Comic books could help boost literacy rates

Comic books are more than just funny.

The President and CEO of the Canadian Council on Learning says new research shows that comics and graphic novels could go a long way to improve reading achievement scores and literacy rates, especially among boys.

Dr. Paul Cappon says it's time teachers reconsider the use of comics as a learning tool.

Surveys show that many educators still consider comics unsuitable reading material, judging them to be cheap, disposable and of poor quality.

The Organization for Economic Development and Co-operation says comic books are the second most popular reading material for boys.

75 per cent of elementary school-aged boys reported reading comics, compared to just 50 per cent of elementary school-aged girls.

Girls routinely outperform boys in reading achievement tests.

Research also suggests that comic books serve as an effective gateway to reading prose-based works and that they contribute to the development of visual literacy.