Graphic Thinking changes my mind
Graphic Thinking is way to explores how graphic and visual communication changes people’s perception of the world. “It’s an intersection of ‘comix,’ society and academia,” said Waldman, a Philadelphia-based digital designer. The spelling of comics as comix dates back to the 1960s and refers to the subgenre of “underground” comic books. Compared to mainstream, family-oriented comics, comix writers incorporated more mature themes — like sex, drugs and violence — into their work. I argue that Graphic Thinking is a good way to remind young people thinking about history and change their perception about recent society.
While comic books and graphic novels have increased in popularity among children of all ages in the last few years, there are still some parents and educators that dismiss the medium as trivial or "not a real book" or "junk." We live in a visual society. It only makes sense that children are drawn to visual media. Not all comics are about superheroes, and graphic novels do not always include "graphic" storylines. Some teachers and librarians on the 2014 New York Comic Con panel "Super Girls: Using Comics to Engage Female Students in the High School Classroom" listed these as some of the benefits and skills strengthened by graphic novels: motivating reluctant readers, inference, memory, sequencing, understanding succinct language, and reading comprehension. When reading comics, children slow down and look at the images and text to fully ingest what's happening in the plot.
Graphic novels are bringing art education (which is often an endangered program in schools) into the classroom. Graphic novels can be paired with traditional classics. One high school teacher on the "Super Girls" panel said that he's found success in pairing a canonical text like The Scarlet Letter with a graphic novel like Smile. Both titles are centered on female protagonists feeling alienated, which a lot of tween and teen girls can relate to. Speaking of girls, comics aren't just for boys. Everybody enjoys a good story. And there are plenty of great graphic novels available for kids of all ages. Additionally, for children with dyslexia, while it might be very frustrating for them to finish a page of a traditional book, they often feel a sense of accomplishment when they complete a page in a comic book. Accomplishment is important. It's a huge self-esteem booster and leads to kids naturally wanting to read more.
However, when kids have lower self-esteem because they aren't strong readers that can discourage them from wanting to read. But graphic novels are a great way to promote literacy. Teachers and librarians do not want to give ESL students picture books. Kids would reject that and deem it embarrassing. However, a comic book at a lower reading level might give kids the reading confidence they need while boosting reading and language skills. Reading comic books is a great way to share the joy of reading with your child. If you grew up reading Archie or Spider-Man comics, you can share that with your reader now. It's a great way to strengthen your bond. Plus, kids look up to their parents and want to share and discuss those favorite comics or moments or scenes with you. It's a no brainer!
http://temple-news.com/lifestyle/cla-hosts-graphic-thinking-conference-comics-illustration/