Comics as a Literary-Didactic Method and Their Use for Reducing Gender Differences in Reading Literacy at the Primary Level of Education - read online free

Oct 15, 2026

The study evaluates whether systematic use of comics as a literary-didactic method can reduce gender differences in reading literacy and reading motivation at the primary level. Experimental and control groups of 143 pupils from two Slovenian rural primary schools completed questionnaires, tests, and reading-motivation measures before and after the intervention. Overall results show no statistically significant improvement, and no reduction of gender gaps was found. However, subgroup analyses considering age and gender indicate increased reading interest and more positive attitudes, informing directions for future research and teaching practice.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages25

Reading Time1 h 3 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Gender differences in reading literacy (international studies)

Study design and method

Experimental and control groups

Findings

Overall effects and subgroup effects

Conclusion and implications

Guidelines for further research and teacher suggestions

Comics as a Literary-Didactic Method and Their Use for Reducing Gender Differences in Reading Literacy at the Primary Level of Education Maja Kerneža*1 and Katja Košir2 • The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of the systematic use of comics as a literary-didactic method to reduce gender differences in reading literacy and reading motivation at the primary level of education. It was assumed that the use of comics would have a positive effect on pupils’ reading literacy and reading motivation, while also reducing the aforementioned differences between boys and girls. The dimensions of reading literacy and reading motivation were examined in experimental and control groups, before and after the intervention, by means of questionnaires and tests for pupils. The sample consisted of 143 pupils from second to fifth grade from two Slovenian primary schools in a rural environment, of which 73 pupils participated in the experimental group and 70 pupils represented the control group. Effects of the use of comics as a literary-didactic method were not found: using comics as a literary-didactic method did not have a statistically significant effect on pupils’ reading literacy and reading motivation. However, when the four-way structure of the research (taking into account the age and gender of the pupils) was considered, some subgroups showed a statistically significant increase in reading interest and attitude towards reading. No reduction of gender differences in reading literacy and reading motivation was found. Based on the results, guidelines for further research are established and suggestions are offered for teachers’ work. Keywords: comics, gender differences, primary level pupils, reading literacy, reading motivation 1 *[Corresponding Author. maja.kerneza@gmail.com](Corresponding Author. maja.kerneza@gmail.com). 2 Faculty of Education, University of Maribor, Slovenia. 126 comics as a literary-didactic method and their use for reducing gender Strip kot literarnodidaktična metoda dela in njegovauporaba za zmanjšanje razlik med spoloma v bralnipismenosti na razredni stopnji šolanja Maja Kerneža in Katja Košir • Namen prispevka je preveriti učinke sistematične uporabe stripa kot literarnodidaktične metode dela na zmanjšanje razlik med spoloma vbralni pismenosti na razredni stopnji šolanja. Predvidevali smo, da bouporaba stripa pozitivno vplivala na bralno pismenost učencev in njihovo motivacijo za branje, hkrati pa zmanjšala razlike v navedenih spremenljivkah med spoloma. Izbrane dimenzije bralne pismenosti inbralne motivacije so bile pred intervencijo in po njej v eksperimentalni in kontrolni skupini preverjane s pomočjo vprašalnikov in testov za učence terocenjevalne lestvice za učitelje. V raziskavo je bilo vključenih 143 učencev[od 2. do 5. razreda dveh slovenskih osnovnih](od 2. do 5. razreda dveh slovenskih osnovnih) šol iz podeželskega okolja, od katerih je 73 učencev sodelovalo v eksperimentalnem delu raziskave, 70 učencev pa je predstavljalo kontrolno skupino. V izvedeni raziskavi uporaba stripa kot literarnodidaktične metode dela v okviru zastavljenih hipotez ni imela statistično pomembnega učinka na bralno pismenostin bralno motivacijo učencev. Ko smo upoštevali štirismerno strukturoraziskave, pa se je strip kot literarnodidaktična metoda dela v nekaterih podskupinah udeležencev (upoštevajoč starost in spol učencev) pokazal kot primeren za zviševanje zanimanja za branje in izboljšanje odnosado branja. Do pomembnega zmanjšanja razlik med spoloma ni prišlov nobenem primeru. Na podlagi rezultatov v sklepnem delu predstavljamo predloge za nadaljnje raziskave in smernice za učiteljevo delo. Ključne besede: strip, razlike med spoloma, učenci razredne stopnje, bralna pismenost, bralna motivacija Introduction International studies assessing pupils’ knowledge show differences between genders in various fields of education, thus encouraging the exploration of gender differences in reading

FAQs

What was the aim of the study?

To examine whether systematic use of comics as a literary-didactic method can reduce gender differences in reading literacy and reading motivation at the primary level.

How were pupils’ reading literacy and reading motivation measured?

Using questionnaires and tests for pupils in experimental and control groups, administered before and after the intervention.

Did using comics reduce gender differences overall?

No. The study did not find a statistically significant effect on reading literacy and reading motivation, and no reduction of gender differences was observed.

Were any positive effects found in subgroup analyses?

Yes. When accounting for pupils’ age and gender, some subgroups showed a statistically significant increase in reading interest and more positive attitudes toward reading.

Oct 15, 2026

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