At the start
of each academic year, schools introducing textbooks from Macmillan Education
often request teacher empowerment sessions. This year (2026), I was fortunate
to be part of these engaging classes once again.
It’s been
over 25 years since I began conducting workshops for English teachers. Many
teachers frequently ask me how to help students-especially newcomers-improve
their reading skills. Last week, when I celebrated my 100th session as a
Resource Person, the same question came up.
It took me
back to my days at a leading English medium school in Trivandrum, 40 years ago.
Back then, teachers would confiscate comic books if students were caught
reading them. Their aim was to guide students toward reading good literature,
like short novels or works by Enid Blyton.
Times have
changed, and modern ELT methods now embrace comics as a valuable tool for
developing reading skills. A recent post on the Cambridge ELT Blog highlights
that graphic novels are increasingly popular in classrooms-they’re used as
standalone readers or integrated into course books. Comics help focus on
language, develop all four skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing), and
most importantly, they’re fun!
For over a
decade, I’ve advised student teachers to incorporate comics to support students
who struggle with reading. During lunch breaks or extra practice sessions,
helping weaker learners read comics has proven to be very effective. This
approach not only enhances vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation, and contextual
understanding but also builds confidence and comprehension through continuous
practice.
Teachers
attending Macmillan sessions are always eager to try new strategies, especially
with the NEP 2020-aligned textbooks now in use. Schools often appreciate these
innovative efforts, and I am honoured to have been recognized for my work.
Remember,
reading can be simple, fun, and powerful-comics are just one way to make that
happen!
