Art and design
Art critique and gallery feedback
Teach pupils to respond to artwork with a specific praise, a genuine question and one kind next step. The A4 pack explains a short gallery walk, models weak and stronger feedback, and provides six cut-out cards for use around the room.
Use a visible detail to make feedback specific. This is the practice artwork from the gallery task.
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Teach pupils to respond to artwork with a specific praise, a genuine question and one kind next step. The A4 pack explains a short gallery walk, models weak and stronger feedback, and provides six cut-out cards for use around the room.
Activity. Use the preview for diagrams and layout.
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NAME CLASS DATE LEARNING GOAL Give kind, specific feedback that helps an artist improve. SUCCESS CRITERIA I can praise one detail and say what it does. I can ask a real question about a choice. I can suggest one clear next step, kindly. P PRAISE Say what works, and why. I like how you ... The ... makes ... Your ... stands out because ... Q QUESTION Ask about a choice. Why did you choose ...? How did you make ...? What did you want us to feel? S SUGGEST Give one next step to try. You could try ... Next time, maybe ... What if you added ...? Practice Artwork No. 4: dark blue sky, yellow moon, green hills WEAK STRONG P PRAISE “I like it.” “The dark blue sky makes the yellow moon stand out.” Q QUESTION “What is it?” “Why did you make the houses so small next to the moon?” S SUGGEST “Make it better.” “You could add a few stars to fill the empty sky on the left.” Art critique and gallery feedback A R T A N D D E S I G N AG E S 9 TO 1 4 P E E R F E E D B AC K Gallery feedback Praise, question and suggest, like a real art critic. 1 How a gallery walk works Gallery guide No. 1 Display. Put out your artwork and its number. No. 2 Look. Stand at one artwork. Look quietly for one minute. No. 3 Write. Fill in one card: praise, question, suggest. No. 4 Act. Read your cards. Choose one idea to try. VISITOR GUIDE KIND FEEDBACK RULES Talk about the work. Point to one detail. Give one next step. Be kind and honest. 2 Praise, Question, Suggest Sentence starters 3 Weak or strong? All about Artwork No. 4 2 Cards 3 Teacher 1 Learn Page 1 of 2
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Art critique and gallery feedback A R T A N D D E S I G N G A L L E R Y WA L K C U T O N T H E DA S H E D L I N E S Feedback cards ARTWORK NO. FROM P PRAISE I like how ... Q QUESTION Why did ...? S SUGGEST You could ... ARTWORK NO. FROM P PRAISE I like how ... Q QUESTION Why did ...? S SUGGEST You could ... ARTWORK NO. FROM P PRAISE I like how ... Q QUESTION Why did ...? S SUGGEST You could ... ARTWORK NO. FROM P PRAISE I like how ... Q QUESTION Why did ...? S SUGGEST You could ... ARTWORK NO. FROM P PRAISE I like how ... Q QUESTION Why did ...? S SUGGEST You could ... ARTWORK NO. FROM P PRAISE I like how ... Q QUESTION Why did ...? S SUGGEST You could ... 1 Learn 3 Teacher 2 Cards Page 2 of 2
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Art critique and gallery feedback Teacher companion Art and Design | Pupils aged 9 to 14 Use with the exact 2-page original file. Keep pupil or staff activity pages separate from this teacher companion. When to use it Use the pack when pupils can discuss another person’s artwork respectfully and need a clear structure for doing so. Introduce the praise, question and suggest pattern before a gallery walk, and set a routine for how artists will review feedback afterwards. Purpose Give feedback on artwork that names a visible strength, asks about an artistic choice and suggests one kind, actionable next step. Start here Read the visitor guide and model one specific, kind comment about a visible detail before starting the gallery walk. A teaching sequence 1. Number the artwork and let visitors look quietly for one minute before commenting. 2. Complete one card with praise that points to a detail and explains what it does. 3. Ask a genuine question about an artistic choice, then suggest one next step using the sentence starters. 4. Give the card to the artist. Invite them to read the feedback and choose an idea to try, as the gallery guide suggests. Ask, “Which detail led to that suggestion?” Have the artist choose one idea to try. Checking guidance Look for feedback that identifies a visible feature, asks about a choice and suggests a manageable action kindly. Ask: “Which detail in the artwork led you to that suggestion?” If comments are vague, model replacing “I like it” with a specific observation. Feedback should address the work, not make assumptions about the artist. Model feedback that names a choice and a next action: “The diagonal leads my eye towards the subject. Could you try a second arrangement and compare the effect?” Keep the comment on the work. Support Rehearse one praise, question and suggestion together using the sample artwork. Offer the sentence starters and let pupils write one card rather than several; pair a pupil with a trusted partner if speaking to a group is difficult. Take it further Ask the artist to group comments by repeated observation and decide which suggestion best fits their intention. They can revise a small section, then explain how the change responds to feedback while preserving their own judgement. Things to keep in mind The pack prompts respectful peer comment but does not guarantee comments will be constructive. Establish shared norms and respond to concerns. Art critique and gallery feedback Teacher companion | Page 1
A teaching sequence
Give feedback on artwork that names a visible strength, asks about an artistic choice and suggests one kind, actionable next step.
Use a visible detail to make feedback specific. This is the practice artwork from the gallery task.
Read the complete materialLook before commenting
Number the artwork and let visitors look quietly for one minute before commenting.
Which detail caught your attention during the quiet minute?
Use a visible detail to make feedback specific. This is the practice artwork from the gallery task.
Read the complete materialPraise with a reason
Complete one card with praise that points to a detail and explains what it does.
How does the dark sky make the yellow moon stand out in the example?
Ask and suggest specifically
Ask a genuine question about an artistic choice, then suggest one next step using the sentence starters.
Which visible choice led to your question or suggestion?
Let the artist choose
Give the feedback card to the artist and invite them to choose one idea to try. Let the artist decide which suggestion is useful.
Which idea does the artist want to try, and why?
Before you teach
Look for the thinking behind an answer, choose the support your class needs and leave room for an independent response.
What to look for
Look for feedback that identifies a visible feature, asks about a choice and suggests a manageable action kindly. Ask: “Which detail in the artwork led you to that suggestion?” If comments are vague, model replacing “I like it” with a specific observation. Feedback should address the work, not make assumptions about the artist. Model feedback that names a choice and a next action: “The diagonal leads my eye towards the subject. Could you try a second arrangement and compare the effect?” Keep the comment on the work.
Give a little support
Rehearse one praise, question and suggestion together using the sample artwork. Offer the sentence starters and let pupils write one card rather than several; pair a pupil with a trusted partner if speaking to a group is difficult.
Take the idea further
Ask the artist to group comments by repeated observation and decide which suggestion best fits their intention. They can revise a small section, then explain how the change responds to feedback while preserving their own judgement.
Things to keep in mind
The pack prompts respectful peer comment but does not guarantee comments will be constructive. Establish shared norms and respond to concerns.
Keep the idea. Make it yours.
Bring your topic, learning goal and class context to PLAI™, then review what you create.
Ideas to try with your class
Sample teaching perspectives on what to try, what to adapt and what to watch for.
Meet The Creators
Meet the creators whose teaching interests connect with this template. Find an approach to try with your class.
Ines Ferreira
I ask pupils to reflect on their creative process: which materials they chose, what they noticed and what they might do differently after reviewing their sketchbooks.
Meet the creator
Isabel Cruz
I work from the sketchbook outward, asking pupils to keep experiments and revisions, reflect on creative choices and discuss where their images and ideas came from.
Meet the creator
Lydia Chen
I connect Art and Design analysis with making, using scaffolds that help students notice, describe and interpret their own choices and explain what they may change.
Meet the creator
Calm Table
The Praise, Question, Suggest sequence is illustrated with a dark-blue sky, yellow moon and green hills, contrasting vague feedback with a detail-based comment. The cut-out cards repeat the same three prompts for use during a gallery walk.
Bright Idea Break
The one-minute silent look precedes a written card, and pupils then choose an idea to try. This gives the feedback a clear use after viewing rather than making the task a free-form vote on whose artwork is best.
Storytime Sidekick
The examples show how naming the yellow moon’s contrast or asking about small houses can make a comment more actionable. Pupils can use a sentence starter while still referring to a visible detail from the artwork in front of them.
Kind Check-In
A suggested change is an invitation, not a requirement to alter the piece. Before displaying work, agree how numbered cards will be shared and keep the feedback focused on artistic choices rather than judgements of the artist.