and six) at the AEI or had prior experience teaching at these levels. The instructors
represented a wide range of teaching experience, from three years to over twenty (see
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 14
Figure 1). A total of eleven instructors responded to the survey, but one response was
discarded because the respondent did not complete the survey. Thus, only ten instructor
responses were analyzed.
Instructor Teaching Experience
Years of Experience
16+
11 to 15
6 to 10
N = 10
1 to 5
0
1
2
3
Number of Instructors
4
Figure 1: Instructor Teaching Experience
Instruments
Electronic instructor surveys were created using Qualtrics and conducted entirely
online (see Appendix A). The surveys included questions intended to measure attitudes
toward comics and graphic novels for both pleasure reading and instructional purposes.
Several items were written in order to gain information about prior relevant experience
using graphic novels for teaching, and others to determine how instructors without
relevant experience might hypothetically use comics or graphic novels if they were to
teach with them. Additional items were included to determine instructor attitudes toward
teaching using graphic novels about challenging or sensitive topics such as war and
discrimination.
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 15
Most questions were qualitative in nature, with several short answer items. Visual
samples of graphic novel pages were included, accompanied by questions such as:
"Based on the excerpt, would you consider using Persepolis to teach in your current
context? Why or why not? Please explain in a few sentences" (see Appendix A).
Procedures
Data for this needs analysis were collected over the course of four weeks in the
Spring 2014 academic term. After obtaining permission to contact students and
instructors at the AEI, a request to participate in a survey on language teaching and
graphic novels was sent out to all instructors with experience teaching at levels five and
six, along with a link to the survey. Instructors had the option of remaining anonymous or
including a name and contact information for a possible follow-up interview.
Results
One of the more surprising results from the survey responses was that more than half
the instructors (six out of ten) indicated they had used comics or graphic novels for
teaching at some point. Presumably, the majority used comics as opposed to graphic
novels, because only one instructor out of ten indicated that she reads graphic novels
regularly, and five indicated they had never read a graphic novel before. The instructors
who did have experience using comics in the classroom were asked to share their
experiences, both positive and negative, in Question Six: "What were some benefits to
using comics or graphic novels for teaching in your experience? What were some
drawbacks? Please explain in a few sentences." Their positive sentiments often echoed
what research in the field has to say about the advantages of teaching with comics.
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 16
One instructor wrote: "I had a group of 8 Indonesian kids create their own comic
book and it was amazing actually—what they produced was fabulous and met my goals
for increasing motivation and connecting content to their lives." Several other instructors
mentioned the motivating properties of teaching with comics, the visual support to textual
comprehension, and the cultural gains to be made through studying authentic jokes and
dialogue. These observations hearken back to findings by Chun (2009) and Cary (2004),
among others, and further support the argument that graphic novels hold unique benefits
for language learners that traditional textbooks or literature might not possess. In fact,
only one instructor reflected on a negative experience from teaching using comics:
because humor is often so culturally ingrained, this instructor felt comic humor was
difficult for students to access and appreciate.
Instructors with no experience teaching with comics were also asked to share their
perspective regarding the use of comics for language teaching in Question Seven: "What
are some potential benefits or drawbacks you might anticipate from using comics or
graphic novels for teaching English? Please explain in a few sentences." Perhaps
unsurprisingly, these instructors focused on the drawbacks of comics more than the
instructors who had actually used them. Among the potential drawbacks they cited were
an abundance of colloquial language or slang, difficulty following the comic format (for
both the instructor and students), and possible resistance from adult learners to using
material that appears too childish or not serious enough. However, several of the
inexperienced instructors listed potential benefits as well. Like the experienced
instructors, they identified the motivational properties, accessibility, and visual support of
textual content as likely virtues of comics for language teaching.
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 17
Questions Eight, Nine, and Ten asked instructors to read one-page excerpts from the
graphic novels American Born Chinese, Maus, and Persepolis and, based on the excerpts,
determine whether or not they would feel comfortable teaching using these titles in their
current contexts. It should be noted that one instructor did not respond to these items.
Answers ranged from absolute refusal to total enthusiasm, varying depending on title (see
Figure 2). However, in explaining the reasoning behind their decisions, most reluctant
instructors cited their current teaching context as the issue as opposed to an inherent flaw
in the source material. One instructor wrote, responding to American Born Chinese, "The
situation involves immigrant Asians, so their experience is quite different from that of our
students. I would also be concerned about focusing on Asian issues when half of our
population is Arabic-speaking."
Would you consider using this comic to teach in
your current context?
Yes
Persepolis
Maus
American Born Chinese
No
3
Unsure
3
2
3
5
5
2
3
1
Figure 2: Instructor Responses to Questions 8-10
Another instructor remarked, "I would be open to the idea […but] I'm not sure how it
would fit the course objectives. I would also have to ascertain that the language level
would be appropriate for my classes." Responses to Maus and Persepolis were more
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 18
consistently reluctant than to American Born Chinese, perhaps because both excerpts
featured especially controversial or upsetting situations (see Appendix A). Even so,
instructors still most commonly cited teaching context as the reason behind their
reluctance. "I would not consider using Maus to teach in my current context of an
academic IEP," wrote one instructor, "although I think it would be a great option as
individual extensive reading." Regarding Persepolis, another instructor said,
This wouldn't fit into the units of the course I'm teaching. But, it seems like a nice icebreaker. It'd be more relevant than [Maus] because I have many Saudis in my class
who could possible relate to this experience. I think it's useful to facilitate students
taking an interest in each others' cultures.
The instructors who were most strongly in support of using these texts seemed to
view the controversial aspects of the source material as a benefit rather than a drawback.
One instructor wrote, explaining why she would like to use Persepolis, "It would be a
great platform for discussing religion and stereotypes. I want my Saudi students to have a
greater voice in talking about their culture and this looks fantastic." Another instructor
agreed, stating, "It's rather controversial but perhaps not too close to home. The dilemma
is universal, and I think our student population could relate to it."
While there was clearly a wide range of reactions to the excerpts, one important
takeaway from these survey responses is that, on the whole, instructors were not
automatically and universally opposed to using these graphic novel titles for language
teaching. Rather, they were appropriately cautious of adopting them blindly for any
context, but often still open to the possibility of using them when appropriate and
responsive to their potential for language instruction.
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 19
Student Surveys
The student surveys, like the instructor surveys, were designed primarily to better
understand student attitudes toward the use of graphic novels in the classroom. Questions
also explored students’ prior experience with comics or graphic novels in language
classrooms and student reactions to controversial or sensitive material.
Participants
Student participants were all adult AEI students enrolled in at least one level five
or level six course at the time of the study. The majority of AEI students are in the
approximate age range of 17-25, about the age of a typical U.S. undergraduate. A total of
eight students responded to the survey, but two responses had to be discarded because
they only answered demographic questions and thus did not complete enough survey
items for the data to be valuable. Thus, only six student responses were analyzed. The
nationalities represented were Korean (1), Chinese (2), and Saudi Arabian (3).
Instruments
Electronic student surveys were created using Qualtrics and conducted entirely
online. These were very similar in format to the instructor surveys, with some similarities
in content. Early questions sought to determine student attitudes toward and experience
with comics or graphic novels. As the survey progressed, the focus shifted to attitudes
about controversial or sensitive material. For example, Question Seven from the student
survey reads, "Some graphic novels tell sad or upsetting stories about war,
discrimination, and suffering. Would you like to take an English class where you read a
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 20
graphic novel that may be about an upsetting topic, such as war? Why or why not? Please
explain in a few sentences" (see Appendix A).
One item on the survey asked students to read a passage from the graphic novel
Persepolis, which deals with the controversial subject of the Islamic Revolution in Iran,
and afterward rate it on a Likert scale according to several factors (see Figure 3). These
factors ranged from how useful the art was for understanding the language to whether or
not the content was upsetting. Prior to displaying the page with this comic excerpt,
students were given a brief summary of the content and the option of skipping the comic
and proceeding to a later question.
Figure 3: Likert Scale from Student Survey
Procedures
Data for this needs analysis were collected over the course of four weeks in the
Spring 2014 academic term. After obtaining permission to contact students and
instructors at the AEI, a request to participate in a survey on language learning and
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 21
graphic novels was sent out to all students currently enrolled in levels five or six, along
with a link to the survey. Student responses were entirely anonymous, but they were
asked to provide information about nationality.
Results
Student respondents, like instructor respondents, were largely inexperienced with
graphic novels, with five indicating that they never read them and only one identifying as
a frequent reader. Interestingly, all six respondents claimed to have never been in an
English classroom that used comics. In light of over half the instructor respondents
reporting having used comics for language instruction before, this seems surprising, but it
may in fact reflect the shared sentiment of most AEI instructors that their current teaching
context does not allow for incorporation of graphic novels (or comics). However, in
answer to Question Seven, five of the six students indicated that they would be interested
in reading a graphic novel about a potentially upsetting topic (such as discrimination or
war) in an English classroom. (The sixth student did not respond to this question at all.)
This overwhelmingly positive response to the possibility of reading a graphic novel in
class—even a very serious graphic novel—indicates an opportunity for the incorporation
of comics into language instruction. One student wrote that he or she would like to read
historical stories in the form of graphic novels, while others merely felt reading graphic
novels sounded "interesting." One student was especially enthusiastic about the prospect:
Yes, I like. Graphic novel is a very attractive way of teaching. I very like cartoon
teaching this way, the teaching theme does not affect that Comic become good
teaching material. On the contrary, good cartoons can cause people of connect in the
mind. Therefore, graphic novel can better reflect sadness teaching subjects.
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 22
The sentiment here is in fact quite insightful; the student addresses another point
supported by the literature, namely, that the visual format of graphic novels can help
readers make more meaningful connections to subject material that might otherwise be
overwhelming or inaccessible due to its sensitive nature (Chun, 2009).
Yet, despite students reacting initially positively to the idea of reading a comic about
sensitive or upsetting issues, when faced with the task, some students responded in a
manner that seemed contradictory. Question Eight asked students to read an excerpt from
Persepolis and respond to it, but gave them the option of skipping the passage. The
disclaimer read, "The next section will include a page from the graphic novel Persepolis
by Marjane Satrapi, which tells the author's story of growing up in Iran during the Islamic
Revolution. The page is not violent but may contain themes or language that could be
upsetting to some readers. Would you like to read the comic, or would you rather skip the
comic and go to the next question?"
Two students chose to skip the excerpt from Persepolis. One student who responded
affirmatively to Question Seven—indicating that he or she would like to read comics
about sensitive or upsetting material—still opted not to read the comic after reading the
disclaimer. Another student who also answered Question Seven affirmatively reacted
very negatively after reading the comic. On a Likert scale, this respondent selected
"Strongly Agree" in response to the question "This comic was upsetting" and "Disagree"
for "I would like to read more of this comic." Unfortunately, this student did not
elaborate on the reason behind his or her strong reaction; the only response given to
Question Ten—"Based on what you read, would you like to read Persepolis, or another
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 23
similar graphic novel, in an English class? Why or why not? Please explain in a few
sentences"—was "No."
Of the students who either skipped reading or responded negatively to Persepolis, all
three were Saudi Arabian. These students may have been reacting to an anticipated or
perceived criticism of Islam, but as they did not elaborate, it is impossible to base this
conclusion on anything but conjecture. It should be noted that two other students—both
Chinese—responded "Agree" to the question "This comic was upsetting," yet both also
answered that they would like to read more of Persepolis. It is possible that, for some
students, upsetting content is not a deterrent to interest in reading a text; it is equally
possible that some students misunderstood the question or the ranking task. Whatever the
explanation may be, it remains the case that none of the students from Saudi Arabia
indicated that they would like to read more of Persepolis, whereas all of the students
from East Asia did.
Another prompt from the Likert scale that resulted in intriguing results was the fifth
item, "The art in this comic helped me understand the language." Out of the four students
who viewed and ranked the comic, two chose "Strongly Agree" and two "Agree" in
response to this statement. Even the Saudi Arabian respondent who ranked the comic as
upsetting and did not want to read further, as well as the Chinese respondents who ranked
it as upsetting, acknowledged that the visuals were beneficial to their comprehension.
These responses supported a number of responses from the instructor survey, as well as
relevant research in the field, regarding the visual benefits of comics for language
acquisition.
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 24
One possible limitation to this survey is that the Persepolis excerpt used was,
necessarily, only an excerpt, and thus only represented one small part of the whole
graphic novel. It is possible that the page chosen gave some students an impression that
the author is anti-Islam when, in fact, the author's criticism is not of Islam but how the
fundamentalists responsible for the Islamic Revolution used religion as a tool for
oppression. Had they been more informed of the broader context and thematic content of
the novel, some students may have responded differently. An additional limitation is the
small number of participants; it would be impossible to make broad generalizations about
an entire population of learners based on only six responses.
Instructor Interviews
Instructor interviews were used both to gain advice from instructors with relevant
experience teaching with comics or graphic novels and to elicit more in-depth answers to
questions from the instructor survey. The primary purpose of these interviews was to
better ascertain how comfortable instructors of adult English language learners would
feel teaching with graphic novels in their current contexts.
Participants
Five instructors volunteered and were interviewed for this project. All were AEI
instructors and all but one had some amount of experience teaching language using
authentic literature, comics, or graphic novels. The final instructor was interviewed
because her identity as both an Iranian and an AEI instructor gave her a unique
perspective on the use of the graphic novel Persepolis for language teaching.
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 25
Instruments
Interview questions can be viewed in Appendix A. While most questions were
consistently asked in each interview, several additional follow-up questions may have
been asked of individual interviewees depending on their responses and experiences.
When relevant, these additional questions will be identified in the results.
Procedures
Interviews were conducted on-campus at the University of Oregon, either in the
campus student union or at the instructor’s office. All instructors agreed to have their
comments recorded and extensive notes were also taken during the interviews. Instructors
were given copies of American Born Chinese, Maus, and Persepolis to look through in
order to better answer questions. Most interviews took between ten and twenty minutes.
Results
Because the primary purpose of the instructor interviews was to determine the
viability of using graphic novels in a context such as the AEI, most of the interview
questions revolved around the theme of teaching using controversial materials. Most
questions were framed around the titles American Born Chinese, Maus, and Persepolis,
which all contain material that may be sensitive to some learners, from racially charged
language to depictions of war and religious persecution. Instructors looked through these
graphic novels and answered questions about how comfortable they would feel teaching
with these titles and what kind of special considerations an instructor in a context similar
to the AEI would have to keep in mind in order to teach with them.
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 26
While all interviewees indicated that they would consider using these titles, similar to
the responses to the instructor survey, most did not see how they could be worked into
the core classes they currently teach. Instead, several instructors suggested that teaching
with graphic novels such as these would be appropriate for an elective class, where the
instructor would have the flexibility to incorporate such material into the syllabus and
students would freely elect to study it. Interviewees also agreed that transparency would
be key to the successful execution of such an elective. Students would have to be made
aware ahead of time of the subjects they would be presented with so there would be no
unpleasant surprises.
One instructor with several years of experience in K-12 instruction suggested that, if
an instructor wanted to incorporate such controversial titles into a non-elective course,
students might still be allowed a degree of choice in selecting titles they felt comfortable
reading through an instructional technique called "literacy circles." Students form literacy
circles, or small groups of readers, by choosing one book out of several options and then
proceeding to closely read that book within their small group for the duration of the unit.
Each group reads a different book during the unit, although the tasks they are assigned by
the instructor are similar or identical. As a final activity, groups might then create a
presentation to share with the entire class about the book they read.
Another instructor with extensive K-12 teaching experience had further helpful
suggestions for successful implementation of titles featuring controversial material into a
course:
[…] The way I would approach that, as I have other difficult topics, is that—as a
language teacher, part of my job is to help you with the vocabulary to discuss
difficult topics, if that makes sense. And you know, how we can carry on these
conversations without being offensive to one another. And things like that. So I
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 27
think it could be highly effective, but whoever was teaching the course would
have to be super prepared for it and be a big anticipator of what could be a
problem or an issue.
This importance of equipping students with the language and critical thinking skills
necessary to talk about controversial issues was another theme that arose in instructor
interviews. Particularly in a setting like the AEI, where many different students from
many different cultural backgrounds are together in one class, interviewees felt an
instructor would have a particular obligation to model for students how to discuss issues
they might have little to no familiarity with in a respectful manner, being careful not to
upset any classmates who might already have strong opinions about or experience with
such issues.
However, while interviewees agreed unanimously that it would be the instructor's role
to carefully prepare students to discuss controversy if teaching with these texts, they also
agreed that the mere existence of controversy within them would not be sufficient reason
to dismiss the use of such texts for teaching adult language learners. Several instructors
pointed out that most adult students are already well accustomed to themes of violence,
war, and suffering from TV and movies. Others felt that, because one of the primary
goals of the AEI—and most intensive English programs—is to prepare students to
participate in academic classes at U.S. universities, it would be doing students a
disservice to shield them from controversial topics because they will almost certainly be
called upon to discuss controversial topics in integrated classes with native speakers.
In considering the potential controversy of teaching with Persepolis, the Iranian
instructor who agreed to meet with me had a particularly insightful perspective to share.
She felt that it would be an entirely appropriate title to use with AEI students or other
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 28
learners from similar demographics in similar contexts, in particular because it tells the
story of a true and historically significant event.
A lot of these themes and topics connect us to who we are today, and what we're
doing today still. […] I think if it, you know, really happened, and it's part of history,
of that country […] as I said, it really contributes to who those people are today and
what their lives are like. And this is still somehow more or less Iran today. So I think
it is important.
This instructor agreed that teaching with a text like Persepolis would require a
great deal of care on the part of the instructor to be well informed about the subject
material and to guide students toward respectful understanding, but that it would be
possible and worthwhile to teach nonetheless. When asked if she felt a teacher from a
non-Iranian background could be trusted to teach such material successfully as well, she
replied affirmatively; the teacher, she said, would of course be required to know a certain
amount of background information about the book and its historical context, but because
of the interdisciplinary nature of education today, it is not necessary, nor always
reasonable, to expect an instructor to be an absolute expert in every topic covered in
class.
Overwhelmingly, the instructors interviewed agreed that there is a place in the
language classroom for graphic novels such as American Born Chinese, Maus, and
Persepolis. While it may not be universally appropriate to use these titles in every
instructional context, all five instructors agreed that, in a situation where the learners are
given some amount of choice regarding course texts and made explicitly aware of the
themes and issues they contain beforehand, graphic novels could be utilized to great
success with an adult student population similar to that at the AEI.
Chapter III: Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 29
CHAPTER IV: OVERVIEW OF PORTFOLIO
While Chapter II served to justify the use of graphic novels as instructional
materials for advanced adult learners and Chapter III helped establish parameters for their
successful implementation into the language classroom, what remains to be seen is a
product synthesizing this information. The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate how
knowledge gleaned from the literature review and needs analysis has been utilized to
guide the portfolio in Chapter V. First, the project rationale will justify decisions made
based on the literature review and needs analysis. Guiding teaching approaches will be
discussed in the second section, followed by an explanation of the criteria used to select
and design materials and activities and, finally, an explanation of the portfolio
organization.
Project Rationale
The instructor and student feedback discussed in the previous chapter, in combination
with research addressed in the literature review, support the position that graphic novels
have the potential to provide a unique benefit as instructional materials for adult English
language learners. Instructors and, in some cases, students in advanced adult ESL classes
identified three particular features of graphic novels that would be beneficial for language
acquisition: motivational properties, visual support to comprehension, and culturally
resonant themes. These features echoed relevant research on teaching with literature and
graphic novels within the field (Cary, 2004; Chun, 2009; Miller Jr. & Flores, 2011). If
carefully selected to suit the teaching context and learner needs, graphic novels clearly
represent an opportunity to enrich adult English language instruction by developing
Chapter IV: Overview of Portfolio
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 30
linguistic skills and allowing learners to make meaningful connections to the texts.
However, there are caveats to this conclusion that must be acknowledged and given
appropriate consequence.
First of all, the implication behind this project is not that all graphic novels are
automatically appropriate for all adult language instruction contexts. This would be a
somewhat dubious claim to make about any instructional material, but in particular
because concerns arose regarding the appropriateness of certain graphic novel titles for
language teaching in the needs analysis, it is important to clarify when and why the
inclusion of such titles in a language classroom would be advisable. While some
instructors and students reacted to graphic novels like Persepolis with resistance, I will
proceed to work with this title, among other controversial titles, to create sample lessons
and activities for this project.
The primary reason I made this decision is because I, like Chun (2009) and several of
the instructors I interviewed, feel the value of reading, interpreting, and discussing
controversial topics offsets the concerns in using them. This is not to advocate that an
instructor blindly select any title and apply it to her classroom without consideration for
her students; different titles are appropriate in different settings, and a wise instructor
might, for example, avoid using a graphic novel such as Maus in a class with refugee
students who have firsthand experience with war. Rather, the title recommendations and
sample lessons and materials in this project should serve as a model for how these titles
could be most effectively utilized in a setting where an instructor has carefully assessed
her learners' backgrounds, interests, and linguistic abilities, and students have been given
some degree of choice or forewarning about the topics that will be addressed. If treated
Chapter IV: Overview of Portfolio
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 31
with appropriate respect and handled delicately, such controversial topics have the
potential to engage students and, even more importantly, broaden worldviews and foster
critical thinking skills that will better prepare students for university classes and beyond.
Ideally, the sample lessons and materials in the following chapter would be best
suited toward an elective class where students have had the opportunity to preview the
material ahead of time and, after doing so, still elected to enroll in the class. The
materials are intended to be flexible, however, and could be adopted by instructors in
other classroom contexts as appropriate for their instructional goals and students.
Adopting techniques such as literacy circles that provide students with a certain amount
of choice in the content they read is one way such material could be incorporated into a
traditional classroom. In addition to activities and materials, the following chapter will
also include a list of graphic novel title recommendations—accompanied by summaries,
themes, and potential controversial content—so that instructors may use their own
discretion to select titles that best suit their learners' needs.
Clearly, there are a number of considerations an instructor must take into account
before proceeding to teach adult language learners with graphic novels, none of which
should be taken lightly. Of particular importance is establishing complete transparency
about the topics presented in these texts, as well as instructor preparedness to guide
conversations about controversial issues and to provide students with the critical thinking
and discussion skills necessary to participate in these conversations. Provided the
instructor gives appropriate weight to these concerns and how to defuse them, graphic
novels can be successfully implemented into the language classroom, and should be
Chapter IV: Overview of Portfolio
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 32
viewed as an opportunity to engage and inspire adult language learners while also
contributing meaningfully to their language development.
Teaching Approaches
Gillian Lazar's (2012) guidelines from her book Literature and Language Teaching:
A Guide for Teachers and Trainers informed the design of activities for this portfolio.
While graphic novels are a very specific genre of literature not directly addressed in
Lazar's book, her suggestions are nonetheless relevant and useful when considering how
non-traditional texts can be incorporated into the language classroom. One concern to
which Lazar warns instructors to pay particular attention is how to effectively address the
distinct cultural themes present in authentic texts. Lazar advises instructors to consider a
number of cultural factors about a text before teaching with it, including use of idioms,
references to unfamiliar customs or traditions, taboo subjects, and representativeness (or
lack thereof) of a particular culture or subculture (p. 66). She also proposes several
strategies for dealing with any cultural problems that may arise, such as pre-teaching
concepts or definitions and helping students make cultural comparisons (p. 67-70).
Whenever possible, these considerations and strategies have been taken into account for
the sample activities in Chapter V.
Lazar's system of classifying activities as pre-reading, while-reading, or postreading also guided the classification of activities in this portfolio. The categories, while
somewhat self-explanatory, are nevertheless useful for descriptive purposes. Pre-reading
activities take place before students interact with the text in order to prepare them to
engage with it more meaningfully. While-reading activities take place at any point during
the reading process and help students understand difficult language, themes, and concepts
Chapter IV: Overview of Portfolio
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 33
as they encounter them. Post-reading activities take place after students have finished a
reading task and are intended to solidify understanding of the material and guide students
toward more complex, critical interpretations of the text. Whenever relevant, pre-, while-,
and post-reading activities are identified in Chapter V examples, primarily to help
instructors conceptualize where to situate the activity within a lesson.
The majority of the activities proposed in Chapter V additionally represent a
communicative language teaching (CLT) approach that incorporates all four skills
(reading, writing, speaking, and listening) and emphasizes interaction and making realworld language connections. While graphic novels offer numerous benefits related
specifically to literacy development (Chun 2009), the diverse and complex themes
represented within these texts allow for them to be utilized in ways extending beyond
only reading and vocabulary. For this reason, this portfolio includes a number of
activities intended to develop oral proficiency as well as reading and writing and to help
students make critical connections with the English-speaking world beyond the
classroom.
Portfolio Criteria
In order to select materials that provide appropriate linguistic and intellectual
stimulation for adult English language learners, I have used the following selection
criteria when choosing graphic novels for this project: format, content, and language. I
have also included a set of activity criteria to guide activity design.

Format
o Graphic novels, as opposed to traditional comic books (such as superhero
comics) or syndicated comic strips, will be used. This is because graphic
Chapter IV: Overview of Portfolio
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 34
novels are generally (although not universally) more linguistically and
thematically complex. The working definition of graphic novels for the
purposes of this project, as defined in the literature review, is "long,
intellectually and thematically sophisticated" comic books.
o Graphic novels should not be so long as to be unmanageable for
instructors to use in a single unit or course term. If a graphic novel is a
part of a series, for example, it is likely that only one or two volumes
could be realistically used in one term, and these should be able to stand
alone without students having to read the entire canon.

Content
o Graphic novels should tell stories that are emotionally and intellectually
stimulating. They should be compelling and relatively accessible (not too
abstract).
o Graphic novels should contain themes that have the potential to resonate
with people from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds (coming-of-age
stories, war stories, romances, etc. Other examples are provided in Ghosn,
2002).
o Graphic novels should represent a wide range of diverse characters,
situations, and experiences. They should provide an opportunity for
students from diverse backgrounds to relate to the characters and content
as much as possible.
o Graphic novels should not contain an overabundance of extremely explicit
material, such as graphic sexual content or violence.
Chapter IV: Overview of Portfolio
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 35
o Graphic novels may be either fiction or non-fiction, as long as the content
meets the above criteria.

Language
o Graphic novels should be in English. Translated texts may be appropriate
depending on quality and content.
o The linguistic level of selected graphic novels should be appropriate for
advanced-low, advanced-mid, or advanced-high English language
learners. The linguistic level of example texts will be assessed by
analyzing a text excerpt with the online VocabProfiler tool from
Lextutor.ca. In order to be accessible for intensive reading with advancedlow to advanced-high learners, the target range is for texts to consist of
approximately 95% 5000-level words or lower.
o Because of the unique benefits visual aids provide language learners in
comprehending a text, some graphic novels with a slightly higher-thanaverage difficulty level for the target language learners may occasionally
be justifiably used.

Activity Criteria
o Activities should seek to improve students' English through exercising all
four skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening).
o Activities should utilize the unique properties of the graphic novel format
in order to teach features such as vocabulary, reading strategies, and visual
literacy.
Chapter IV: Overview of Portfolio
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 36
o Activities should place an emphasis on fostering critical thinking skills
and equipping students with the tools necessary to respectfully discuss
complex issues in English.
o Activities should help students develop a deeper awareness of and
appreciation for a variety of cultures while also validating and celebrating
their own cultural backgrounds.
The graphic novels represented in Chapter V were chosen to reflect the above
selection criteria. Particular care was taken to select titles written by and about people
from a wide range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds in order to respect the diversity
reflected in the average adult ESL classroom and to provide more opportunities for
language learners to relate to the material. Activities in Chapter V were designed
according to the above activity criteria in order to showcase how graphic novels in
general, and these titles in particular, can best serve an adult English language
classroom.
Explanation of Portfolio Organization
The sample activities in Chapter V are organized according to their intended use in
the classroom. This organization is designed to make it as simple as possible for
instructors to choose the most appropriate activities for their teaching contexts. The first
section of the portfolio showcases shorter, self-contained activities that could easily be
incorporated into a single lesson of a pre-determined, less flexible curriculum. Following
that are multi-part activities that require a greater commitment but could still be
incorporated into a traditional classroom and completed within a few lessons. A third
Chapter IV: Overview of Portfolio
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 37
section contains project-based activities that would be best suited for an elective class on
graphic novels or a class with the flexibility to devote an entire unit to reading a graphic
novel.
Chapter V concludes with a list of recommended graphic novel titles
accompanied by descriptions, themes, and warnings. Sample lesson plans incorporating
Chapter V activities can be found in Appendix B and materials can be found in Appendix
C.
Chapter IV: Overview of Portfolio
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 38
CHAPTER V: PORTFOLIO COLLECTION
Activities Description
This chapter contains ten sample activities using graphic novels for various purposes
in the language classroom. While most activities are unique to this project, several were
inspired by suggestions in Lazar (2012) and Cary (2004). Activities are broken up into
three broad categories: self-contained, multi-part and project-based. Each example is
accompanied by a table delineating the description (in order to allow instructors to easily
browse activities), skills involved (such as vocabulary acquisition or narration),
approximate linguistic level of the sample text (based on vocabulary profiling done using
Lextutor.ca), approximate time commitment, and required materials. Excerpts from
American Born Chinese and Persepolis are used where specific examples are necessary,
but all activities could be adapted to work with other graphic novel titles. A list of
recommended titles, complete with summaries, themes, and controversial content,
follows the sample activities.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 39
Self-Contained Activities
The activities in this section are meant to exemplify how instructors can
incorporate graphic novels into a less flexible, pre-determined curriculum. They are
termed "self-contained" because they are short and capable of standing alone; they do not
require students to have read an entire graphic novel. Instead, they can be utilized to
illustrate or offer additional practice of a particular skill already included in the course
objectives. These shorter activities are especially well suited for tasks such as vocabulary
acquisition and visual literacy that do not require deep critical examination of the text.
Two sample lesson plans incorporating example lessons from this section can be found in
Appendix B.
Activity One: Fill In the Bubbles
Description:
Students evaluate
comics with
original words
removed and fill
in their own
interpretations of
the story.
Skills:
 Visual literacy
 Making
predictions
 Narration
Linguistic Level:
80% 1000-level,
10% 2000-level,
2% 3000-level, 1%
4000-level, 1%
5000-level
Time:
25 to 35 minutes
Materials:
 American Born
Chinese
 Worksheet A
 Original comic
pages
 Document
camera
Procedure:

The teacher (T) projects blank comic from Worksheet A (see Appendix C) using
document camera. T tries to elicit from students (Ss) what kind of writing goes in
word bubbles (dialogue) and what kind of writing goes in boxes (narration) in
comics and models how to fill in text on her own worksheet.

T distributes individual copies of Worksheet A to Ss and instructs them to look
over the comic closely and try to interpret what is happening without the text.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 40
When Ss think they have a good guess, they should fill in the panels with their
own writing (see Figure 4).

When Ss finish, T divides them into pairs and directs them to share their
interpretations with their partners. After sharing in pairs, T asks for volunteers to
share with the class.

T projects the original comic pages (see Appendix C) using the document camera
and allows Ss time to read. T then invites Ss to reflect on the accuracy of their
own predictions and discuss: Were their interpretations very similar or very
different? Why? What visual cues lent to their interpretations?
Figure 4: Sample Filled-in Comic
Notes:
 This activity would work as a diagnosis activity to assess learners' familiarity with
and understanding of the comic format. It could easily serve as an introduction to
a longer unit on American Born Chinese or to graphic novels in general.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 41
Activity Two: Guessing Vocabulary from Context
Description:
Students use
visual cues in
comics to guess
the meaning of
new vocabulary
words.
Skills:
 Visual literacy
 Inferencing
 Vocabulary
acquisition
Linguistic Level:
80% 1000-level,
10% 2000-level,
2% 3000-level, 1%
4000-level, 1%
5000-level
Time:
20 to 30 minutes
Materials:
 American Born
Chinese
 Worksheet B
 Dictionaries,
computers, or
smart phones
Procedure:

T distributes comic excerpt Worksheet B (see Appendix C) to Ss and gives them time
to read quietly. As they are reading, T tells Ss to underline unfamiliar vocabulary
words.

T directs Ss to take out individual class notebooks and write down the words they
underlined, followed by their best guess as to the meaning of the word. T encourages
Ss to try and write something for every word, looking for contextual clues in the
accompanying pictures. (T may need to model guessing vocabulary from context
using a sample comic panel.)

When Ss have finished writing their vocabulary guesses, T instructs Ss to take out
their smart phones (or computers/dictionaries), look up the real definitions, and write
these on a new page in their notebooks. T then invites Ss to compare: How many of
their guesses were similar to the real meaning?
Notes:
 This would serve as an excellent recurring activity to prepare students for new
language they encounter when starting new chapters or books. For traditional books
instead of graphic novels, students can use textual context clues rather than visual.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 42
Activity Three: Idioms in Context
Description:
Students use visual
cues in comics to
guess the meaning
of idioms in
context.
Skills:
 Visual literacy
 Inferencing
 Idiom
comprehension
Linguistic Level:
 American
Born Chinese:
80% 1K 10%
2K, 2% 3K,
1% 4K, 1%
5K
 Persepolis:
86% 1K, 2%
2K, 3% 3K,
2% 4K, 1%
5K
Time:
20 to 25 minutes
Materials:
 American Born
Chinese
 Persepolis
 Worksheets C,
D, & E
Procedure:

T divides Ss into small groups (3-4) and distributes enough copies of comic
excerpt worksheets C, D, or E (see Appendix C) for each member of the group.
Each group should have the same worksheet. T allows Ss time to read through the
comics.

T draws S attention to the underlined idioms on their worksheets (see Figure 5)
and instructs them to try to come up with logical definitions for their idioms based
on context clues. Ss should discuss their interpretations with the group and write
down whatever definitions they agree on together.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 43
Figure 5: Underlined Idioms in American Born Chinese

T asks for S volunteers to share one or two of their group's definitions and explain
why they thought their definitions were correct, using specific examples from the
text. After student definitions for each idiom have been shared, T provides the
real definitions. Ss should rewrite or add to definitions as necessary.
Notes:
 This activity might require some pre-teaching of difficult vocabulary or concepts,
depending on the level of the students. Students should be encouraged to use their
dictionaries as necessary to look up individual words (but not entire idioms).
Activity Four: Panel Sequencing
Description:
Students work
together to
rearrange mixedup comic panels in
logical order
according to visual
and textual cues.
Skills:
 Sequencing
 Narration
 Visual literacy
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Linguistic Level:
86% 1000-level,
2% 2000-level, 3%
3000-level, 2%
4000-level, 1%
5000-level
Time:
10 to 15 minutes
Materials:
 Persepolis
 Comic panel
cut-ups
 Original comic
page
 Document
camera
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 44
Procedure:

T divides Ss into small groups (3-4) and distributes one set of comic panel cut-ups
(see Appendix C) to each group. T directs groups to read each panel carefully and try
to agree on how to arrange them in sequence.

When groups have finished, T asks them to bring their cut-ups to the document
camera and share their sequencing with the rest of the class. Ss should explain while
sharing why they rearranged their comics in this way.

When each group has shared, T projects the original comic page (see Appendix C) so
Ss can compare their interpretations. T leads discussion: Are there any differences
between yours and the original? What made you order your panels in that way? Are
there any panels that could logically fit in more than one place?
Notes:
 This activity may require some pre-teaching of vocabulary, depending on the level of
the students. However, unfamiliar vocabulary may provide a welcome added
challenge for more advanced groups.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 45
Multi-Part Activities
The activities in this section are comprised of several steps and, as such, require a
greater time and planning commitment than self-contained activities. While not all multipart activities require students to have read the entire source material, many would be
most effective in a context where reading the entire text has been fit into the curriculum.
These multi-part activities often necessitate close reading of the source material and are
thus especially appropriate for development of critical thinking skills and drawing
connections between learners' experiences and the text.
Activity Five: Lexical Set Research
Description:
Students predict
and look up what
type of language
will occur in a
comic based on
visual cues, then
compare their
predictions with
the real text.
Skills:
 Making
predictions
 Vocabulary
acquisition
Linguistic Level:
80% 1000-level,
10% 2000-level,
2% 3000-level, 1%
4000-level, 1%
5000-level
Time:
Two lessons; 20
minutes and 10
minutes
Materials:
 American Born
Chinese p. 7-20
(individual
copies of the
book)
 Blank Chapter
1 excerpts
 Computer and
projector
 Dictionaries,
computers, or
smart phones
Procedure:

Lesson One (Pre-Reading): T projects excerpts from American Born Chinese
Chapter 1 with text removed (see Appendix C) and prompts Ss to discuss as a large
group: Based on the pictures, what kind of story do you think this is? (Fantasy, folk
tale, etc.) What kind of language would you expect it to use? What vocabulary do you
think you'll need to know? (5 minutes)
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 46

T divides Ss into pairs and directs them to use computers (or smart
phones/dictionaries) to look up and write down a set of 10-15 associated vocabulary
words they think will be helpful in order to understand the reading. (Examples:
animal vocabulary, mythology vocabulary, food vocabulary, etc.). Both Ss should
keep a copy of vocabulary. (15 minutes)

Homework (While-Reading): Read American Born Chinese p. 7-20 and look
for/underline any vocabulary words you find that you and your partner looked up
ahead of time. Circle any vocabulary words you don't know that you didn't write
down.

Lesson Two (Post-Reading): T divides Ss into new pairs and instructs them to take
out their homework and compare results. After giving pairs a few minutes to
compare, T prompts large-group discussion: How well did you predict what kind of
vocabulary you would need to know? What kind of vocabulary did you miss? What
can you do to improve your predictions next time? (10 minutes)
Notes:
 This activity could be used to help students make predictions about the thematic
content of a new text or chapter in addition to lexical content in order to activate
interest and prepare students for potential cultural challenges.
Activity Six: Critical Stereotype Analysis
Description:
Students analyze
and discuss
stereotypes as
presented in text
and draw
connections to
their own
experiences.
Skills:
 Critical
thinking
 Drawing realworld
connections
 Discussion
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Linguistic Level:
80% 1000-level,
10% 2000-level,
2% 3000-level, 1%
4000-level, 1%
5000-level
Time:
Two lessons; 15
and 30 minutes
Materials:
American Born
Chinese p. 43-52
(individual copies)
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 47
Procedure:

Lesson One (Pre-Reading): T introduces the word "stereotype" and checks to ensure
Ss know what it means. Once the definition has been made explicit, T asks Ss to
provide some specific examples of stereotypes they know. Ss should be encouraged
to share stereotypes they believe people in the U.S. have about people from their
countries. (3 minutes)

T leads class discussion on stereotypes. Possible discussion prompts: Why are
stereotypes harmful? Are all stereotypes harmful? Are there stereotypes in your home
country about certain groups of people? Have you ever been a victim of stereotyping?
What can we do to end stereotyping? (12 minutes)

Homework (While-Reading): Ss read American Born Chinese p. 43-52 and write
down stereotypes about the Chinese in this chapter as they encounter them (see
Figure 6). Ss may be familiar with stereotypes already, or they may be encountering
them for the first time; they are encouraged to note specific examples and write down
any questions they have.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 48
Figure 6: Racial Caricature "Chin-kee" from American Born Chinese

Lesson Two (Post-Reading): T divides Ss up into small groups (4-5) and instructs
them to take out their homework. Groups should compare homework and discuss:
What stereotypes did you find? Do you think people in the U.S. today still have these
stereotypes about the Chinese? Why do you think the author included this character?
Do you think it's important to talk about stereotypes? (20 minutes)

After small group discussion, T asks for volunteers to share their conclusions with the
class and mediates the conversation as needed. (10 minutes)
Notes:
 Care will need to be taken to ensure students understand the seriousness of such
racially stereotyped imagery and language as occurs in this chapter of American Born
Chinese. The teacher will also likely need to assist students in comprehending and
interpreting Chin-Kee's speech, which is written in dialect.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 49
Activity Seven: Character Motivation Debate
Description:
Students work
together in teams
to critically
analyze and debate
the actions of
various graphic
novel characters.
Skills:
 Critical
thinking
 Debate
 Public speaking
 Note-taking
Linguistic Level:
80% 1000-level,
10% 2000-level,
2% 3000-level, 1%
4000-level, 1%
5000-level
Time:
Two lessons; 35
minutes & 50
minutes
Materials:
 American Born
Chinese
(individual
copies)
 Debate
reflection
worksheet
Procedure:
This activity requires students to have read American Born Chinese in its entirety.

Lesson One (Post-Reading): T divides Ss into debate teams (4 teams of 4-6 students
each, depending on class size) and assigns each team a main character. (4 suggested
characters: The Monkey King, Jin, Wei-Chen, and Suzy.) T gives Ss a prompt: Find
examples to support the argument that your character is the most admirable
character in the story. (T may need to briefly explain/discuss the word "admirable"
here.) (5 minutes)

T explains that Ss will be debating about their characters with other groups and gives
teams time in class to work together looking through their books for examples of their
characters behaving admirably. T should remind Ss to also look for examples of their
characters behaving poorly so they can predict and prepare to respond to other teams'
arguments. Prompts to help Ss think about their characters' negative actions: Why did
your character behave in a certain way? What other factors might have made him/her
behave this way? What did he/she do afterwards? (30 minutes)

Homework: Continue to look through your book for examples to defend your
character and to challenge other teams' characters. Be prepared with both for an inclass debate tomorrow.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 50

Lesson Two: T forms a debate group by combining 2 character teams. The remaining
2 teams form a circle outside the debate group to watch/take notes. The class should
be informed these outer teams will decide the debate winner. T directs Ss to begin 15minute debate by inviting each team to present a few admirable traits of their
character (no more than 2-3 minutes each). After this, Ss are invited to directly
challenge each other's examples. T should monitor closely to ensure teams are
interacting respectfully and individual Ss are all getting roughly equal speaking time.
(15 minutes)

At the end of the 15-minute debate, T instructs outside circle to compare notes and
briefly discuss the performance of the debate teams. The debate teams can use this
time to fill out a debate reflection worksheet (see Appendix C). After brief discussion,
the outer circle should announce the debate winner and explain their decision. (10
minutes)

Debate and outer circle teams switch roles and the activity repeats. (25 minutes)
Notes:
 Depending on how familiar students are with skills necessary for discussion and
debate, the teacher would need to pre-teach and practice relevant debate language and
behavior in preparation for this activity.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 51
Project-Based Activities
These project-based activities are designed for use in a course where students
have necessarily read an entire graphic novel, either as extensive reading or as a required
course text, and the instructor has the flexibility to devote considerable time to
preparation and presentations. The purpose of including student-driven project-based
activities is to allow students to engage with the texts on a personal level, make cultural
connections, and reach a fuller understanding of complex issues.
Activity Eight: Historical Context Research Project
Description:
Students research
the historical
context of the text
they are about to
read and present
their findings to
the class.
Skills:
 Critical
thinking
 Public speaking
 Drawing realworld
connections
 Note-taking
Linguistic Level:
86% 1000-level,
2% 2000-level, 3%
3000-level, 2%
4000-level, 1%
5000-level
Time:
Two lessons; 15
minutes & 50
minutes (plus
out-of-class
independent
student
preparation)
Materials:
Persepolis
(individual student
copies)
Procedure:

(Pre-Reading) Prior to beginning a Persepolis unit, T divides Ss into small groups
(4-5) and assigns each group a research topic related to the novel. Possible topics: life
in Iran before 1979; the Islamic Revolution; Great Britain's influence on Iran; the
Allied occupation of Iran in WWII; women's rights in Iran; etc. Within groups, Ss
should discuss: What do you know about Iran already? What do you know about your
topic? Based on the research topics, what do you think Persepolis might be about?
(15 minutes)

Homework: Outside of class, groups work collaboratively to research their topics
and prepare a presentation. Presentations should aim to thoroughly educate an
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 52
uninformed audience about this aspect of Iranian history. Guidelines on what to
include in presentations may vary based on research topic, but could include
questions such as: What is the general timeline of your topic? Is there a conflict?
What is the conflict about? Who is involved? (Different countries, religious groups,
etc.) How did this event impact life in Iran today? Have similar events taken place in
your own country? Were they handled similarly or differently? How do you think this
event might relate to the book we are about to read?

Lesson Two: After a week of preparation, groups give presentations to the class.
Presentations should be 8-10 minutes long and distribute speaking time equally across
group members. During presentations, Ss are required to take detailed notes on each
topic. These notes can be utilized throughout the Persepolis unit for Ss to refer to for
help understanding complex themes and events. T will also ask Ss to reflect, either in
in-class discussion (if time allows) or as a written homework assignment: What new
information did you learn about Iran? Were any of your previous impressions of Iran
incorrect? Is your prediction for the plot of Persepolis the same as it was before or
changed? (50 minutes)
Notes:
 A research project activity could be adapted for nearly any graphic novel, but is
especially suited to novels about real historical events, such as Maus, Palestine, Safe
Area Goražde, and Barefoot Gen.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 53
Activity Nine: Comic Memoir Project
Description:
Students work
independently to
create
autobiographical
comic narratives to
share with the
class.
Skills:
 Visual literacy
 Narration
 Creative
writing
 Peer feedback
and revision
 Drawing realworld
connections
Linguistic Level:
Varies
Time:
Three lessons; 30
minutes, 30
minutes, and 50
minutes (plus
out-of-class
independent
student
preparation)
Materials:
 Memoir graphic
novel(s)
 Blank comic
pages
 Sample teachermade memoir
comic page
 Peer feedback
rubric
 Document
camera
Procedure:
This activity requires students to have read at least one memoir graphic novel in its
entirety. See the list of recommended titles at the end of this chapter for suggestions.
(Lynda Barry's One! Hundred! Demons! would be an excellent model for this project.)

Lesson One (Post-Reading): At the end of a unit on one (or several) memoir graphic
novel(s), T informs Ss they will be creating their own short memoir comics as a unit
final project. T asks Ss to brainstorm and write down a few possible stories from their
lives they would feel comfortable sharing. T may want to give Ss prompts, either
based on the text or otherwise. Possible prompts: Tell a story about one difficult,
funny, or embarrassing thing that happened to you after coming to the U.S. Tell an
interesting family story. Tell a story about a holiday celebration in your country. Tell
a story about a person you miss from home. (10 minutes)

T projects sample memoir comic page (see Appendix C) to serve as a model and
provides Ss with blank comic page layouts (see Appendix C). T instructs Ss to begin
an outline, or storyboard, for their comics. (Final products do not need to be handdrawn, but for outlining purposes, hand-drawing may be simplest.) Ss should plan on
creating a comic that tells a self-contained autobiographical story in 2-5 pages
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 54
(roughly 10-25 panels) and follows a narrative arc, as modeled in their source
material. (Important narrative components will vary according to T objectives and
source material, but could follow the typical model of exposition, rising action,
climax, falling action, and resolution, etc.) (20 minutes)

Homework: Ss continue to work independently on their comic projects, with
guidance from T as needed.

Lesson Two: Ss bring their completed memoir comic outlines to class and work in
pairs to provide peer feedback on comics. Ss use rubrics (see Appendix C) to provide
useful peer feedback on specific elements which Ss can later apply to revisions. If
possible, pairs should switch two or three times during review session to get as much
diverse feedback as possible. (30 minutes)

Lesson Three: Ss bring their completed comic memoirs to class and spread them out
on a desk or table at the front of the room. For the majority of class (30-40 minutes),
Ss independently select and read as many of their peers' comics as possible and take
notes on specific details they like or find interesting. At the end of class, T invites Ss
to share a few comments and compliments about other comics they read. As an
optional follow-up, T may assign Ss a writing assignment reflecting on something
new they learned about another culture. (50 minutes)
Notes:
 This activity will likely require the teacher to provide students with several different
tools for creating their comic memoirs, as well as instruction in how to use said tools.
Viable options beyond hand-drawing comics include making collages out of
photographs or magazine cut-outs and using free online comic creation sites like
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 55
toondoo.com. Additionally, this activity would require pre-teaching of important
narrative components, especially if using the peer feedback rubric from Appendix C.
Activity Ten: Literacy Circle Group Reports
Description:
Students in
literacy circles
work together to
create regular
mini-presentations
about their chosen
graphic novel to
the class.
Skills:
 Critical
thinking
 Drawing realworld
connections
 Public speaking
Linguistic Level:
Varies
Time:
One lesson (50
minutes) per
chapter
Materials:
Various graphic
novels (individual
student copies)
Procedure:
This activity should be used in tandem with the literacy circles technique after small
groups of students have formed to read one graphic novel of their choosing.

(Post-Reading) At the end of each chapter or unit (depending on T preference), Ss
prepare a brief, informal report to present to the rest of the class about what they have
read. Reports might include a summary of recent events, an explanation of key
concepts, and a description of characters. Circles must additionally include an
element of personalization within the report; for example, they might share a subject
of disagreement among group members, an emotional response to the material, or a
prediction about future events.

Upon finishing their chosen title, circles work together to prepare a longer, more
formal presentation. This final presentation should focus primarily on the major
themes and their own critical interpretations of the graphic novel, and Ss should make
explicit what they learned from reading it, how it made them feel, and whether or not
they would recommend it to other Ss.
Notes:
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 56
 This activity could be given more structure by limiting student choices to graphic
titles about the same theme (such as war or immigration) and requiring them all to
answer the same presentation questions.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 57
Recommended Graphic Novel Titles
The following graphic novel titles were compiled here because they embody some
or all of the criteria used for material selection delineated in Chapter IV. While this is by
no means an extensive list, it is meant to represent a diverse range of characters and
themes in order to provide adult language teachers from a wide range of backgrounds
with as many options for relevant and investing reading material as possible. Summaries,
themes, and potentially controversial content for each title have been addressed in order
to further ease the selection process.
Title
Epileptic by
David B.
One! Hundred!
Demons! by
Lynda Barry
Palomar: The
Heartbreak Soup
Stories by
Gilbert
Hernandez
Summary
David B.'s sometimes haunting
autobiography tells the story of
his brother's struggle with severe
epilepsy during the 1960s in
France. Over the years, his
brother's disability slowly begins
to take its toll on their family and
the author in particular. While
the author's narration and art are
often dark and unsettling, this
graphic novel tells a compelling
story about disability and
identity.
Several short autobiographical
comics—sometimes funny,
sometimes tragic—make up
Lynda Barry's take on a 16th
century Zen painting exercise for
exorcising personal demons. As a
child of mixed European and
Filipino descent growing up in a
poor neighborhood in the U.S.,
many of Barry's stories revolve
around themes of family,
identity, and childhood
innocence.
Palomar is the name given to the
fictional Mexican town that is at
the center of Hernandez's comic
series about the lives of a cast of
complex Mexican characters.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Themes
Family; France; war;
disability; alternative
medicine
Controversial
Content
Nudity; body
horror; profanity
Filipino-American
culture; childhood;
coming-of-age;
friendship; family;
depression
Drug use;
depression;
allusions to child
abuse (not
explicit); allusions
to sexual abuse (not
explicit); allusions
to suicide
Mexico; rural life;
romance; family;
community
Nudity; sexuality;
sexual content
(sometimes
explicit);
occasional
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 58
The Kampung
Boy by Lat
Barefoot Gen (IIII) by Keiji
Nakazawa
Truth: Red,
White & Black
by Robert
Morales and
Kyle Baker
Yummy: The
Last Days of a
Southside Shorty
by G. Neri and
Randy Duburke
What may appear at first to be
anecdotal stories eventually,
through expert character
development and storytelling,
draw together to paint a
compelling portrait of rural
Mexican life. The Palomar series
fills a number of volumes, but
individual volumes are easy to
understand and enjoy without a
great deal of familiarity with the
rest of the canon.
Author Lat's memoir about
growing up in a rural village in
Perak uses a simple but charming
cartoon style to tell formative
tales from his childhood. Lat's
comics paint a vivid picture of
life in Malaysia while also
lamenting a loss of tradition and
history with the impending
industrialization of his oncesmall hometown.
Barefoot Gen is a classic
Japanese manga written by a
childhood survivor of the nuclear
bombing of Hiroshima in WWII.
While this semi-autobiographical
story is occasionally graphic and
extremely sad, it is an important
personal account of a historic
tragedy and ultimately tells a tale
of triumph even in the face of
unimaginable suffering.
This compilation of one arc of
the Captain America canon tells
the unexpectedly stark and
thought-provoking history of the
super-serum that gave Captain
America his powers. Before
being successfully administered
to the man who would become
Captain America, the serum was
tested on a number of unwilling
black American soldiers in
WWII, sacrificed for the sake of
American freedom.
This graphic novel tells the true
story of child gang member
Robert "Yummy" Sandifer
through the eyes of his fictional
classmate, Roger. Yummy's
history of criminal activity,
culminating in the murder of a
fourteen-year-old girl followed
by his own death at the hands of
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
profanity
Malaysia; religion
(Islam); childhood;
coming-of-age
Circumcision
War; World War II;
Japan; the Hiroshima
bombing
Violence
(somewhat
explicit); war;
death
War; World War II;
racism; superheroes
Violence
(occasionally
explicit); death;
racial slurs
Gang violence;
Chicago; AfricanAmerican culture;
racism;
institutionalized
racism; childhood;
loss of innocence
Gang violence;
death; explicit
profanity; racial
slurs
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 59
other gang members, prompted a
serious discussion about youth
and gang culture in the U.S.
Palestine by Joe
Sacco
Safe Area
Goražde by Joe
Sacco
Persepolis (I and
II) by Marjane
Satrapi
Chicken with
Plums by
Marjane Satrapi
Maus (I and II)
by Art
Spiegelman
Journalist Joe Sacco's comic
accounts of his time spent among
Palestinian refugees in the
Occupied Territories are
compiled here into one graphic
novel to offer a portrait of
Palestine that is at once honest,
enlightening, and heartbreaking.
Like Palestine, Safe Area
Goražde is a work of comic
journalism recounting the
Bosnian War and focusing in
particular on the ethnic cleansing
of Bosniak Muslims by the
Serbs. Sacco uses firsthand
accounts from survivors to help
personalize the horrors of war.
Marjane Satrapi's memoir about
growing up in Iran during the
Islamic Revolution is split into
two volumes: the first depicts her
childhood as it is impacted by the
war in Iran, while the second
focuses on her teenage years as a
refugee in Europe and her
eventual return to Iran as an
adult.
Chicken with Plums is a retelling
of the family myth of Marjane
Satrapi's great-uncle Nasser Ali
Kahn, a famous Iranian musician.
The novel primarily deals with
the final days before Nasser's
death, after he decides to give up
life because of the loss of his
beloved instrument.
Art Spiegelman uses caricatures
of mice and cats as symbols of
the Jews and Nazis in this
retelling of his father's true story
of surviving the Holocaust in
Nazi Germany. The author
alternately depicts his father's
past struggle to survive
Auschwitz and their present
struggle to relate to one another
many years after the war.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
War; religion (Islam,
Judaism); Palestine;
Israel
Violence/torture
(occasionally
explicit); death; the
Israeli/Palestinian
conflict
War; religion (Islam);
Bosnia; the Bosnian
War
Violence
(occasionally
explicit); death
War; religion (Islam);
Iran; the Islamic
Revolution; childhood;
coming-of-age;
feminism
Violence (not
explicit); war;
death; occasional
profanity; drug use;
allusions to sexual
activity; critical
portrayal of
fundamentalist
Muslims
Iran; romance; music
Death
War; religion
(Judaism,
Christianity); World
War II; the Holocaust
Violence
(occasionally
explicit); war;
death; racial slurs;
nudity
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 60
Skim by Jillian
Tamaki and
Mariko Tamaki
American Born
Chinese by Gene
Luen Yang
Boxers and
Saints (I and II)
by Gene Luen
Yang
Skim tells the story of "Skim"
Keiko Cameron, a high school
student who hates her all-girls
private school, doesn't get along
with her parents, and is
beginning to drift away from her
best friend. She begins to
struggle with depression when
she realizes she's fallen in love
with Ms. Archer, the school
drama teacher, who does not love
her back.
Three interwoven stories
combine in this graphic novel to
form a unique narrative about the
Chinese-American experience:
Jin Wang's search for acceptance
as a Chinese-American in a
mostly white school; a retelling
of the Chinese myth of the
Monkey King; and popular
basketball player Danny's
struggle to hide a family secret.
Volume I tells the story of the
Boxer Rebellion from the
perspective of Little Bao, a
peasant warrior who fights as a
member of the Big Swords
Society against foreign Christian
imperialism. Volume II tells the
same story from the perspective
of Four-Girl, a Chinese convert
to Christianity, as she struggles
with her identity and her faith.
Chapter V: Portfolio Collection
Sexuality; love;
coming-of-age;
friendship; depression;
spirituality (Wicca)
Sexuality (not
explicit); teacherstudent relationship
(not explicit);
profanity;
depression;
allusions to suicide
Chinese-American
culture; immigrant
culture; racism;
childhood; coming-ofage
Racial slurs;
racially charged
imagery
War; religion
(Christianity); the
Boxer Rebellion
Violence (not
explicit); war;
death (including
death of major
characters)
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 61
CHAPTER VI: CONCLUSION
The initial inspiration behind this project was, very simply, my own passion for
graphic novels, which I was not immediately convinced would translate well to a
language teaching portfolio. In the long process of researching, investigating instructor
and student beliefs, and developing my own activities and materials, however, I have
found ample support for the conviction that graphic novels truly do represent an
opportunity to enrich the language classroom in ways that are unique to the genre. There
is no such thing as a perfect text for every context, but the graphic novel is certainly one
type of text that has until recently been underrepresented in the language classroom, and
if nothing else, should be considered seriously for inclusion in language curricula in order
to provide adult learners with greater opportunities to connect with reading material that
appeals to their interests and also matches their linguistic and intellectual abilities. In the
future, I hope to put some of the texts and activities represented in this portfolio to work
in my own classroom, and I intend to continue working to improve their design. It is my
particular hope that, if any amount of my passion for graphic novels should transfer to
another person by way of this project, it will be a student, as it is language students who I
believe stand to benefit the most from engaging with this material.
Project Limitations
In addition to those previously discussed in Chapter III, there are several limitations
to this project that must be acknowledged. First, the vast majority of titles and activities
compiled in this portfolio are suited only for a very select target audience of advancedlow to advanced-high language learners in an ESL setting. Time and resource constraints
Chapter VI: Conclusion
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 62
made it impossible to broaden the portfolio design any further, but as it stands,
classrooms with a greater range of student abilities or classrooms in an EFL setting might
have difficulty utilizing the materials in this portfolio. Another potential limitation is that
many of the activities in this portfolio require pre-teaching of language or concepts, such
as discussion terminology or narrative components. Depending on the instructor's context
and objectives, the time commitment for pre-teaching these components could be
significant.
The activity descriptions in Chapter V may be limited in that the linguistic level
category is somewhat subjective and not universally applicable to all advanced adult
language learners. As a general rule, advanced students should be capable of
understanding a text with 95% of the content below the 5000-level, provided they have
formal guidance, but in order to be absolutely certain, an instructor would be wise to
evaluate her students' exact abilities using the Levels Test at Lextutor.ca. However,
because of the added benefit to comprehension provided by visuals in graphic novels, an
instructor should also be able to confidently push students' levels beyond what she might
with an ordinary text.
Finally, the basic premise of this project presupposes a commitment to exploring
occasionally sensitive and sometimes controversial subjects in the classroom for the
purpose of encouraging students to broaden their worldviews and challenging closemindedness. While it is my belief that lessons about diversity, prejudice, and compassion
can be successfully worked into any class, especially classes with advanced adult
learners, there are a number of valid reasons why a language instructor may not feel these
themes fit into a particular course or context. Ultimately, this portfolio is likely to appeal
Chapter VI: Conclusion
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 63
most to instructors who share a similar attitude about the place of such conversations in
the language classroom.
Future Investigations
Because the scope of this project is in many ways limited, it would be worthwhile for
future efforts to be made to take some of the guiding principles outlined here and apply
them to a less narrow range of source material. By broadening the materials to include
comic strips and comic books, it might be possible to design a similar portfolio more
suitable for younger learners and learners at lower proficiency levels. Serial comic strips
that follow a general plotline or have ongoing event arcs, such as Calvin and Hobbes and
Foxtrot, might be especially useful for these purposes, since they also model important
narrative features and may prove more investing and motivating than episodic comic
strips.
In order to gain a better understanding of how the activities and materials in this
portfolio can be most effectively utilized, they should be piloted in various advanced
adult ESL contexts and eventually, based on instructor and student feedback, revised for
improvement. While I intend to do my own piloting of this material whenever possible in
my future language classrooms, it would be ideal to receive feedback from as many
different instructors in as many diverse teaching contexts as possible so that the full
potential of these activities and materials can be realized. To this end, I sincerely hope
enough instructors find the contents of this project to be worthy of implementing so that
they may be tried, tested, and improved based on the shared experiences and
contributions of many. I would be gratified to receive comments about instructors' or
Chapter VI: Conclusion
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 64
students' experiences using any activities, materials, or recommended titles from this
portfolio.
Chapter VI: Conclusion
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 65
REFERENCES
Beglar, D., Hunt, A., & Kite, Y. (2011). The effect of pleasure reading on Japanese
university EFL learners' reading rates. Language Learning, 62(3), 665-703.
Carter, J. B. (2007). Transforming English with graphic novels: Moving toward our
"Optimus Prime." The English Journal, 97(2), 49-53.
Cary, S. (2004). Going graphic: Comics at work in the multilingual classroom.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Chun, C. W. (2009). Critical literacies and graphic novels for English-language learners:
teaching Maus. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 53(2), 144-153.
doi:10.1598/JAAL.53.2.5
Crossley, S. A., Louwerse, M. M., McCarthy, P. M., & McNamara, D. S. (2007). A
linguistic analysis of simplified and authentic texts. The Modern Language
Journal, 91(i), 15-30.
Danzak, R. L. (2011). Defining identities through multiliteracies: EL teens narrate their
immigration experiences as graphic stories. Journal of Adolescent & Adult
Literacy, 55(3), 187-196. doi:10.1002/JAAL.00024
Dörnyei, Z. (2000). Motivation in action: towards a process-oriented conceptualization of
student motivation. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 70, 519-538.
Retrieved from http://www.zoltandornyei.co.uk/uploads/2000-dornyei-bjep.pdf
Ehrman, M. E. & Oxford, R. L. (1995). Cognition plus: Correlates of language learning
success. The Modern Language Journal, 79(1), 67-89. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/329394
References
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 66
Gardner, R. C. (1985). Social psychology and second language learning. London:
Edward Arnold.
Gardner, R. C. (2007). Motivation and second language acquisition. Porta Linguarum, 8,
9-20. Retrieved from http://www.ugr.es/~portalin/articulos/PL_numero8/1R%20C%20%20GADNER.pdf
Ghosn, I. K. (2002). Four good reasons to use literature in primary school ELT. ELT
Journal, 56(2), 172-179.
Gilmore, A. (2007). Authentic materials and authenticity in foreign language learning.
Language Teaching, 40(2), 97-118. doi:10.1017/S0261444807004144
Hişmanoğlu, M. (2005). Teaching English through literature. Journal of Language and
Linguistic Studies, 1(1), 53-66.
Huang, S. (2011). Reading "further and beyond the text": student perspectives of critical
literacy in EFL reading and writing. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy,
55(2), 145-154. doi:10.1002/JAAL.00017
Hughes, J. M., King, A., Perkins, P., & Fuke, V. (2011). Adolescents and “autographics”:
reading and writing coming-of-age graphic novels. Journal of Adolescent & Adult
Literacy 54(8), 601-612. doi:10.1598/JAAL.54.8.5
Khatib, M., Rezaei, S., & Derakhshan, Ali. (2011). Literature in EFL/ESL classroom.
English Language Teaching, 4(1), 201-208.
Lazar, G. (2012). Literature and language teaching: A guide for teachers and trainers.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Miller Jr., H. L., & Flores, D. (2011). Teaching controversial issues, liberally. In Buskist,
W., & Benassi, V. (Eds.), Effective college and university teaching: Strategies
References
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 67
and tactics for the new professoriate, (155-162). Thousand Oaks: SAGE
Publications.
Mori, S. (2002). Redefining motivation to read in a foreign language. Reading in a
Foreign Language, 14(2), 91-110.
Norton, B. (2003). The motivating power of comic books: insights from Archie comic
readers. The Reading Teacher, 57, 140-147. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/20205333
Peacock, M. (1997). The effect of authentic materials on the motivation of EFL learners.
ELT Journal, 51(2), 144-156.
Satrapi, M. (2003). Persepolis: The story of a childhood. New York: Pantheon Books.
Schwarz, G. E. (2002). Graphic novels for multiple literacies. Journal of Adolescent &
Adult Literacy, 46(3), 262-265.
Spiegelman, A. (1992). Maus: A survivor's tale. New York: Pantheon Books.
Yang, G. L. (2006). American born Chinese. New York, NY: Square Fish.
Young, M. Y., & Gardner, R. C. (1990). Modes of acculturate and second language
proficiency. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 22, 59-71.
References
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 68
MATERIALS REFERENCES
Cary, S. (2004). Going graphic: Comics at work in the multilingual classroom.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Cobb, T. (2013). Compleat lexical tutor. Retrieved from http://www.lextutor.ca/
Lazar, G. (2012). Literature and language teaching: A guide for teachers and trainers.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Satrapi, M. (2003). Persepolis: The story of a childhood. New York: Pantheon Books.
Yang, G. L. (2006). American born Chinese. New York, NY: Square Fish.
Materials References
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 69
APPENDIX A: INSTRUMENTS FROM NEEDS ANALYSIS
Instructor Survey
Thank you for taking the time to fill out my survey! I am doing a thesis project on the
use of comics and graphic novels for teaching advanced adult English language learners
and would appreciate your input on this topic. Depending on the length of your answers,
this survey should take roughly 8-15 minutes.
Q1 Do you enjoy comic strips (such as Calvin and Hobbes, Doonesbury, Garfield,
Bloom County, etc.)?
 Yes (1)
 No (2)
 Other (please explain) (3) ____________________
Q2 Do you read any comic books (such as Superman, Batman, Bone, Hellboy, etc.)?
 Yes (1)
 No (2)
 Other (please explain) (3) ____________________
Q3 Do you read any online webcomics (such as xkcd, Hark! A Vagrant, Nimona,
etc.)?
 Yes (1)
 No (2)
 Other (please explain) (3) ____________________
Q4 "Graphic novels" are book-length comics, often written for an adult audience.
Famous examples include Maus, Persepolis, Ghost World, and American Born Chinese.
(If you would like to see an example, you may preview American Born Chinese here.)
Have you ever read a graphic novel?
 Yes, I have read one or two. (1)
 Yes, I read them frequently. (2)
 No, I never read graphic novels. (3)
 Other (please explain) (4) ____________________
Q5 Have you ever used comics or graphic novels for teaching?
 Yes (1)
 No (2)
If No Is Selected, Then Skip To What are some potential benefits or d...
Appendix A: Instruments from Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 70
Q6 What were some benefits to using comics or graphic novels for teaching in your
experience? What were some drawbacks? Please explain in a few sentences.
If Please briefly describe the... Is Displayed, Then Skip To The following excerpt is from
America...
Q7 What are some potential benefits or drawbacks you might anticipate from using
comics or graphic novels for teaching English? Please explain in a few sentences.
The following excerpt is from American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. It tells
the story of a Chinese-American boy's struggles with cultural identity and belonging in a
predominantly white school.
Please read the excerpt before answering the next question.
Appendix A: Instruments from Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 71
Q8 Based on the excerpt, would you consider using American Born Chinese to teach
in your current context? Why or why not? Please explain in a few sentences.
The following excerpt is from Maus by Art Spiegelman. It tells his father's true story of
surviving the Holocaust. Please read the excerpt before answering the next question.
Appendix A: Instruments from Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 72
Q9 Based on the excerpt, would you consider using Maus to teach in your current
context? Why or why not? Please explain in a few sentences.
The following excerpt is from Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. It tells the author's true
story of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and fleeing to Europe.
Please read the excerpt before answering the next question.
Appendix A: Instruments from Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 73
Q10 Based on the excerpt, would you consider using Persepolis to teach in your
current context? Why or why not? Please explain in a few sentences.
Q11 How many years of teaching experience do you have?
















Q12 Which AEI classes do you currently teach? Select all that apply.
E-Prep (1)
RWG1 (2)
RWG2 (3)
RWG3 (4)
RWG4 (5)
RWG5 (6)
RWG6 (7)
OS1 (8)
OS2 (9)
OS3 (10)
OS4 (11)
OS5 (12)
OS6 (13)
AEIS (14)
Elective (15)
Other (please define) (16) ____________________
Q13 Name:
Q14 Would you be willing to be contacted for a 10-15 minute follow-up interview
based on your answers to this survey?
 Yes (please share your contact email:) (1) ____________________
 No (2)
Thank you very much! Your input is greatly appreciated.
Appendix A: Instruments from Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 74
Student Survey
Thank you for taking the time to fill out my survey! I am doing a thesis project on the
use of comics and graphic novels for teaching adult English language learners and would
appreciate your input. Depending on the length of your answers, this survey should take
roughly 10-15 minutes. Your answers will be anonymous (you do not have to share your
name).
Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Q1 Do you like comic strips (such as the above example)?
 Yes (1)
 No (2)
 Other (please explain) (3) ____________________
Q2 Do you read any comic books (such as Superman, Batman, X-Men, etc.)?
 Yes (1)
 No (2)
 Other (please explain) (3) ____________________
Q3 Do you read any online webcomics (such as xkcd, Hark! A Vagrant, Nimona,
etc.)?
 Yes (1)
 No (2)
 Other (please explain) (3) ____________________
Q4 "Graphic novels" are book-length comics, often written for adults. Famous
examples include Maus, Persepolis, and American Born Chinese. (If you would like to
see an example, you may preview American Born Chinese here.) Have you ever read a
graphic novel?
 Yes, I have read one or two. (1)
 Yes, I read them often. (2)
 No, I never read graphic novels. (3)
 Other (please explain) (4) ____________________
Appendix A: Instruments from Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 75
Q5 Have you ever been in an English class where you read comics or graphic novels?
 Yes (1)
 No (2)
If Yes Is Selected, Then Skip To Did you think the comics/graphic nove...If No Is Selected, Then
Skip To Some graphic novels tell sad or upset...
Q6 Did you think the comics/graphic novels were helpful for your English? Why or
why not? Please explain in a few sentences.
Q7 Some graphic novels tell sad or upsetting stories about war, discrimination, and
suffering. Would you like to take an English class where you read a graphic novel that
may be about an upsetting topic, such as war? Why or why not? Please explain in a few
sentences.
Q8 The next section will include a page from the graphic novel Persepolis by Marjane
Satrapi, which tells the author's story of growing up in Iran during the Islamic
Revolution. The page is not violent but may contain themes or language that could be
sensitive or upsetting to some readers. Would you like to read the comic, or would you
rather skip the comic and go to the next question?
 Yes, show me the comic. (1)
 No, I would like to skip the comic. (2)
If No, I would like to skip th... Is Selected, Then Skip To How long have you been studying
English?
Appendix A: Instruments from Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 76
Please read the following comic page before answering the next question.
Appendix A: Instruments from Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 77
Q9 Please rank the comic according to how you felt about it.
Strongly
Agree (1)
Agree (2)
Neither
Agree Nor
Disagree (3)
Disagree (4)
Strongly
Disagree (5)
This
comic was
interesting.
(1)





This
comic was
upsetting. (2)





This
comic was
easy to
understand.
(3)





I liked
the art in this
comic. (4)





The art in
this comic
helped me
understand
the language.
(5)





I would
like to read
more of this
comic. (6)





Q10 Based on what you just read, would you like to read Persepolis, or another
similar graphic novel, in an English class? Why or why not? Please explain in a few
sentences.
Q11 How long have you been studying English?
Appendix A: Instruments from Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 78
Q12 Which AEI classes are you currently taking? Select all that apply.
 E-Prep (1)
 RWG1 (2)
 RWG2 (3)
 RWG3 (4)
 RWG4 (5)
 RWG5 (6)
 RWG6 (7)
 OS1 (8)
 OS2 (9)
 OS3 (10)
 OS4 (11)
 OS5 (12)
 OS6 (13)
 AEIS (14)
 Elective (15)
 Other (please define) (16) ____________________
Q13 What country are you from?
Thank you very much! Your input is greatly appreciated.
Appendix A: Instruments from Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 79
Instructor Interview Questions
1. Can you tell me more about your experiences using graphic novels/comics for
teaching?
a. Have you ever used them specifically for second language teaching? Was
it a positive experience?
b. What were some of the difficulties you faced?
c. What would you do differently if you were to teach using comics/graphic
novels again?
2. Can you tell me more about why you would/would not feel comfortable using
[American Born Chinese] for teaching in your current context?
a. Would you feel comfortable using it in another context? Why/why not?
3. Do you think instructors would need special training in order to teach sensitive
material such as Maus or Persepolis?
Appendix A: Instruments from Needs Analysis
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 80
APPENDIX B: LESSON PLANS
The following model lesson plans demonstrate how self-contained activities—
specifically, Activities Two and Three—can be incorporated into pre-existing lessons.
The first lesson shows Activity Two as incorporated into a typical advanced Reading
Writing Grammar class at the University of Oregon's AEI, while the second shows
Activity Three as incorporated into a typical advanced Oral Skills class. AEI classes were
chosen as models out of convenience and familiarity, but also because RWG and OS
classes represent two fairly typical types of language classes for adult learners at most
intensive English programs.
Appendix B: Lesson Plans
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 81
Lesson One:
Lesson Plan Focus: Reading Strategies (Inferring Vocabulary Meaning)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Background
Context & Institution: Intensive English Program at the AEI/University of Oregon
Course/level: Reading Writing Grammar 6; advanced-low to advanced-mid
Length of class & meetings per/wk: First 50 minutes of a 150 minute class (M-Th)
Students: 16 adult (18-26 years old) ELL students
Overall course goals: Prepare students for English academic life through intensive study of academic grammar and vocabulary, academic writing conventions, and
reading strategies.
Texts/materials/technology: Individual student copies of Worksheet B1; individual student copies of graded readers; individual student notebooks; smart phones or
laptops
What students know/can do already; homework from previous class (if applicable): Students are in Week 3 of a 10-week course. They have started to learn a few
reading and vocabulary acquisition strategies.
Terminal Objectives:
a. Students will be able to infer the basic meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary with relative accuracy given visual and/or textual context clues
b. Students will be able to insightfully assess their own success using reading strategies through reflection and discussion
Assessment: Teacher will monitor individual student progress by observing student progress during individual writing tasks and evaluating student responses during
discussion.
Time
2-3
min
Students brainstorm and
activate prior knowledge
about reading strategies
for dealing with
unfamiliar vocabulary.
20-30
min
Students practice inferring
meaning of unfamiliar
vocabulary through visual
and textual context clues,
then reflect on their
performance.
1
Procedures
Step-by-step description
Activity and related
enabling objective(s)
Worksheets can be found in Appendix C.
Appendix B: Lesson Plans
Teacher (T) asks for a few student (S) volunteers to share what they typically do when they
encounter unfamiliar vocabulary in a reading (look it up in a dictionary, skip it, etc.). If no S
volunteers inferring meaning from context, T provides this solution. T explains benefits of
inferring vocabulary meaning instead of constantly looking up definitions (saves time, shifts
emphasis to overall meaning comprehension, etc.).
Type of Interaction
T→Ss or Ss→Ss,
class/group/pair/ind
v.
1. T→Ss, Class
2. Ss→Ss, Class
1.
1.
2.
T distributes Worksheet B to Ss and instructs them to read the comic silently, underlining a
ny unfamiliar vocabulary as they go. T instructs Ss not to stop reading when they encounter
these words, simply to underline and move on. (6-8 min)
T asks Ss to take out their notebooks and write down their best guess for the meaning of eac
h word they underlined. T reminds Ss to use surrounding pictures and text to help them infe
2.
Ss→Ss,
Individual
Ss→Ss, Group
Materials
&
technology
needed
Worksheet
B; student
notebooks;
smart
phones or
laptops
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 82
3.
4.
17-28
min
Students practice inferring
meaning of unfamiliar
vocabulary using only
textual clues, then reflect
on their performance and
future application of
strategy.
Appendix B: Lesson Plans
1.
2.
r meaning. T will circulate throughout to monitor progress and assist as needed. (6-8 min)
T instructs Ss to take out their smart phones (or laptops) and use their preferred dictionaries/
websites to look up the real definitions of their underlined words. Ss should write the real de
finitions next to their original definitions. T will circulate throughout to monitor progress an
d assist as needed. (6-8 min)
When Ss have finished, T asks for volunteers to share with the group: How many of your gu
esses were similar to the real meaning? (2-6 min)
T asks Ss to take out their graded readers and repeat the same process: read 2-3 pages of the
next chapter, underline unfamiliar words, write their best definitions in their notebooks, and
later look up real definitions using their smart phones. T will circulate throughout to monitor
progress and assist as needed. (15-24 min)
T again asks for a few volunteers to share their experience using this strategy this time. Was
it easier or more difficult? Were your guesses more or less accurate than the first time? Was
it useful? Did it take less time than usual? T should remind Ss that, like any strategy, it takes
time to become skilled enough at this strategy for it to become automatic and consistently ef
fective. (2-4 min)
1.
2.
Ss→Ss,
Individual
Ss→Ss, Group
Graded
readers;
student
notebooks;
smart
phones or
laptops
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 83
Lesson Two:
Lesson Plan Focus: Idioms
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Background
Context & Institution: Intensive English Program at the AEI/University of Oregon
Course/level: Oral Skills 6; advanced-low to advanced-mid
Length of class & meetings per/wk: 50 minutes; M-F
Students: 16 adult (18-26 years old) ELL students
Overall course goals: Prepare students for English academic life through guided practice in academic listening and note-taking, intensive and extensive listening,
interview and discussion-based interactions, public speaking, and pronunciation instruction.
Texts/materials/technology: White board & marker; comic worksheets C, D, & E 2; individual student notebooks
What students know/can do already: Students are in Week 5 of a 10-week course. By this point they have extensive practice working and discussing in small groups.
They have some practice performing short skits and role-plays.
Terminal Objectives:
a. Students will be able to infer the basic meaning of idioms with relative accuracy given visual and textual context clues
b. Students will be able to creatively and appropriately incorporate idioms into original sentences
c. Students will improve public speaking skills through performing short skits with a small group in front of the class
Assessment: Teacher will monitor student progress by assisting and observing during group tasks, checking worksheet answers, and informally evaluating skit
performances.
Time
2-3
min
Warm-up: Students will
brainstorm examples of
idioms and practice
guessing meaning based
on context.
15-23
min
Students will practice
inferencing the meaning
of idioms in context by
reading sample comics
and discussing in small
groups.
2
Procedures
Step-by-step description
Activity and related
enabling objective(s)
Worksheets can be found in Appendix C.
Appendix B: Lesson Plans
Type of Interaction
T→Ss or Ss→Ss,
class/group/pair/indv.
3.
T→Ss, Class
3.
4.
5.
Ss→Ss, Group
Ss→Ss, Class
T→Ss, Class
Teacher will write the word "idioms" on the board and ask if Ss know the word. If so, T allows
S volunteer to explain to the class; if not, T explains. T should share a few common example
idioms Ss are likely to have heard before ("kill two birds with one stone," "piece of cake," etc.)
and see if Ss can guess their meaning by using them in context.
5.
T divides Ss into groups of 4 and distributes one set of 4 identical worksheets—either C, D,
or E—to each group. T instructs Ss to read their comics carefully and then, with their group
members, discuss the possible meaning of the underlined idioms. T should remind Ss to pa
y close attention to what clues the surrounding text and pictures offer about the meaning.
When they have agreed on an interpretation, Ss should write it down on their worksheets. T
will circulate throughout during this task to monitor progress and assist as needed. (10-15
Materials
&
technology
needed
White
board;
marker
Comic
worksheets
C, D, & E
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 84
6.
25-33
min
Students put idioms to
use by writing role-play
scripts and practice public
speaking skills by
performing skits in front
of class.
3.
4.
Homework: Students will
continue to study idioms
in use.
Appendix B: Lesson Plans
min)
T asks groups to share their definitions with the class and explain why they thought their de
finitions were correct, using specific examples from the text. When examples for each idio
m have been shared, T provides the real definitions. Ss should correct their own definitions
as necessary and write down new idioms. (5-8 min)
T instructs Ss to continue to work together in small groups to write a short skit in their note
books using any four idioms covered in class. Skits should be 1-2 minutes long and each pe
rson in the group should speak for a roughly equivalent amount of time. T allows groups ti
me to discuss, write, and practice and circulates throughout to monitor progress and offer a
ssistance as needed. (18-23 min)
After Ss have written and briefly rehearsed, T invites one group at a time to the front of the
room to perform. Ss may use their notebooks and are not expected to have memorized their
lines. Once each group has had a chance to perform, T checks to see if there is any remaini
ng confusion about the usage of any idioms from class. (10-15 min)
For homework, Ss will look up 5 new English idioms and for each write down the definition, an
example of the idiom in use they found online, and an example of the idiom in use they write
themselves.
3.
4.
Ss→Ss, Group
Ss→Ss, Class
Individual
S
notebooks
Individual
S
notebooks;
internet
access
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 85
APPENDIX C: ADDITIONAL SAMPLE MATERIALS
Activity One: Worksheet A
Look at the comic and try to guess what's happening. When you think you have a good guess, write your
own text into the blank spaces.
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 86
Activity One: Worksheet A Original Comic Pages
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 87
Activity Two: Worksheet B
Read the comic carefully. Underline any vocabulary you don't know.
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 88
Activity Two: Worksheet B (Continued)
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 89
Activity Two: Worksheet B (Continued)
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 90
Activity Three: Worksheet C
Read the comic carefully. Then consider the underlined phrases. Based on the context, what do you think
the phrases mean? Agree on a definition with your group and write it below.
Attached to (something): ___________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
On second thought: _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 91
Activity Three: Worksheet D
Read the comic carefully. Then consider the underlined phrases. Based on the context, what do you think
the phrases mean? Agree on a definition with your group and write it below.
Stir up: _______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Blood boiling: __________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 92
Activity Three: Worksheet E
Read the comic carefully. Then consider the underlined phrases. Based on the context, what do you think
the phrases mean? Agree on a definition with your group and write it below.
Mind your own business: _________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What's (your) problem?: __________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 93
Activity Four: Comic Panel Cut-Ups
Cut out the following comic panels and distribute one set to each group of students OR hand out
worksheets to students and instruct them to number the panels in order.
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 94
Activity Four: Comic Panel Cut-Ups (Continued)
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 95
Activity Four: Comic Panel Cut-Ups (Original Comic)
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 96
Activity Five: Blank Chapter One Excerpts
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 97
Activity Five: Blank Chapter One Excerpts (Continued)
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 98
Activity Seven: Debate Reflection Worksheet
How do you think you did in the debate today? Name one or two things you did well and
one or two things you would like to improve on. (Example: I gave a lot of good examples
to defend my character but I forgot to use polite language to start my arguments.)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Write one example you gave in the debate today of your character behaving admirably.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Write one argument you made in the debate today against another character.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
If I could have chosen a character to defend for this debate, I would have chosen
_________________________ because _______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 99
Activity Nine: Blank Comic Template
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 100
Activity Nine: Blank Comic Template (Alternate)
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 101
Activity Nine: Activity Nine: Blank Comic Template (Alternate)
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 102
Activity Nine: Sample Comic Memoir Page
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials
Graphic Novels for Adult Language Learners 103
Activity Nine: Peer Feedback Rubric
Write a check mark (✓) when something has been included and a minus (-) when
something is missing.
The story is about the author's
life.
There is an introduction or
exposition in the beginning.
There is rising action.
There is a climax.
There is falling action.
There is a conclusion or
resolution.
The language is usually easy to
understand.
The pictures help me understand
the story better.
Cultural details are explained
when necessary.
The comic is 2-5 pages long.
Write one specific comment about something your partner did well:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Write one specific comment about something your partner needs to improve:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Appendix C: Additional Sample Materials