Page 20 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: The Arts, 2010

The Critical Analysis Process
Expression of Aesthetic Judgement
Initial Reaction
Ongoing Reflection
Consideration of Cultural Context
Analysis and Interpretation
THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9 AND 10 | The Arts
Students are encouraged to express their first reaction to a work. This first impression is the starting point for further investigation and discovery. First impressions may provide a useful benchmark for later evaluations of students’ ability to critique a work. Teachers can elicit students’ first impressions by asking questions such as those found below. If students cannot easily explain why they are making a judgement, these questions can help them move beyond overly simple value judgments. Students need to be reminded that there are no wrong answers if the responses are sincere.
Sample guiding questions might include:
• What is your first impression of this work?
• What does this work bring to mind?
• What does this movement suggest to you?
• What emotions does this work evoke?
• What puzzles you? What questions do you have?
• What connections can you make between this work and your own experience or other art forms?
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Initial Reaction