Comics Aren't Just For Fun Anymore: The Practical Use of Comics ...

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Recine 28 theme or message (McCloud Understanding 70-73; Cohn Early Writings 29-35). Structurally, comics consist of imagery, sometimes combined with words (Eisner 16; McCloud “Does”). Spatially, comics can feature a single image or multiple images. This means that a single image, if it is sufficiently communicative, can convey a story or idea with the same depth that a multiple image sequence would and can thus be seen as be seen as a form of comics (Eisner 39; McCloud Understanding 94-97). Comics text, when present, may appear in captions, word balloons or sound effects; character language may appear in captions or word balloons (McCloud Understanding 134; Cohn “Time”). Stylistically, comics are simpler and more abstract in appearance than the real, three-dimensional objects referenced by their artwork (McCloud Understanding 28, 50-51). Comics scholarship presents a more flexible definition that reflects the range of comics actually used in the practice of TESOL. By saying that comics should simply have a coherent theme or message, rather than needing to tell a story, this broader definition includes the non-narrative comics in fig. 2.2.3 and 2.2.7. By characterizing words as an optional component of comics, wordless incarnations of the medium can also be included as well. Additionally, since this definition includes both single image and multiple image comics, self-contained single panel comics like the ones in fig. 2.2.6 and 2.2.10 are now also included. By allowing character language to appear in word balloons or captions, this definition additionally covers the kind of caption usage seen in fig. 2.2.10 and 2.2.11. Moreover, by simply classifying all comic art as simplification of real visuals, this definition gets rid of the false, difficult to parse dichotomy between cartoony and realistic art in the definition of comics discussed in section 2.2. The comics scholars’ definition can certainly help instructors of ESL/EFL understand the range and variance in the structure of potentially useful comics-format teaching aids. However, it still has some shortcomings where TESOL comics pedagogy is concerned. While the definition of comics proposed by modern TESOL scholars is too limiting to accurately describe the range of comics used in
Recine 29 TESOL, the comics scholarship definition synthesized from the work of Eisner, McCloud and Cohn is too inclusive. By removing the most common features of comics (word balloons, narrative captions, distinctly separate panels, and narrative) from the definition of comics itself, comics scholars include as “comics” a number of items that ESL/EFL students are unlikely to recognize as comics. Because comics no longer have to have a narrative the medium can theoretically include instruction manuals and other illustrated activity guides, such the elementary school learning resources seen in fig. 2.3.1. Furthermore, because comics no longer need word balloons or even words, Eisner et al.’s definition can also include the children’s picture book samples in fig. 2.3.2 and 2.3.3. These figures are particularly ESL/EFL relevant, as they feature a sample from a bilingual Bible adaptation marketed to EFL Sunday schools in South Korea and pages from a book by Rosemary Wells, whose work is endorsed by numerous TESOL professionals (“Worcester;” Albury; Johnson; Gordon 2). Finally, because no specific features of the cartoony or realistic style are specified, the photographic collage seen back in fig. 2.1.3 could also be seen as a comic, because two-dimensional photographs with superimposed word balloons are less realistic and more abstract than actual visual stimuli. In Eisner, McCloud, and Cohn’s domain of comics scholarship, well outside the purview of the contemporary TESOL professionals’ definition, it may be all well and good to say that the photo collage in fig. 2.1.3 and the materials in the three figures immediately below are comics in theory. This is not compatible, however, with the practical notions of ESL/EFL teachers and learners who have a cultural perception of what comics are and are not. Ultimately, Tiemensma’s definition and the definition generated by Eisner et al. are burdened with the same flaw: these definitions simply do not characterize the nature of “comics” as it is perceived by actual users of comics in authentic TESOL settings. Clearly, a third definition, truly tailored to TESOL, is needed.
Page 1 and 2: Comics Aren’t Just For Fun Anymor
Page 3 and 4: Recine I Table of Contents 1. Intro
Page 5 and 6: Recine 1 1. Introduction 1.1. The P
Page 7 and 8: Recine 3 Fig. 1.1.2. Left: Sample f
Page 9 and 10: Recine 5 1.2. Some Apparent Advanta
Page 11 and 12: Recine 7 instruction. Clearly, comi
Page 13 and 14: Recine 9 highlight one aspect of TE
Page 15 and 16: Recine 11 2. The Definition of Comi
Page 17 and 18: Recine 13 Fig. 2.1.3. A photo colla
Page 19 and 20: Recine 15 teachers have actively em
Page 21 and 22: Recine 17 Fig. 2.2.2. Lions, Tigers
Page 23 and 24: Recine 19 as the primary or sole me
Page 25 and 26: Recine 21 Fig. 2.2.7. From left to
Page 27 and 28: Recine 23 Fig. 2.2.9. Journey: The
Page 29 and 30: Recine 25 variation of line widths
Page 31: Recine 27 Fig. 2.2.14. The cover im
Page 35 and 36: Recine 31 Fig. 2.3.2. The See With
Page 37 and 38: Recine 33 language from another is
Page 39 and 40: Recine 35 identify mediums that are
Page 41 and 42: Recine 37 know their options and ma
Page 43 and 44: Recine 39 language needs (fig. 2.5.
Page 45 and 46: Recine 41 Fig. 2.5.4. A TOEFL prepa
Page 47 and 48: Recine 43 condescending. TESOL prof
Page 49 and 50: Recine 45 integral to the professio
Page 51 and 52: Recine 47 3.2. TESOL Professionals
Page 53 and 54: Recine 49 (“Peabody”), North Ca
Page 55 and 56: Recine 51 Fig. 3.2.2. Make Beliefs
Page 57 and 58: Recine 53 focus on extensive readin
Page 59 and 60: Recine 55 Fig. 3.3.1. An out-of-seq
Page 61 and 62: Recine 57 activities, my engagement
Page 63 and 64: Recine 59 proficiency students and
Page 65 and 66: Recine 61 Fig. 3.4.3. Sample from m
Page 67 and 68: Recine 63 teachers not only find co
Page 69 and 70: 4. Maximizing the Effectiveness of
Page 71 and 72: Recine 67 Fig. 4.1.2. Ancient cave
Page 73 and 74: Recine 69 Fig. 4.1.4. Mesoamerican
Page 75 and 76: Recine 71 Fig. 4.1.7. A comic strip
Page 77 and 78: Recine 73 Fig. 4.1.8. Ninrteenth ce
Page 79 and 80: Recine 75 successor, picture writin
Page 81 and 82: Recine 77 4.2. Constructivism and t
Page 83 and 84:
Recine 79 Fig. 4.2.3. Sequences fro
Page 85 and 86:
Recine 81 by onomatopoeias, lexical
Page 87 and 88:
Recine 83 Fig. 4.2.8. An educationa
Page 89 and 90:
Recine 85 While constructivism was
Page 91 and 92:
Recine 87 say that the human abilit
Page 93 and 94:
Recine 89 Fig. 4.3.1. Timbertoes Co
Page 95 and 96:
Recine 91 reinterpret. Similar expl
Page 97 and 98:
Recine 93 Fig. 4.3.6. A political c
Page 99 and 100:
Recine 95 similar children’s comi
Page 101 and 102:
Recine 97 Fig. 4.4.2. A simply draw
Page 103 and 104:
Recine 99 mindful of the fact that
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Recine 101 simplified or highly car
Page 107 and 108:
Recine 103 5. Maximizing the Effect
Page 109 and 110:
Recine 105 W. Howard Levie compiles
Page 111 and 112:
Recine 107 that may seem distinct a
Page 113 and 114:
Recine 109 of visual distinctness,
Page 115 and 116:
Recine 111 and have greater utility
Page 117 and 118:
Recine 113 Fig. 5.1.8. Instructions
Page 119 and 120:
Recine 115 Goldsmith groups the vis
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Recine 117 visual cohesiveness and
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Recine 119 these areas, teachers wo
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Recine 121 When selecting comics, c
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Recine 123 found to promote memory
Page 129 and 130:
Recine 125 Fig. 5.2.1. A comic stri
Page 131 and 132:
Recine 127 input. Per Krashen, the
Page 133 and 134:
Recine 129 In short, while comics c
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Recine 131 look like in comparison
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Recine 133 verbalize about in a var
Page 139 and 140:
Recine 135 Fig. 5.4.5. Splash panel
Page 141 and 142:
Fig. 5.4.7. Page 13 of “Creekbed
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Fig. 5.4.9. A comic strip I designe
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Recine 141 Fig. 5.4.11. An alcohol
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Recine 143 advanced section of this
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Recine 145 with European learners,
Page 151 and 152:
Recine 147 of the narrative or mess
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Recine 149 can build on TESOL comic
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Recine 151 classroom, even if they
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Recine 153 be rare to find a comic
Page 159 and 160:
Recine 155 Bibliography Abel, Jessi
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Recine 157 Bousquet, Mark. "In Defe
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Recine 159 Reading Association & NC
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Recine 161 Frost, Ram. “Orthograp
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Recine 163 Ibrahim, Mohammed. “Tr
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Recine 165 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Ser
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Recine 167 2005. Web. 5 Sep. 2012.
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Recine 169 Web. 13 Oct. 2012. Retal
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Recine 171 Web. 06 Oct. 2012. “St
Page 177:
Recine 173 Wildman, George, and Kar
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