Ideas worth spreading

1,505,013 views | Gene Luen Yang • TEDxManhattanBeach

Comics belong in the classroom

Comic books and graphic novels belong in every teacher's toolkit, says cartoonist and educator Gene Luen Yang. Set against the backdrop of his own witty, colorful drawings, Yang explores the history of comics in American education -- and reveals some unexpected insights about their potential for helping kids learn.

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This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxManhattanBeach, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

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Comic books and graphic novels belong in every teacher's toolkit, says cartoonist and educator Gene Luen Yang. Set against the backdrop of his own witty, colorful drawings, Yang explores the history of comics in American education -- and reveals some unexpected insights about their potential for helping kids learn.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxManhattanBeach, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.

About the speaker

Cartoonist, educator

See speaker profile

Gene Luen Yang writes, and sometimes draws, comic books and graphic novels.

| Explore

Comics in Education

America has had a fascinating, but sometimes embarrassing, history with comics in education. In my talk, I touch on some of what I've learned. I provide more details on this website that I built while working on my Masters in Education degree at Cal State East Bay.

Scott McCloud | William Morrow Paperbacks, 1994 | Book

Understanding Comics

In this seminal book, visual literacy guru Scott McCloud uses the medium of comics to explain the medium of comics. His ideas don't just pertain to comic books and graphic novels; they're applicable to all modern visual communication.

Jessica Abel and Matt Madden | First Second, 2008 | Book

Drawing Words and Writing Pictures

Jessica Abel and Matt Madden are college professors who also happen to be world-class cartoonists. They distill over a decade of experience in the classroom into 15 units, complete with classroom activities, homework assignments, and even extra credit. This textbook is a must-have resource for anyone interested in teaching high school or college students how to make comics.

James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost | First Second, 2009 | Book

Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles Into Comics

This is both a fun graphic novel about a knight and a dragon, and a collection of lesson about how the comics medium works. Perfect for the elementary school classroom.

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