Teachers and school boards should embrace comic books and graphic novels as a "gateway" literature, helping children transition towards more complex narratives and helping boys catch up with girls in reading achievement, according to a new study.
The study, released Wednesday by the Canadian Council on Learning, reveals how comic books help develop a child's ability to follow a sequence of events, interpret symbols, predict what will happen next and connect narratives to the reader's own experiences. Moreover, comics and graphic novels can help bridge the learning gap between boys and girls.
