Graphic Narratives as Opportunities for Professional Learning

A Sociocognitive Complexity Reading of the Graphic Novel Queen of the Sea

Authors

  • Julianna E. Lopez Kershen University of Oklahoma

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15763/issn.2376-5275.2022.5.2.197-219

Abstract

 

 

 In the graphic narrative Queen of the Sea, protagonist Margaret tells the story of her youth on a secret island. Multimodal texts can be used as a platform for academic inquiry, enticing the reader to closely engage with the visual images, text, and the interplay between the two. Studying the sociocognitive complexity of a text invites the reader to utilize theory-of-mind thinking to identify the mental states communicated in the narrative, as well as narratological constructs such as temporality and narrative empathy. As an opportunity for professional learning, this study analyzed the sociocognitive complexity of Dylan Meconis’s graphic narrative Queen of the Sea, using theory-of-mind thinking as an analytic frame for reading and exploring. Findings of this investigation highlight the complexity of graphic narratives and argue for their use as instructional texts in the English classroom. 

Author Biography

Julianna E. Lopez Kershen, University of Oklahoma

JULIANNA E. LOPEZ KERSHEN is an assistant professor of English education in the Department of Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum at the University of Oklahoma. Her research focuses on issues of canonicity, the classroom experience of learners, mentoring, and teacher learning as it relates to the development of expertise. She is a former high school teacher and district-level administrator. 

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Published

2022-07-01

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 2 (2022): IMAGE AND TEXT: CRITICAL AND EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ON THE USE OF COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS IN LITERACY INSTRUCTION

Section

Critical Studies

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Copyright (c) 2022 Julianna E. Lopez Kershen

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