How often do we ever really considered the importance of visual literacy? These six week courses explore themes which are interdisciplinary and tie in, though not overtly, with the national curriculum. Art belongs to everyone, and using it as a starting point for learning builds learners cultural capital, is inclusive of diverse learning styles. Every child can learn to understand what they are looking at through art, film and graphic novels, and everyone has the ability to master these skills, build confidence and feel inspired. 

The KS3 courses are based on five week blocks over each half term .  Taking works of art through the ages,  learners will be introduced into the power of looking, and will be taken on a journey through the art of different ages and cultures to explore key areas. At the end of each block there is a certificate. No formal homework is set, but each class comes with a related activity from art project to recreative ideas which they may wish to explore. 

These course are being revised in a new format coming soon!

The blocks will be announced, but range through: 

Environment

History

Stories though the ages - classics and mythologies

Animals

Colour theory

Science

A good graphic novel  has depth of plot, character development, theme, etc. In short, it has the classic areas of study found in a prose text. They are multimodal (meaning multiple modes of expression are used) facilitates and supports students’ ability to visualize and understand complicated ideas, which is also a 21st century literacy skill.  When students combine both aspects to investigate a text’s effect on readers, they develop varied insights into how meaning is communicated and interpreted. It makes for a very rich literature study.

Graphic novels are great for so many readers and learning styles because of their multimodality, they are manageable for students to read. The reduced overall text load decreasing anxieties students might have regarding print-based reading. They are also relevant, engaging, and positive,  capturing student interest in this increasingly visual world. I have found that for many students have had little desire to read traditional texts, graphic novels are motivational and foster a desire to keep reading because they can be successful at it. Positive association with reading promotes confidence across all subjects.  And graphic novels are cross-curricular so a wide range of subjects can be explored alongside the core text. 

These course are being revised in a new format coming soon!

Classes will be announced

These are all suitable levels for KS3 students. Further details on the Arts Award page