Can Superheroes Help Improve Reading skills and Current Event Awareness

Every year it seems that the summer movie season contains a blockbuster centered on a comic book superhero.  These movies attract millions of fans many of whom first started their relationship with these characters through comic books.  While too many comic books appear to be a form of entertainment for children containing simple text and pictures…to others they serve an important role in the education process.  Research exist to support the fact that comic books can enhance both reading skills and awareness of current events in it readers.  This is especially true in the case of children/students.  According to Dr. Claudia McVicker of Southern Illinois University comic books can increase inference skills in young readers as well as increase vocabulary and reading confidence.  Finally with many comic book publishers exercising their first amendment rights the content they publish has become more socially relevant including issues relating to war, politics, homosexuality, and race. These issues are not related to just independent comics either as both Marvel and DC comics have included more socially relevant topic in their comic books.  Do you think comic books are a good way to learn about a current event?  Do you think comic books can have an impact on reading skills? Finally what affect do you think movies based on comic book characters can have on the effectiveness of comic books in the education process? 

Objectives:

Show a brief history of the comic book.

Give the student information to determine if comic books can have a role in the education process of its readers.

Give the student information to determine if comic books play a role in the introduction of current events to its readers.

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