Exploring the Use of Graphic Novels in the Classroom: Does Exposure to Non-Traditional Texts Increase the Reading Comprehension Skills and Motivation of Low-Functioning Adolescent Readers?
Open Access
- Author:
- Lamanno, April Arthur
- Graduate Program:
- School Psychology
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- June 12, 2007
- Committee Members:
- Barbara Schaefer, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
George Farkas, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
James Clyde Diperna, Committee Member
D Wayne Osgood, Committee Member - Keywords:
- reading instruction
graphic novels
motivation
adolescence
progress monitoring
mental retardation
learning disabilities - Abstract:
- The purpose of this study is an initial effort to evaluate the use of graphic novels in small group reading instruction with adolescents who have severe reading problems. Several empirically supported techniques including use of graphic organizers, self-questioning, and vocabulary instruction are used throughout the intervention. Specific questions addressed by this study include the following: 1) Does the use of graphic novels as an intervention result in measurable improvements in reading comprehension as measured by AIMSWeb maze passage and selected WIAT-II subtests? 2) Does the use of graphic novels in a small group intervention result in an increase in student’s oral reading fluency? 3) Does the type of reading problem (decoding versus comprehension) the student experiences impact whether they show an increase in reading comprehension and oral reading fluency scores? 4) Do the students who were exposed to the treatment for the greatest number of sessions and who had the most opportunity to choose their own supplemental reading materials show the greatest improvements in reading and motivation? 5) Does use of a graphic novel intervention in a small group instructional setting result in an improvement in student’s motivation levels for reading? Results indicate that there was not a significant improvement in student’s reading comprehension scores as measured by selected subtests from the WIAT-II. The majority of the participants did show slight improvements in their reading comprehension scores as measured by the number of correct responses on AIMSWeb maze probes. However, the participants also showed an increase in the number of incorrect items on the AIMSWeb maze probes and for most of the participants there was a decrease in oral reading scores from pre- to posttesting. Although the design of the study does not allow for generalizations beyond this particular group of high school students with severe reading difficulties, it suggests that intervention efforts designed to increase the reading skills of adolescents with learning disabilities and mental retardation must be highly intensive in nature in order to produce measurable changes.