24.A Fun Approach to Developing Reading Skills

 

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!