Creating Comic Strips

      Creating comic strips is another interesting and effective way for students to learn something, especially language students who intend to learn a foreign language. There are some Internet tools which can be easily used by both teachers and students to create their own comic strips, for example, the website Strip Generator is a good choice. Through the Strip Generator, students will be able to use ready-made characters and items, and they are also free to choose their favorite frames for their strips. In addition, registration is not required, so this Internet tool is really convenient and effective.

      I have created my first comic strip, How Can I Help You, through the Strip Generator. I find that this website is really easy to use since I am able to pick up comic frames, characters, and items which are already provided. Additionally, I could add dialogues in my strip if I need. These features are helpful for not only language students but also language teachers. In my future teaching, I would like to use this website and encourage my students to create their own comic strips which are based on some topics. For example, if the lesson is about buying things, I will be able to encourage my students to use some vocabulary and sentence structures to create their comic strips. Through this way, students will feel more interesting to practice what they have learned; at the same time, students are encouraged to be more creative.

Performance Indicator-ESL.E.PK-1.2.1

Students learning English as a second language will use English for self-expression, artistic creation, and participation in popular culture. They will develop and use skills and strategies appropriate to their level of English proficiency to listen to, read, and response to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and performance, relate texts and performances to their own lives and other works, and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent.

      In order to assess students' creations, encouraging students to orally tell the story or actor out their comic strips can be an effective and meaningful method. Through this method, for teachers, we will be able to see that if students have mastered what they have learned in the class, such as vocabulary, sentence structures, or even cultural contexts; for students, they will be benefit from this method since they are provided an opportunity to practice orally. In addition, this "act out" activity will enlighten their participation.