The effect of a selected graphic novel on reading comprehension

Literacy in the 21st century is constantly evolving. To teach literacy effectively, educators need to embrace and understand linguistic, cultural and textual practices that are relevant for students. Reading graphic novels is one of the 21st century literate practices. This study focuses on how 18 preparatory school students who are in intermediate level develop their reading comprehension after reading a selected graphic novel and a non-graphic novel. In addition, it focuses on whether reading a graphic novel has changed students' attitudes toward reading at the end of the study. The study evaluated the reading comprehension scores of these students after reading selected non-graphic novel and selected graphic novel through reading comprehension check questions. The results were considered. These two sets of scores were then compared. In addition, a reading attitude questionnaire was administrated to these students as pre- and post-test to learn students' attitudes toward reading and whether this graphic novel implementation has changed their attitude at the end of the study and the mean of the responses were compared through SPSS. The results of this study did not conform the hypothesis that graphic novels increase the reading comprehension scores of students and students' attitudes toward reading will change in a positive way.