Motivating Middle School Readers: The Graphic Novel Link

Middle school students are not reading for pleasure as frequently as they formally have, due to the influx of video games, cell phones, MP3 players, and other electronic device. This is not even to mention the common stresses of the average middle school student. Current research on reading motivati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inSchool Library Media Activities Monthly Vol. 25; no. 8; pp. 56 - 58
Main Author Edwards, Buffy
Format Journal Article Trade Publication Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Baltimore Libraries Unlimited 01.04.2009
Libraries Unlimited, Inc
Subjects
Ability
Adolescents
Cartoons
Grade 7
Graphic novels
Libraries
Library Role
Middle school students
Motivation
Novels
Pretests Posttests
Reading Attitudes
Reading comprehension
Reading Interests
Reading Materials
Reading Motivation
Reading Research
Student Behavior
Teachers
Vocabulary Development
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Summary:Middle school students are not reading for pleasure as frequently as they formally have, due to the influx of video games, cell phones, MP3 players, and other electronic device. This is not even to mention the common stresses of the average middle school student. Current research on reading motivation finds that as children move from upper elementary grades toward adolescence, motivation to read, particularly during free time, declines. This article is based on the findings and implications of an investigation by Edwards (2008) that measured whether reading graphic novels and comic books, as well as participating in free voluntary reading (FVR) time, impacted the intrinsic motivation, reading comprehension, and vocabulary development of seventh graders. The findings of this study suggested that reading graphic novels and FVR could affect the intrinsic motivation, vocabulary, and comprehension ability of seventh graders. As such, it is suggested that library media specialists and other educators should be open to the promise of graphic novels and FVR. (Contains 1 table.)
ISSN:0889-9371