Sam interviewed Chris Wilson, an elementary teacher who uses graphic novels to improve students' reading skills and motivation. Wilson shared research showing that graphic novels help struggling readers and boost reading levels. His Hall of Heroes students at one school had higher reading scores and growth than other 4th graders. Parents also reported that their children read more, earned better grades, and talked about what they read thanks to the comic books and graphic novels. Sam concluded that comics can be educational and encourage kids to read more.

4. My Research
I need an expert
in teaching
elementary
reading skills AND
comic books…
I know a super
hero that can
help. You need to
talk to
Chris Wilson!
Did
somebody
say my
name?
www.graphicclassroom.org

5. Who are you?
I’m an elementary teacher who
loves graphic novels and
comics. I help kids learn to
have fun reading ALL types of
books. I also help teachers
learn how to use graphics
novels to inspire their students
to read more.

6. So, Sam, how can I
help?
I wonder if
comics can
improve your
reading skills?
If kids choose what they read they will
read lots more than they used to and
comics are easier but more fun.
Everybody can translate the story
better if they can tell who's talking and
when they’re talking. Oh and yes they
will boost your reading skills and you
will want to read more literature books
and read longer.

7. How do comic
books help
kids read?
Some of civilization’s first stories
were told through pictures. It’s
part of being human. Do you know
what some of the oldest pictures
are?
You mean like cave
man art and
hieroglyphics in the
Egyptian pyramids?
That’s it!

8. “Reading motivation increases with
choice”. And kids choose comics. The
best part is that “comics lead to reading
other forms of literature”.
Look at what my Hall of
Heroes students did to
their reading scores
compared to the other 4th
graders at Mathews
Elementary School!

9. Procedure
I interviewed Mr. Chris Wilson on Skype. Mr. Wilson is a technology instructor at
Mathews Elementary in Nixa, Missouri. He also runs The Graphic Classroom blog and
the Hall of Heroes reading club for 4th graders.
Mr. Wilson shared his research about graphic novels and comics with me. He travels
around the country to talk to teachers about using comics in school. He’s also written
three books on literacy, or how people learn to read.

10. Beginning of Year
Scholastic Reading Inventory
% STUDENTS BY READING LEVEL
60%
50% 48%
43%
40%
30%
Hall of Heroes
23% All Other Grade 4
20%
16% 15%
13% 13%
10%
0%
0%
% STUDENTS BELOW BASIC % STUDENTS BASIC (2) % STUDENTS PROFICIENT % STUDENTS ADVANCED
(1) (3) (4)
All 5 BB students were in HOH
From Chris Wilson, Hall of Heroes Presentation

11. Middle of Year
Scholastic Reading Inventory
60%
50%
50%
40% 38%
30% Hall of Heroes
23% 25% All Other Grade 4
20%
20%
10%
9%
7%
1%
0%
% STUDENTS BELOW BASIC % STUDENTS BASIC % STUDENTS PROFICIENT % STUDENTS ADVANCED
Our only BR students (2) gained
3 of those 5 BB students moved up 450 points EACH in 1 semester
From Chris Wilson, Hall of Heroes Presentation

12. GROWTH DATA
AVERAGE SCHOLASTIC READING INVENTORY GROWTH
90.00
80.00 78.28
70.00 65.16
60.00
50.00
40.00
30.00
20.00
10.00
0.00
Hall of Heroes All Other Grade 4
From Chris Wilson, Hall of Heroes Presentation

13. WHAT PARENTS
SAY
• This year he made straight "A's" for THE FIRST TIME EVER!
• My child loves to read now. Before he would check out a book and
put it down but now he has turned into a BOOK WORM. I love it!
• My child always comes home and TALKS about what he has read
and learned.
• There are many days where he would rather read a book or comic
INSTEAD of playing video games or watching television.
• Hall of heroes was the additional push for my son to read more on
HIS OWN because HE WANTED TO, not because it was required.
• Assisted in INCREASING HIS READING GRADE LEVELS.
From Chris Wilson, Hall of Heroes Presentation

14. Results and
Conclusion
I learned that comics are can be
educational.
I thought, at first, that comics
were not very good for your
brain. Now I know that comics
ARE good to read and they
encourage kids to read other
types of books.
Kids are more likely to read if
the teacher lets them pick the
book and the type of book.
Just like movies, you have to
pick comic books that are
appropriate for your age.

15. Results and
Conclusion
My favorite comics and
graphic novels are:
Bone, Meanwhile, the
strips in the Boy Scout
magazine and Diary of a
Wimpy Kid
That’s great, Sam. I
like Bone, too.
It was written for
adults, but it’s a kid
favorite!

16. Results and
Conclusion
I think comics will
help kids want to
read more, Mr.
Wilson.
Sam, I think
you’ve got it. Tell
your teachers I’d
be happy to talk
with them, too.

17. References
Here’s all the stuff I used
for my project:
Skype Interview with Mr. Chris Wilson, educator and
editor-in-geek, TheGraphicClassroom.org
March 2012 (summarized).
A Causal Comparative Study of Students’ Reading
Motivation After Reading Comings in the
Classroom, Jack C. Wilson, Childhood Education and
Family Studies, Missouri State University, May 2009
Cartoons of Mr. Chris Wilson from
http://www.graphicclassroom.org/
Hall of Heroes Study data, charts and results from
Mr. Chris Wilson’s Hall of Heroes PowerPoint
Presentation.