The study “Comics as a Gateway to Reading” examines the impact of comics on children’s reading enthusiasm

The study, Comics as a Gateway to Reading, examines how the regular availability of printed reading material in the home environment affects the reading enthusiasm of third-graders. During the study, students will receive a weekly copy of the Donald Duck or Kalle Anka magazine at home over a three-month period.

The study will involve Finnish- and Swedish-speaking third-graders in the City of Helsinki, who have been randomly assigned to experimental and control classes. Students in the experimental classes will receive a comic book at home weekly in February–April, and the magazines in the control classes will be distributed in June–August. The magazines are provided by Sanoma Media Finland and Egmont Story House AB.

All students will participate in a reading assessment in January and May. The assessment includes tasks related to reading and language skills, as well as a short survey about reading. The assessment will be carried out in the ViLLE electronic learning environment. In addition, guardians will answer a survey about reading at home.

The research is being carried out in collaboration with the City of Helsinki Education Department and the EDUCA – Future of Education flagship led by the University of Jyväskylä.

Read more on the Comics as a Gateway to Reading research website.