Comics and Manga to Promote EFL Literacy Strategies with 6th-grade Students

Abstract

One of the main ways to develop literacy skills in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms is through textbooks, novels, tales, or guidebooks. However, today literature is being neglected in the learning process, where students have been experiencing difficulties, both in developing these skills and in their interest in learning. For this reason, the purpose of this research was to recognize the promotion of comics and manga as a literacy practice of English as a foreign language with 6th-grade students of a school in the city of Medellín through the implementation of a workshop where Students had to receive advice to design their own comics and mangas. Some of the aspects that were discovered were that the visual factor facilitates the understanding of texts, through which educators can create bridges that facilitate meaningful learning experiences. Finally, it was concluded that resources such as manga and comics allow both teachers and students to benefit from literature since different and contemporary perspectives are proposed. However, given the unconventional nature of comics and manga in educational settings, it is advisable to have printed sections easily accessible or displayed.