EXPLORING COMICS IN A PERFORMATIVE WAY

How children use language, body, voice, and things in panel readings

Abstract

Comics are widely regarded as a medium particularly well-suited for heterogeneous learning groups (J. Hoffmann, 2021, p. 202). As a form of all-age literature in the best sense, they offer meaning to readers from diverse backgrounds, making them relevant to all stages of literary socialization (Staiger, 2021, p. 33). Despite these promising characteristics, there are still few didactic concepts for incorporating comics into aesthetic learning in schools. One notable approach is reading panels. This method involves a dynamic form of staging comics, where readers not only read the text aloud but also make sounds corresponding to the images. This practice has proven effective in slowing down the reading process and encouraging close examination of both text and images (Wittig, 2022). The complexity of the task invites students to experiment with strategies, reflect, and discuss the comic. As a cooperative learning activity (Wocken, 2014, p. 71), panel reading works particularly well in inclusive literature lessons.

This article presents qualitative empirical research on the potential of panel readings in heterogeneous learning groups. Panel readings of Lehmriese lebt! [Clay Giant’s Alive!] (Kuhl, 2015) in elementary schools were transcribed using audio and video data. Key incidents, as defined by Kroon & Sturm (2007), were identified and analyzed using interaction analysis (Krummheuer & Naujok, 1999). The findings reveal that during panel readings, children engage deeply with one another, discussing the stories and how they are narrated, using language, body movement, voice, and things.