artistic reading: comprehension with a flair

National Art Education Association

Artistic Reading: Comprehension with a FlairAuthor(s): Michael TannerSource: Art Education, Vol. 37, No. 1 (Jan., 1984), pp. 17-23Published by: National Art Education AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3192789 .

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Artistic Reading:

Comprehension With A Flair

Michael Tanner

o secondary art classes teach substantive skills or are they merely enjoyable extra classes that are expen-

dable? The public is demanding that secondary schools graduate literate citizens. Administrators and inservice leaders during the past 10 years have pressured teachers to be part of the solu- tion in declining literacy (i.e. declining reading and writing abilities). Art teachers have typically responded to such "back to basics" movement with paranoia (money is diverted from our area), insecurity (I don't teach reading), or stonewalling (My class uses hands-on activities; we don't read in here) (Johnson, 1982, pp. 22-25). I feel there is a fourth alternative response: use reading methodology to achieve art objectives. Art teachers need not become reading teachers, but they can teach their students how to process print related to whatever they're doing in art class as an art major would. Wouldn't it be nice to have articulate, independent student/artists leave your class who ask questions about art and know how to find, read, and comprehend answers and who can read directions and follow them!

Teaching how to read printed matter important for independent learning, ear- ly in an art class, encourages art students to learn on their own later in the course and later in their development. This article will provide examples of how to use reading instruction for the teaching of art purposes. Several authors of content field reading texts have included ideas on how to use art to teach reading (Cheek, E.H. & Cheek, M; 1983; Lamberg & Lamb, 1980; Piercy, 1982; Shepherd, 1983; Vacca, 1981); the intent of this article is to reverse such an em- phasis. A partial list of reading skills that art teachers can use and reinforce is included in Figure one.

A large percentage of your students may not have these skills or may

demonstrate them in English class but not transfer them to your art class assignments and materials. Students may complain about having to read in art class; they don't want to be put in jeopardy for weak "process of learning" skills. Such behavior indicates that they don't see the value of print in making them better learners of art and aren't using the language of art to become better artists. Your lesson planning and class activities can change these conditions into positive attitudes toward learning art from printed sources.

Rowell's article, "Developing Reading Skills Through the Study of Great Art", suggests fifteen practical ideas to answer her own question: How can a painting of a bowl of sunflowers or a portrait of two clowns and a dog help students to learn to read? (Rowell, 1983, pp. 55-68). What do lessons in art look like that use reading to accomplish art objectives? Figure 2 presents a lesson that simultaneously teaches students to skim read, question, set appropriate purposes for reading, and pay attention to class activities in art.

By teaching a lesson that uses reading to present art content at the beginning of a unit, the art teacher is ac- complishing many objectives

Figure 1

Reading Skills in Art I. Process of reading Skills-how

should a student read art related printed materials?

A. Set appropriate purpose 1. skim and scan techniques 2. structured overviews

B. Have an appreciation for reading C. Have a positive attitude for reading

II. Comprehension of Art Related Information-teach for comprehension of art at all cognitive levels.

A. Teach vocabulary learning strategies B. Identify and teach styles of paragraph

writing found in art 1. comparison and contrast 2. explanation 3. cause. and effect 4. 5. 6. 7.

enumerating steps in a process following directions generalizations problenfs solving using diagrams to clarify a process

8. interpreting graphics C. Provide for application of ideas gained

from demonstrations and examples to reading in art projects

D. Teach language of evaluation of art 1. personal 2. others 3. critiques

III. Study Skills Useful in Art-teach students to be independent learners of art techniques and concepts by teaching "process of learning" skills.

A. asking questions B. how to listen C. D. E.

appropriate note-taking strategies following printed and verbal directions library skills in art related references (instead of English or Social Studies references)

F. observing as artists do

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Figure 2 Class: Ceramics Assignment: Read chapter two "Handbuilding Techniques" (It is 44 pages long and contains numerous illustrations). Grade level: Secondary Student Responsibilities 1. Skim read the chapter in 3 minutes following those steps:

- Read the title - Read each bold face heading - Read the 1st sentence of each paragraph - Look over each illustration as

encountered - Read each summary.

2. With a partner, fill in the structured overview of the main ideas in chapter two. (Figure 3) 3. Develop 5 questions you will have answered by reading this chapter at a slower rate. 4. Read to answer your questions in the assigned pages. (Elapsed time 30 to 45 minutes) 5. Share your answers.

Teacher Directions 1. Make a "big deal" of how they're learning "speed reading." Keep time. 2. Help students realize that by following the steps for skimming, they have read all the main ideas. Move among the partner teams and offer encouragement and clarification. 3. Teacher may teach/model any cognitive level question he/she wants to emphasize for this chapter. Have each student write 1 or 2 questions on the chalkboard. 30 or 60 student-generated questions can be categoriz- ed into main ideas he/she wants to teach in this project. 4. Teacher divides students into groups of 2 or 3 and assigns particular papers to each group. Students are taught how to answer questions appropriately. 5. Teacher begins each class of the unit on "handbuilding" with 5-10 minutes of sharing answers by the appropriate group for that day's objectives.

simultaneously, therefore making the 1/2 hour of reading worthwhile in relation- ship to the total art curriculum. The teacher has just taught: an attitude- that reading the text is helpful, an approach-skimming, a thinking skill-questioning from clues in print, a reading comprehension aid-the structured overview, and a language- paraphrasing and sharing ideas related to art with peers. All these reading and thinking skills facilitate learning about art, and students have read material about art that the teacher wanted to teach. The initial lesson or two using reading skills may take longer in September, due to the students' un- familiarity with how to read as an artist does, but subsequent lessons will save time and be at a greater depth of comprehension because more and more students have learned how to read art related material.

Several reading comprehension skills can also aid the teacher of art. One idea to teach new, technical vocabulary has been judged successful by several art

Figure 3 STRUCTURED OVERVIEW

For Chapter Two

HANDBUILDING TECHNIQUES

Prepare The Clay

This chapter tells you how to prepare your clay, then it lists five different ways you can construct a piece of functional (useful) or sculptural (decorative) art.

(Student fills in the printed words on this sheet.)

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Figure 4

Ceramics Class "Handbuilding Techniques"

Objective-to introduce the new words in the chapter and help students visualize the new techniques.

Analogy Key Words

Working with clay is sometimes like baking with dough. The first thing you must do to the dough is knead it, that is, to work it up and down and overlap it to get all of the lumps and bumps out of it. This is the same thing done to clay only it is called:

If you take the dough and squish it between your fingers and make it into funny cookie shapes, you would be doing what is called "pinching" the dough. If you did this with clay and made a pot, it would be called a:

If you were making long fat pretzels and stacking them one on top of each other, pret- ty soon you would have what looks like a bunch of snakes. If you did this with clay and formed the pretzel-like roll into a circle, you would have a:

Sheet cakes are all about the same size and thickness so they fit on top of each other nicely to form one big cake. If you took clay and rolled it out like big sheet cakes, and instead of putting them on top of one another, you put them next to each other to form a box, you would have a:

After you have made batter and you want to make muffins, you pour it into a muffin tin. When clay is ready to be poured we pour it into:

When you are making muffin batter, you add lots of liquid so it will pour easily; then you pour it into the mold, bake it, and pop out the muffin. This is done with clay also, but we call it:

Analogy: Making a print from a woodcut is like making an egg salad sandwich.

Pulling the Print

WEDGING

PINCH POT

COIL POT

SLAB POT

HOLDS

SLIP CASTING

Burnisher

o

Paper

Brayer

Ink

Eating the Sandwich

Hand

-Z?22

2nd bread

Knife

Egg salad If you are making fancy cookies and you don't want the bottom of the cookies to touch the baking sheet, you might put a little rim around the bottom. This is done on the bottom of most pots and is called a: FOOT

Sometimes when a baker is in a hurry and makes a few mistakes, accidents can happen, like having a souffle fall. In clay, if something like this happens in the kiln, it is called:

so, - 0 Zn

Bread Woodcut

SAGGING


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Figure 5

Critique (Observation) Skills Worksheet

Objective: guide students' critical observation

Look at painting done by Vincent Van Gogh on the slide and answer the following questions:

What is the main color in this painting? What color scheme has the artist used? (for example: primary colors? secondary colors? complementary colors? Ho-w has the artist created textures? -literal questions How has the artist created movement in his painting? Does your eye move around the entire painting or stop at one spot? If your eye stops, where does it stop? What type of mood does this paintin put evaluation question you in and why?

teachers. Present the newx words for a unit of study to students in a meaningful context (an analogy) instead of in a list (Clements, 1982) Creating analogies introduces definitions and relationships among the new words in an interesting, quick lesson. After a few models, individual students can be encouraged to read ahead and create analogies for their classmates. Two examples are shown on Figure 4. The words have been initially presented in sequence and with a defini- tion. Incorporate a few slides, or a demonstration, as you talk, and the words should be easily recalled by the students. Now, as the students acquire more depth of meaning to each word by actually building and creating their project, they have a cognitive hanger (or initial analogy) for the new information.

A skill that improves comprehension and that can be used for art objectives is questioning. In his book Involving Students in Questioning, Hunkins (1976) presents many ideas for teaching questioning. An art teacher can teach students how to observe and/or critique from an artist's viewpoint by presenting several models of observational questioning strategies and creating interesting application assignments. A teacher could begin class with a brief in- troduction of how questioning shapes observing and thinking ability and categories used to classify questions (paraphrase Bloom's Taxonomy or just present definitions at the four levels of reading comprehension: literal, in- ference, evaluative, creative). He/she could hand out examples of two or three questions at each level for use as a model by students while developing their own questions. Then, show an artist's works (perhaps on a slide) and have students develop questions and share them such as those shown in Figure 5.

Discuss answers to the questions as well as the questioning strategy itself. Send or take students to a local art show to practice questioning and answering, and have them develop observational questions for a showing of their own art. Use projects around the studio from a previous assignment. A model for this activity is shown in Figrue 6.

Throughout each subsequent lesson, the teacher should model how artists and critics observe and report their observations. This could lead to a lesson teaching students how to ask questions that evaluate their ownv productions. Students can then leave art class with


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Figure 6

Questions to ask yourself when viewing a painting

I. Has the artist done a painting of an object or scene? (Objective or Non-objective)

If the painting is "Objective" is it an accurate depiction of that object or is the object "Abstracted"? (Abstract or Non-abstract)

If the scene has changed, or "Abstracted," how has it been changed?

II. Do all of the separate parts of the painting look as though they belong together? (Unity)

Does the painting look "lopsided" or as if one part is "heavier" than the rest? (Balance)

example

"Un-balanced" "Balanced"

When looking at the painting, does your eye travel smoothly from part to part, or does your eye jerk or jump from part to part? (Rhythm)

example

Good "Rhythm" Bad "Rhythm"

Here are the important ideas to keep in mind when you look at these paintings (there are other ideas that are important, and we will study those later).

I. Objective, Non-objective Abstract, Non-abstract

II. Unity, Balance, Rhythm (three of the Principles of Design)

Objective Non-objective Abstract Non-abst tract


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Figure 8

Figure 7

"Questions to ask yourself, as you look at your own creation"

I. While working:

1. Do I understand all directions on the teacher's materials?

2. Do I have a clear concept of what I want my work to look like?

3. Is my work becoming a transfer of my visual concept on paper?

4. What problems am I having? What can I ask my teacher that will help me? Is there further research I should be doing?

5. Are there any changes I should or could make?

Describe briefly how your work progressed. List any further research you had to do.

II. Self-evaluation-to be done when you are finished. Is this piece done? What have I learned? What possibilities for further work does this piece suggest? How is my work individual?

observational strategies they can apply for the rest of their lives, as shown in Figure 7.

Art teachers often demonstrate techniques before class and allow students to begin a project, hoping that they will follow the same steps, warn- ings, and techniques just demonstrated. Have you ever noticed how little is re- tained by students from 20 minute demonstrations? One way to improve retention and reduce the number of pro- cedural questions afterwards is to teach note-taking suited to your demonstrations. Think through the demonstration and create a unique note-taking guide for students based on what is going to be said, what will be needed by students over the next unit, and what you want to teach about following directions in this art class. A guide for a secondary jewelry class demonstration is shown in Figure 8. In Figure 8, the art teacher included steps for reading directions at the top of the guide to emphasize semester- long objectives for teaching how to in- dependently follow directions. The five boxes represent the main ideas of a 25 minute demonstration on sweat solder-

Reading Skills

Remind yourself to follow directions. -

Following Directions

1. Be aware of the purpose of the directions. 2. Try to visualize each step of the direc-

tions. - 3. Notice GUIDE WORDS that provide

clues to the order in which the directions should be followed.

4. Notice WARNING WORDS that help you avoid disastrous mistakes.

5. Make sure you understand the order in which the directions should be followed.

SWEAT SOLDERING

Transfer Design-flatten piece of metal. paper to metal. allow cement to dry. rub cement off.

Remind yourself how to do this stepa hole. from previous demonstr n. *Drilling-piercing a hole. from previous demonstration.

Warning word.

Students numbered steps to become aware of sequence. Estimate time~ needed for all steps and each step.

Visualize before beginning

Warning words

Visualize which piece.-

Sawing- teeth towards handle, away from frame. be sure blade is in jaws. design away from you (when blade is through design). V-block bence pin. saw frame perpendicular while

- sawing-never face the blade backwards.

A Sequence -

Warning

1. file design-stamp it sterling

2. clean surfaces to be sol- dered with abrasive paper. back of design and top of base (opposite sterling stamp)

3. clean both sides of solder with abrasive paper

4. put flux on both surfaces 5. pick up solder with flux

brush, put on back of top piece

6. put top piece on base plate with solder in between and position the way you want.

17. heat slowly, avoid rapid heat.

* 8. concentrate heat on largest of two pieces

* 9. watch for top part to drop down, little silver line around joint.

10. use copper tongs to dip hot silver (remove pins and iron binding wire) into pic- kle, then into water.

Review " - Must note: Step 2-Be sure top part is truly the top.

Draw conclusions. Saw frame has to be perpendicular or you will break the plate and owe me money.


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Figure 9

Developing the Language of Art

Possible assignments for art classes that use print to teach the language of art:

Print Stimulus: -Read short story or article (magazine,

novel, English anthology, paper back, newspaper).

-Use last year's school annual to stimulate feelings about school.

-Select a reading assignment from another I class.

-Read a critique (from newspaper, art history text, or that teacher has written).

-Select a writing from students' assignments or from an art related source that contains many metaphors and/or analogies.5

Art Response: Using colors and the color wheel, create a reaction (feelings) or mood for the events.

Teacher introduces a media and project that would allow students to reflect their feelings (collages, abstract painting, clay sculpture).

Illustrate the important ideas, or characters. Teacher teaches art objectives related to

- illustrations.

See the same show or see slides of the art work critiqued.

Illustrate each metaphor or analogy in whatever media or using whatever technique the art teacher has as an objective.

Share designs and explanations with a classmate. Share with the class.

Display all reactions as art show. Students "attend the show" and write a newspaper type review. Share these with each other. Teacher can teach vocabulary used for reviews and critiques in art, how to observe an art show, descriptive writing pattern.

Discuss selection of main ideas; text or novel illustrations; appropriate illustrations for au- dience, mood/theme, media; guide words for illustration such as adjectives and verbs.

Discuss evaluations of the written critique and strengths and weaknesses of it. Teacher teaches how to observe art, react to it, comprehend it, evaluate it, explain it.

Point out how metaphors and analogies provide meaning and add interest to reading.

ing. Note the column added by this writer on the left side headed "reading skills emphasized". During the demonstration, the teacher stopped and emphasized the reading skills indicated in this column by asking questions such as, "Of the words I just said, which are more important for doing this process correctly?" (warning words). "Write them down in (whatever space was appropriate on the guide)." The teacher was causing students to listen more attentively this way and assuring a unifor- mity to note taking. After the demonstration, the teacher posted a master copy of the notetaking guide by the office door and suggested students put their guides on their work benches as they worked. The teacher then refus- ed to answer student questions such as "What do I do next?" or "Where does the flux go?" After three demonstrations and note-taking lessons, students did listen attentively, and the number of questions were reduced.

In addition to teaching reading skills as means to art objectives, an art teacher could use print as stimulus for an art lesson. In an attitude survey taken in a junior high school, an art student found most students, even though they show potential talent and enjoyment of the art process, "do not value the field of art as an important option to their lives. These students demonstrated an almost generic inability to relate perceptual/conceptual skills necessary for a meaningful art expression into verbal language" (Brock, 1983). A few possible assignments for these students who fail to see art interacting with the rest of their school lives are described in Figure 9.

Richardson, in her article on art and language, says "language cannot develop fully without art. Art extends and completes language" (1982, p. 12). By sharing the print stimulus and artistic response process, students become more articulate about how they process print, plus they see peer models of how others think and react to print. The art teacher is encouraging personal reading comprehension, creativity, and whatever art objectives he/she wants simultaneously! He/she is teaching the learning skills that set students free to learn art on their own for the rest of their lives. Students having art classes that develop both reading and art skills realize that outstanding artists rely on more than in- tuition and gut-level emotions and that great artists have learned perceptual

and cognitive skills, styles of seeing and questioning, approaches for studying techniques in new media, and unique vocabularies. The artist uses this learning to become a creative comprehender of both print and non-print en- vironments. The objective of reading lessons in the art classroom is to cause art and print to mutually interact within the reader to increase comprehension of both. a

Michael Tanner is an Assistant Pro- fessor of Education at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona. He teaches required content field reading courses to all secondary education majors.

References

1. Nancy R. Johnson, "Social Goals and Education in the Visual Arts", Art Educa- tion, January 1982, Vol. 35, pp. 22-25.

2. Earl H. Clark, and Martha Cheek, Reading Instruction Through Content Teaching, Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Mer- rill Co., 1983, pp. 290-291.

Walter J. Lamberg, and Charles Lamb, Reading Instruction in the Content Areas, Chicago, Ill.: Rand McNally Publishing Co., 1980, pp. 281-283.

Dorothy Piercey, Reading Activities in Content Areas, Second Edition, Boston, Mass.: Allyn and Bacon Co., 1982, pp. 247-256.

David L. Shepherd, Comprehensive High School Reading Methods, Third Edition, Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Co., 1983, pp. 360-363.

Richard T. Vacca, Content Area Reading, Boston, Mass.: Little Brown and Co., 1981, pp. 39-41, 67, 244.

3. Elizabeth H. Rowell, "Developing Reading Skills Through the Study of Great Art", Teaching Reading Through the Arts, (ed.) John Cowen, Newark, Del.: Interna- tional Reading Association, 1983, pp. 55-68.

Robert D. Clements, "Metaphor in Art Education", Art Education, September, 1982, Vol. 35, pp. 28-30.

5. Francis Hunkins, Involving Students in Questioning, Boston, Mass.: Allyn and Bacon, Chapter four and five.

6. Susan Brock, "Informal Reading At- titude Survey", An assignment for Diagnosis and Correction of Reading Problems class at Northern Arizona University, Spring, 1983.

7. Ann S. Richardson, "Art Means Language", Art Education, September, 1982, Vol. 35, pp. 10-12.


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artistic reading: comprehension with a flair

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