Developing Writing Through Comics Age 7+

The book is packed with practical, engaging ideas based on comics, comic characters and comic-based resources, spanning six key areas of Literacy: 1. Engaging reluctant readers and improving comprehension 2. Developing meaningful story planning and sequencing 3. Creating rounded, captivating characters who act, interact and react realistically 4. Improving locational writing and introducing advanced descriptive techniques 5. Expanding vocabulary and teaching spelling, punctuation and grammar in context as tools of effective writing 6. Extending gifted and talented pupils and providing opportunities for cross-curricular learning. This book will show how comics can be used to motivate reluctant pupils, extend middle ability learners, and support more able pupils in accessing higher level writing and thinking skills. It will also prove that, as a teacher, you don't need to be a comic geek to use comics in your classroom! It contains a wealth of resources that you can use immediately to teach effective, transferrable literacy skills that will stick.All the ideas contained in this book are tried and tested by an outstanding, full time practitioner in a variety of schools and across a range of age groups, as well as being used by teachers across the country.

About the Author :
Mathew Sullivan is a class teacher and Literacy coordinator from Stockport, working in St. Richard's R.C. Primary School, Manchester. He has provided national CPD training on using comics to enhance Literacy teaching (evaluated as 'superb' and 'inspiring' by attendees). He works as creative and pedagogic consultant for the Manchester Metropolitan University Comic SMART initiative, where his techniques are implemented in high schools across Manchester. Mathew has demonstrated his approach in primary schools and high schools around the North West. He co-wrote 'A Second book of Exciting Sentences' with Alan Peat for Creative Educational Press, is an Ofsted graded 'Outstanding' teacher, and was named Silk 106.9 Teacher of the Year in 2012.

Review :
"Inspiring ideas for engaging lessons. Right down to KS1 and Foundation Stage, comics can be used to enthuse and interest even the most disengaged children. The comic planner allows reluctant writers to be inventive and creative, and ideas like pathetic fallacy are presented in such an easy and intuitive way using comics. Excellent ideas for using comics in the classroom to raise children's enjoyment of writing." Gaz Needle - St Joseph's R.C. Primary School, Oldham "I have recently been introduced to the idea of using comics as a resource in the classroom by Mathew Sullivan. The impact has been phenomenal. Children who were reluctant writers are now desperate to finish their writing. The high standard of language all the children are using is a direct benefit of this approach." Bryn Goodman - Moorside Primary School, Tameside "Through the use of comics in class, writers are even more engaged, enthused and are finding literacy even more fun. Together, we have discovered rich descriptions, complex characters, emotions and language: things we might not have found in other literature." John Cotter - RL Hughes Primary School, Wigan "Just as Steve Rogers became Captain America after taking the Super Soldier Serum, my Year 5 class have started to become sentence making superheroes after we used Mat's amazing comic-based strategies to develop our writing. Constantly engaged, enthused and excited, both boys and girls have loved developing their language and writing through the use of comic stimuli. These ideas are a weapon, more powerful than Thor's hammer, in the fight to nurture exciting and expressive writing in today's classroom." Gary Wilson - Heyes Lane Primary School, Altrincham