1. Integrating
Multiliteracies into
the ESL
Thesis Proposal
curriculum: Presentation
Graphic Novels
Melissa Torres
as a Means of INGL 6006 Research
Expression and Methods
Motivation Cathy Mazak

2. Integrating Multiliteracies into the ESL curriculum:
Graphic Novels as a Means of Expression and Motivation
 Reading and writing graphic novels can be
motivating for struggling students and reluctant
readers, and can also support the development
of multimodal literacy skills needed for school
success in the twenty-first century.
 According to Carter (2009) a graphic novel is a
narrative work in which the story is conveyed to
the reader using sequential art in either an
experimental design or in a traditional comic
format.

3. Multimodal Literacies
 Graphicnovels are fiction or nonfiction books
presented in comic book format that require
multimodal literacy for understanding.
 According to the National Council of Teachers
of English or NCTE (2008) multi-modal
literacies “is the integration of multiple modes of
communication and expression that can
enhance the meaning of the work beyond
illustration.

4. Research Problem:
In Puerto Rico every public school student
is given a daily English lesson throughout
elementary school and high school.
However, as Kerkhof (2001) stated many
high-school graduates in Puerto Rico
read, write, and speak English poorly.

5. According to Schwarz (2010) “The
graphic novel can drive current
traditional curriculum goals, teach
new literacies, offer new topics with
which teachers and students can
engage, and enable new ways of
learning.”

6. Justification
Teaching with a wide variety of text
structures and images holds
possibilities for deepening students’
interest, engagement, and
comprehension and enhancing their
writing and reading skills.

7. Research Objectives
• With the creation of a unit I will integrate
I will attempt to graphic novels into the curriculum in order to
find reasons why engage and motivate reluctant readers.
students are • In doing so I will identify what motivates
reluctant to read students, and will consider how graphic
and write in the novels contribute to promote student
motivation to read and write in English in an
English classroom. ESL college classroom.
Students at the • I will read the graphic novels and will ask
end of the unit the students to write a reader’s Response in
will be expected order to determine if students could express
to create a themselves honestly through the medium of
the comic format
graphic novel

8. Context of Study:
Theoretical paradigm
 Criticalmedia literacy:
 Is generally concerned with “helping
students experience the pleasures of
popular culture” (Smith, 2008).

9. New Literacy Studies
Due to the new information technologies
and the complex multiliteracies required
by these technologies, literacy is
reinventing itself.

10. Prior Research
 Ina study performed by Hammond (2009). He
examined readers’ responses to an art graphic
novel.
 While the use of comics and graphic novels as
an educational tool was a positive experience in
the studies, none of the studies explicitly
examined ESL student’s response to a graphic
novel.

11. Research questions
As Krashen (2004) states, “The case for
comics is a good one” (p. 109).
Probably the most compelling and most
frequently mentioned reason for using
comics and graphic novels is their ability to
motivate students to read.

12. Research Questions
I want to see if by
integrating multiliteracies
into the ESL curriculum if
students will feel motivated
to read.
I also want to see if they can express
themselves freely in writing through
the medium of the comic format.
Thus my main research question is:
How might graphic novels
contribute to promoting student
motivation to read and write in
English in an ESL college
classroom?

13. Sub-Questions
 1. How do graphic novels improve student’s
writing when used in an English college
classroom?
 2. How do students convey meaning from a
graphic novel?
 3. How can students express themselves
honestly through the creation of a graphic novel?
 4. Can students express themselves better
through the medium of the comic format?
 5. Do students consider the issues presented in
the graphic novels as serious topics?

14. Methodology
 In order to conduct my study I will construct a unit
in my syllabus, dedicated to implementing graphic
novels in the classroom.
 For the purpose of my study I will conduct an
action research. Cohen (2007) defines action
research as “a small-scale intervention in the
functioning of the real world; in addition to a close
examination of the effects of such an intervention”
(p.297).

15. Research site(s) and time
period
The research will be carried out in the
University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
The time allotted for this study will be
preferably 1 month of classes or rather 14
class periods.
The study will be performed with
Intermediate II (3104) students.

16. Data collection techniques or
methods
I will distribute a reading questionnaire.
I will then ask students to write two
reader responses one pertaining to their
feelings towards reading a graphic novel
and the other will refer to their
experience when creating a graphic
novel.

17. Conclusion:
Implications of the Study
 By taking students motivation into account
educators can see the importance that teaching
while using multimodal literacies can have in
improving student motivation and enhancing their
writing and reading skills.

18. Questions?

19. References
 Bucher, K. T. & Manning, M. L. (2004). Bringing graphic novels
into a school’s curriculum. The Clearing House, 78 (2), 67-72.
 Carter, J. B. (2007). Building literacy connections with graphic
novels: page by page, panel by panel. Urbana, IL : National
Council Of Teachers Of English.
 Cary, S. (2004). Going graphic: Comics at work in the
multilingual classroom. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
 Downey, E. M. (2009). Graphic Novels in Curriculum and
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 Hammond, H. K. (2009). Graphic novels and multimodal
literacy: A reader response study. Education, Curriculum and
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"Autographics": Reading and Writing Coming-of-Age Graphic Novels.
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 Kerkhof, E. (2001). The Myth of the Dumb Puerto Rican: Circular Migration
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 Krashen, S. D. (2004). The power of reading: Insights from the research.
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