Drama Subject Knowledge Audit School Direct Programme 2015-16 Name:
The University of Nottingham Partnership School Direct Drama Subject Knowledge Self-Assessment Audit The purpose of this audit is to help you to make informed judgements about the subject knowledge areas you need to develop during the course. This audit is given to everyone who will be taking up a place to train as a drama teacher on the University of Nottingham School Direct programme. You should begin work on this audit as soon as you can - the earlier you do, the more time you will have to develop your subject knowledge for teaching drama before the start of this programme. Entrants to the School Direct programme have varied academic backgrounds and experience. Everyone has met at least minimum subject knowledge requirements - what we generally find is that people have areas of considerable expertise and other areas that will need to be developed further before the end of the year. At your school and university interviews, we will have begun to explore the extent of your subject knowledge for teaching your subject(s). This audit is the next stage in the process, which allows you to use the last few weeks before the programme starts to reflect on and develop your subject knowledge through accessible research, target setting and reading tasks. You will discuss plans for further development with your tutor and mentor when you start the programme. You might describe this as an audit of your knowledge about what to teach in drama - or at least some of it. This will then form a good starting point for considering the next level, which concerns developing your understanding of how to apply your subject knowledge in teaching drama. Throughout the School Direct programme, you will have opportunities to discuss these audits with your fellow trainees, your tutor and mentor, and to review them regularly as part of your Professional Development File. How to use this audit We would like you to read the audit before completing any of it, in order to get a sense of what is covered here. We would be surprised if anyone had completely covered all these areas of subject knowledge at this stage, so please do not worry about any gaps you may have. The important thing is to think about strategies for addressing these gaps. For any areas to develop, write ideas for how to do so in the Strategies column. Once on the course you will be able to discuss these strategies with fellow trainees, your tutor and mentor in school. Strategies may involve: o purchasing 'revision guides' and working through them systematically o videoing and watching TV programmes o using computer-based self-study material o using library resources to read around the subject o trying past examination papers o working with your mentor, teachers and other trainees Set yourself a plan for following up these suggestions between now and the start of the School Direct programme. You may need to set priorities and regular targets. Enjoy finding out more about drama as a school subject! A few days before the start of the School Direct programme, fill in the final 'evidence' column showing how you have started to develop your subject knowledge. 2
Since Drama is not part of the National Curriculum, this audit is based on the current AQA specification for Drama teaching in schools. Key Stage 3 requirements will be extrapolated by schools from the Key Stage 4 and 5 specifications, and from specialists general understanding of the discipline. The absence of a formal programme of Study for Drama, while it has been seen as a slight by professionals, can also be seen as an opportunity for creative curriculum design and development. Download the Drama GCSE and A level specifications from the main examination boards by searching at the following links: AQA: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects OCR: http://www.ocr.org.uk/ Edexcel: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/subjects.html Where there are areas in need of development you can begin to address these by consulting an up-to-date textbook, such as The GCSE Drama Coursebook (Third Edition) by Andy Kempe, and Progression in Secondary Drama by Andy Kempe and Marigold Ashwell. You may be aware of changes to the NC from 2014. The NC Programmes of Study (PoS) starting in 2014 are available for reference at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum#programmes-of-study-by-subject. You may notice that the new curriculum for drama may differ from that which you may have already experienced as a learner yourself. This audit covers general areas of the drama curriculum that are practical for you to develop, if necessary, before joining the School Direct programme, and also in the early part of the programme so that you are prepared for teaching across all aspects of the subject, both during the coming year and beyond. This document uses the current AQA GCSE for audit purposes. This audit is a detailed framework to enable you to engage with specific concepts which reflect the way the current syllabuses are enacted within different exam board specifications. 3
The University of Nottingham School of Education School Direct Drama Subject Knowledge Self-Assessment Audit very confident; confident;? not sure; Underline - need to work on KEY STAGE 4 REQUIREMENTS? Strategies Evidence Key teaching skills Prepare pupils to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of: different genres and performance styles. These may include the exploration of a range of genre identifiable by common elements. These are characterised by the nature of the subject matter or its form of performance. This may be linked to an historical period or a particular company or group of practitioners. A range of styles can be explored. These may include: abstract, devising, didactic, dramatic irony, hot seating, interviews, mantle of the expert, melodrama, mime, narration, re-enactment, representational, ritual, role on the wall, role reversal, simulations, sound tracking, still image, styles linked to specific playwrights, and thought tracking. the ways in which performers and designers communicate meaning to an audience through the exploration of drama a range of stage and performance 4
conventions appropriate drama terminology and how to use it how plays are constructed and realised through the study of at least one substantial play how to create, interpret and communicate a role or character drama within its social, cultural and historical context, identifying and establishing how this might impact on any performance. Prepare pupils to develop the ability to: use improvisation skills in a range of drama contexts improvisation is used in a variety of ways. Candidates will use improvisation to devise, as a performance mode and as a means to improve scripted performance. They may use a range of spontaneous, prepared and polished improvisation skills. These will be used effectively during the preparation and rehearsal period. o for all design and technical options, candidates must show in their personal notes a practical exploration of skills through improvisation. The option/options chosen for design and technical response are collaborative controlled assessment tasks and the exploration of the task will be improvised in its nature. Improvisation skills will be used effectively during the preparation and rehearsal period. Candidates 5
will be given the opportunity to develop the exploration of their design or technical option through improvisation skills. These skills will enhance the communication of their design brief when recreated in performance outcomes. apply performance and/or production skills o o for all performance options, candidates will use performance skills appropriate to the creation and realisation of the drama. for all design and technical options, candidates will use their design/technical skills appropriate to the creation and realisation of the drama. select, synthesize and use ideas and skills to create drama candidates should develop their ideas through practical exploration as they prepare their work for final presentation. They should explore these skills creatively and show how their skills interact in the production of the final performance. o for all design and technical options, candidates should include original design/technical ideas accompanied by sketches and details of construction. They should explore these ideas creatively and show how their skills interact in the production of the final performance. acquire reflective and evaluative skills in response to a range of dramatic texts 6
candidates should o research, explore and analyse the ways in o which different performance elements are o brought together to create drama. o for all design and technical options, candidates o should research, explore and analyse how o production elements are brought together to o create drama. work collaboratively and creatively to achieve shared dramatic intentions candidates should demonstrate their understanding of the performer as part of a production team. They should be aware of health and safety factors relevant to the presentation of the final performance. o for all design and technical options, candidates should demonstrate their understanding of the designer/technician as part of the production team. They should be aware of health and safety factors relevant to the presentation of the final performance. 7