Comic-Con is now looking to engage with educators and librarians. The organization's first step to connect with teachers is showcasing the educational value that comics hold.

According to Bleeding Cool, a group of educators told peers at the "Teaching with Comics: An Interactive Workshop for Educators" panel at the San Diego Central Public Library about how they are successfully integrating comics into their lesson plans.

"The word of that kept coming up throughout the workshop was 'interdisciplinary' in reference to the unique nature of the comics medium. While many may brush comics off as an easy read or juvenile, these educators understand that comics can serve as a unique teaching tool, combining the complexity of a written story with the understanding of visual literacy,” the article said.

One activity showcased at the discussion, for example, is encouraging students to use comics to depict the summary of a novel.

"The workshop was incredibly informative, and I got a lot of excellent activity ideas for my comic club meetings. In recent years it has seemed as though schools and libraries have shifted their views on comics and become more accepting of them. I am happy to see Comic-Con taking advantage of this rise in interest and bringing the two together,” Blending Cool contributor Marilyn Weiss writes.

Read the full story. 

If you're interested in integrating into your classroom, check out these resources from Education World today!

• Eek! Comics in the Classroom
• Book Report Makeover: Comic Books!
• Teacher Finds Comic Books Help Make Kids Smarter 
• Charlotte's Web: Make-Your-Own-Comics
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Nicole Gorman, Senior Education World Contributor

7/21/2016