Abstract
Creative use of language is a central tenet of learner-centric pedagogy, and as such has become a big part of today’s language classrooms. Students who are allowed to use their creative impulses are often more engaged during in-class activities (Gregory et al., 2013). This is precisely one of the primary motivators for teachers to leverage students’ creativity in designing pedagogical materials and classroom activities. It is often challenging, however, to apply creativity in the absence of stimulating and engaging content. To address this, one possible means of engaging students is exploiting the potential of comic strips, which are intuitive and straightforward media for students to practise reading, listening, and writing in a second language. For example, Williams and Williams (2011) found that comics can play a role in promoting student-centred learning by offering a motivating canvas upon which students can deploy their creative resources. Further, other recent studies have found that engagement with comics in learning activities led to positive attitudes towards learning, as well as elevated engagement and ownership (Kılıçkaya and Krajka, 2012). One such web-based comic-making application, Make Beliefs Comix, provides features which can potentially be effective in supporting learners to practise a target language in a stimulating and engaging manner.
Make Beliefs Comix is available for download for Apple iPhone and iPad and is also available in a web-based version. The program provides learners with 60+ characters to select from, 100+ objects, words, and backgrounds to add to comic strips. Users can select 2-, 3-, or 4-panel storyboards while adding a variety of speech bubbles and captions. What sets the website apart from the app is the inclusion of possible comic strip storylines (e.g. a new fairy tale, a reunion, a fun party, dealing with bullies, etc.) and over 500 free printable comics (e.g. aliens, movies, travel, wisdom, etc.) for teachers to gain inspiration and ideas. Perhaps the best benefit of the website is for teachers serving special-needs students who will appreciate the dedicated section for students with a wide array of disabilities (e.g. autism, deaf/hearing impaired, stutters, etc.)
Comics are usually well received by primary and secondary students, but I used them with adult students and the characters and graphics were equally visually appealing and the functions were user friendly and easy to learn. Teachers and learners do not need particular technological skills to make optimal use of Make Beliefs Comix. The program is flexible and adaptable as a resource and I managed to create my first comic strip within minutes thanks to the intuitive and colourful interface. In just a short period, teachers can use a comic strip as a simple instruction manual by creating a text or multimedia comic strip to describe how to carry out a project. Learners are able to take ownership of their own vocabulary learning by creating stories integrating a target language and practise functional language taught in class. As such, comic strips can be customized for learners of different levels and abilities and a benefit of this app is that teachers and learners can save completed comic strips to their iPad camera roll for sharing on a class blog or social network.
While the app and its web-based version have great potential for teachers and learners, due to some of the more childish comic styles, it may not be suitable for adult classes. In addition, it does not store in-progress comic strips like other comic app websites, and this means learners have to complete the comic in one go and there is no opportunity for revisions. However, learners are able to continue to build on their comics with software such as Photoshop, Fireworks, or Paint. Another drawback of the website is that the advertisement appearing above and below the comic strip generator can be distracting and may make it appear less professional. Currently, the app is only available on iOS, thus not suitable for teachers and learners with Android or Windows based devices.
Overall, Make Beliefs Comix is a great tool for enabling teachers to develop and present materials that align with their pedagogical vision in a creative manner, and it allows learners to practise a target language without requiring them to read and/or write long passages to get to the main idea.
Make Beliefs Comix is created by Bill Zimmerman and Guarionex Press Limited and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store. A paid version (Ad-free) is available for US$1.99. A free Version, with advertisements, is also available. A web-based version is available at http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/
Free version: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/make-beliefs-comix/id795026580?ls=1&mt=8 Paid version: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/make-beliefs-comix+-ad-free/id986458291?mt=8
Footnotes
Funding
The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.