Let’s Talk About Graphic Novels in the Classroom
By Susan Abrill

As the recipient of the 2025 Pat Wakefield Scholarship, in April I had the opportunity to travel to the IATEFL conference in friendly Edinburgh. The session I co-presented with colleague Kal Nelson highlighted how two particular graphic novels can be used in the classroom; specifically, how we use works like Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and The Arrival by Shaun Tan to foster animated and spontaneous speaking among students.

One audience member at our session raised an interesting question: Do teachers need to give explicit instructions to the, in our case, EAL students, on how to read comics? I found this question fascinating, as it pointed out a gap in understanding about the students we teach. And as it is commonly said, for every person who asks a question, there are ten more who wanted to ask the same thing, it might be safe to assume that many of us have this gap. If I weren’t a comic fanatic, unusual as a Gen Xer, I’d probably ask the same thing.

With the average age of EAL and EFL students in Canada being 24, many of our students grew up during the explosion of comics and graphic novels between 2000 and 2010, when Gen Y (Millennials) were the dominant demographic. Since then, there has been a dramatic rise in the accessibility of digital formats and a global trend toward the normalization of comics, thanks in part to access to VPNs that help comics bypass national borders, trade barriers, and censors. Our students are already graphic novel literate and understand the medium; it is we who do not. So, the answer to the audience member’s question is a hard no. And for those who may wonder about those who are used to reading Manga in their L1, a quick reminder that in English, the frame and speaker order is read from left to right should be all the guidance they need. They’ve got this.

Despite running rampant over the last generation, scurrying off bookshelves and in and out of backpacks, and getting soggy by rain perhaps, graphic novels still face pushback from some parents, supervisors, administrators, and even colleagues. I believe this is often due to residual negative stereotypes about comics from the 1950s carried by our parents and grandparents. Only three generations ago, comic books were literally burned in town squares across the U.S. Did you know that in Canada, there is still a federal law on the books called the Fulton Bill which forbids the distribution, possession, and publication of certain types of comics? Similar laws or policies banning or censoring comics were created around the world in the 1940s and '50s. Of course we don’t burn comics anymore, but those of us who’ve been in this profession for 10 years or more certainly were exposed to some bad press about comics.

Comics are underutilized in classrooms not only because of this historical negative bias but also their price tag, despite the fact that mainstream EAL texts we use in BC often cost two or three times more. As an example, and something I pointed out in our talk, The Arrival, which I presented on, costs about $26 per copy. It is a gigantic and sturdy hardbound book which works well for partner or even group reading and will last forever. But, because it is wordless, it can face a woeful heap of obstacles, with concerns that it doesn't easily fit into traditional categories like CEFR level, age group, or reading level. The winning argument, mine, is that it fits all of these categories. All of the above. As teachers we need to prepare for battle if we want these in our classrooms because we ain’t gonna subsidize our classrooms with our own paychecks. But some do say no. This type of self-destructive gatekeeping not only keeps the institution in the cretaceous period, but also feels like a form of new censorship, and creates a missed opportunity for both our students, who stand to benefit greatly, and for teachers.

It doesn’t need to be said at all these days, but comics are not just decoration or illustration; they are not about “fun” or “joke” or “cute.” They are true art that challenges our students to think critically. Their quality and depth are much more engaging than many other mediums we offer our students. Carefully selected comic books and graphic novels naturally hit many target areas in English language teaching, particularly for Millennials and Gen Z students, who statistically should be well-versed with them. Although comics were vilified just one generation ago, they are now a legitimate literary genre. As teachers, it's our responsibility to advocate for their inclusion in the classroom. 

Note: This article was structured with the assistance of an AI language model.

Susan is an EAL instructor and teacher trainer at the English Language Centre and the Division of Continuing Studies at the University of Victoria. She is also a comic artist and a bi-lingual graphic novel facilitator in schools. Email: sabrill@uvic.ca