Page 19 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: The Arts, 2010

Using the critical analysis process will enable students to:
• respond knowledgeably and sensitively to their own and others’ works in dance, drama, media arts, music, and visual arts;
• make connections between their own experiences and works in the arts, between different art forms, and between art works and the lives of people and communities around the world;
• perceive and interpret how the elements of each art form contribute to meaning in works in dance, drama, media arts, music, and visual arts;
• develop, share, and justify an informed personal point of view about works in the arts;
• demonstrate awareness of and appreciation for the importance of dance, drama, media arts, music, and visual arts in society;
• demonstrate appreciation appropriately as audience members in formal and informal settings (e.g., peer performances in the classroom; excursions to arts institutions, galleries, concert halls, theatres).
Students need to be guided through the stages of the critical analysis process. As they learn the stages in the process, they will become increasingly independent in their ability to develop and express an informed response to a work of dance, drama, media art, music, or visual art. They will also become more sophisticated in their ability to critically analyse the works they are studying or responding to. Students learn to approach works in the arts thoughtfully by withholding judgement until they have enough information to respond in an informed manner.
Teachers can set the stage for critical response and analysis by creating a reassuring learning environment in which students feel free to experiment with new or alternative approaches and ideas. This is a good opportunity to remind students that different people may respond to the same work in different ways. Each person brings a particular cultural perspective and a unique personal history to experiences in the arts. Responding to the arts is, in part, a discovery process. While students may lack specific background infor- mation about the artists, the history of the arts, or contemporary artistic practices, their own life experience, intuition, ideas, and critical and creative thinking abilities are important and relevant aspects of their interaction with works of all types in the arts.
The critical analysis process includes the following aspects: • initial reaction
• analysis and interpretation
• consideration of cultural context
• expression of aesthetic judgement • ongoing reflection
The process is intended to be used in a flexible manner, taking into account students’ prior experiences and the context in which the various art forms and works are experienced. It is important to remember that students will be engaged in reflection and interpretation throughout the process.
THE PROGRAM IN THE ARTS
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