English 12 - Comprehend and Respond (Critical Analysis)

This sub-organizer contains the following sections:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
Recommended Learning Resources

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

It is expected that students will draw reasoned conclusions from information found in written, spoken, or visual communications and defend their conclusions rationally.

It is expected that students will:

develop criteria for evaluating the accuracy and objectivity of the information found in a variety of print and electronic sources, including mass media
analyse, compare, and critique different presentations of the same ideas, information, or issues
explain and evaluate the effectiveness of persuasive strategies and techniques
assess the accuracy and balance of news and information presented in print and other media
describe potential sources of bias

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Comprehend and Respond (Critical Analysis) in other grades click on an icon below.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Students learn to think, analyse, and interpret what they read and view by examining and interpreting communications, justifying their interpretations with logic and evidence, and by evaluating differing interpretations.

Invite students to identify and explore issues of racism as expressed in a variety of literary works.
Describe the role of an editorial board that makes selections for inclusion in an anthology. Develop with students a set of criteria to select print and electronic media from the school and community libraries for an anthology on a theme of current interest.
Have students examine print and oral forms of the same speech, such as Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream." Ask them to compare the impacts of the two forms.
Discuss with the class differences in presentation, effectiveness, and impact after students have delivered the same speech to the class.
Ask students to compare, contrast, and critique two or more performances of The Tempest.
Encourage students to keep media journals to record instances of bias from various media. Have them work in small groups to share their examples and report on three of them to the class.
Work with the class to generate criteria for a demonstration of bias in the media. Have each student choose an activity such as drawing and explaining a cartoon, writing a letter to the editor, writing an opinion column, or creating an advertisement in any form to demonstrate a particular slant or bias.
Invite students to compare and contrast the audio and rock-video versions of several songs.

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

Students can demonstrate their competence through open-ended assignments and activities in which they analyse community, national, and international media.

To check on students' abilities to assess and compare various sources, assign an independent media project in which each student:
- chooses a topical and controversial issue
- outlines criteria that would characterize accurate and objective coverage of the issue
- identifies three or four specific media sources and predicts the position each will offer
- locates and summarizes the presentation in each source
- analyses the extent to which coverage in each source meets the criteria for accuracy and objectivity
- draws conclusions and makes generalizations about relative worth of each source
As students plan their work, discuss the criteria that characterize effective analyses and reports. For example:
- clearly focussed on criteria the student specified
- detailed and thorough
- objective and balanced
- clearly presented
- logical, with conclusions supported by specific evidence from the sources
Have students apply their knowledge about persuasive strategies and techniques in the creation of their own communications. Have students record the strategies used in each presentation, then summarize what they noticed in charts, sets of notes, or written reports. Look for evidence that students are able to:
- identify persuasive strategies and techniques
- analyse their impact
- draw conclusions about the purpose, accuracy, and objectivity of a presentation