Graphic novels: An alternative approach to teach English as a foreign language

Abstract

This article reports the findings of a study that investigated the role of graphic novels in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) to International Baccalaureate students (aged 15-16) in TED Ankara College Foundation Private High School. Two intact 10th grade classes were randomly assigned to the control and experimental groups who studied the play of Macbeth for various in-class activities. A questionnaire, semi-structured interview and achievement test (post-test) were employed to gather data from the participants. The findings revealed that there was a significant difference in the scores of the participants in the experimental and control groups, with the graphic novel playing a significant role in understanding (i) literature elements such as symbol, setting and foreshadowing, (ii) inference and (iii) vocabulary. However, it did not play a significant role in answering comprehension questions, discussing quotations, and analysing comparison-contrast or cause-effect relationships. Furthermore, the findings revealed that graphic novel greatly shaped and influenced the critical thinking and literary devices, and vocabulary learning skills of participants. The present study calls for integrating graphic novels into the syllabi of the relevant schools as these materials appeal to the students’ visual senses and yield more insights compared with traditional plain literary texts.