CURRICULUM & ASSESSMENTS POLICY STATEMENT SENIOR PHASE CREATIVE ARTS

SETTING DANCE EXAM PAPERS Lead Teacher training 21 February 2014

Thank you for your expertise as a lead teacher CAPS Creative Arts is more than just implementing a new curriculum. It is about opening a whole new world to young people It is about the possibilities that the arts offer The doors it can open How it can change lives The career possibilities

YOUR CHALLENGES Your role as a lead teacher will be far more than just curriculum delivery It will be about inspiring the teachers you train to take this little understood world of dance into the school classrooms and encourage young people to explore it’s magic The question is, how will you impart this knowledge to the teachers you will be training, and inspire them to persevere with the teaching of dance within the school system? How will they fully understand the importance of the arts and how it can affect young lives in a positive way? Will these teachers just be teaching the subject because they have to, or will you inspire them to expose the possibilities dance can create for talented, enthusiastic learners? HERE IS SOME INSPIRATION

FOCUS AND DETERMINATION

JOY AN ESCAPE FROM SOCIAL SITUATIONS

TRUSTING OTHERS

COMPASSION

TEAM WORK

ACCEPTANCE CROSSING CULTURAL BARRIERS

SKILLS LEARNT THROUGH PRACTICE AND DICIPLINE

THE MEANING OF WORKING HARD

THE SHARING IT CAN BRING INTO OUR LIVES

TEACHING MEN HOW TO RESPECT A WOMAN’S BODY

THE ABSOLUTE JOY OF DANCING

DANCE IS POETRY

AND ART IN MOTION

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT Assessment of learning Key purpose is to determine and report on level of skills, content and concepts at a given time

STEP 1: START WITH CONTENT, CONCEPTS & SKILLS IN THE TOPICS TECHNIQUE IMPROVISATION GROUP DANCE COMPOSITION INDIGENOUS DANCE PRACTICAL TERMINOLOGY ELEMENTS OF DANCE SAFE DANCE PRACTICE DANCE FORMS DANCE LITERACY SELF REFLECTION WRITTEN

STEP 2: CREATE A FRAMEWORK FOR THE PAPER number of sections to be addressed number of questions per section cognitive levels to be addressed within each question the number of marks allocated per section

EXAMPLE : divide the paper into two or more sections multiple choice questions matching A with B short questions fill in the missing word, etc. BASIC KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS = 30% Section A contextual and/or short essay LEARNERS DEMONSTRATE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF PRINCIPLES = 40% Section B problem solving questions and /or practical application questions LEARNERS SOLVE & DEMONSTRATE THEIR COMMAND OF PRACTICAL TECHNIQUES & THEIR ABILITY TO REASON = 30% Section C

ANOTHER EXAMPLE DANCE PERFORMANCE Topic 1 IMPROVISATION & COMPOSITION Topic 2 DANCE THEORY & LITERACY Topic 3

STEP 3: BRAINSTORM DIFFERENT KINDS OF QUESTIONS WHY? To cater for: different learning styles multiple intelligences different cognitive levels different levels of difficulty To allow learners to demonstrate different competencies and skills. A lack of variation may advantage some learners and disadvantage others.

EXAMPLE: Include a variety of question types Factual recall questions Contextual questions – visual, auditory and written texts Listening activity questions (music) Practical application questions Critical evaluation questions Visual questions Closed questions Open-ended questions Problem solving questions Creative, explorative questions Provocative questions Real-life scenarios

LONGER,CASE STUDY OR SCENARION BASED QUESTIONS Authentic questions Context or situation is described in detail Application of knowledge to a particular situation, dance text or set of circumstances LONGER, ESSAY TYPE QUESTIONS Tests higher order skills, writing and structuring skills, further reading and a deeper level of understanding is required Response to open ended questions at length Organise and integrate a range of ideas and information Build on an argument to make a case SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS Tests core knowledge May be very short, ‘fill in the blank’ or longer A few sentences, short paragraphs ’ Can take many forms Constructed response or open-ended questions

STEP 4: CONSIDER COGNITIVE LEVELS COGNITIVE LEVELS ACTIVITY% OF TASK LOWRepetitive skills in each art form.30% MEDIUMApplication of skills. Analysis of artworks. Written assignments requiring comprehension 40% HIGHCreative work. Synthesis of skills and knowledge into arts works; evaluation of arts works. 30% Cater for all learner abilities in the paper Be aware that taxonomies do not reflect levels of difficulties of the questions – they merely reflect thinking processes For example, although ‘knowledge’ is at the base of the traditional Bloom’s taxonomy, many learners find recall of knowledge more difficult than evaluation, which is on a higher level

Analysing BLOOM’S REVISED TAXONOMY Creating Generating new ideas, products, or ways of viewing things Designing, constructing, planning, producing, inventing. Evaluating Justifying a decision or course of action Checking, hypothesising, critiquing, experimenting, judging Analysing Breaking information into parts to explore understandings and relationships Comparing, organising, deconstructing, interrogating, finding Applying Using information in another familiar situation Implementing, carrying out, using, executing Understanding Explaining ideas or concepts Interpreting, summarising, paraphrasing, classifying, explaining Remembering Recalling information Recognising, listing, describing, retrieving, naming, finding

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY COLLAPSED INTO THREE COGNITIVE LEVELS Cognitive level DescriptionCategoryDescription 3 Creativity, Analysis, evaluation and problem solving C Challenging: Application of knowledge to formulate an “original” response in an “unknown” situation 2 Comprehension and application B Reproducing answers to “similar” but not the “same” questions asked before 1 Conceptual knowledge A Reproducing the same learnt knowledge. Rote learning

Step 5: Scaffold questions COGNITIVE LEVELS ACTIVITY% OF TASK LOW LEVEL QUESTIONS Repetitive skills in each art form. 30% of marks MEDIUM LEVEL QUESTIONS Application of skills Analysis of artworks in each art form Written assignments requiring comprehension. 40% of marks HIGH LEVEL QUESTIONS Creative work Synthesis of skills and knowledge into arts works Evaluation of arts works. In each art form 30% of marks Learners across the spectrum of ability must be catered for in the paper

STEP 6: TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS A messy paper disadvantages the learners Do not cut and paste – retype if necessary Illustrations, graphs, photographs, drawings, etc. must be clear enough to ensure good reproduction Set questions in user-friendly language Clearly indicate optional questions Questions should be free from bias (gender, racial, political, social and cultural) Use correct spelling and grammar Acknowledge sources when using quotes Use indentations or frame the quotation Be consistent with your captions of extracts, artworks, photographs or designs

EXAM/TEST PAPERS SHOULD INCLUDE: ALL art forms offered at the school to be included in ONE paper Cover page with time, subject, grade,maximum marks Clarity of instructions to learners Correct question numbering in marking memo AND question paper Layout is learner-friendly - clearly typed/easy to read Marks clearly indicated & totalling of marks correct in memo AND question paper General appearance and neatness of entire paper and memo Completed taxonomy and difficulty grid included in memo

EXAMPLE OF A COVER PAGE FOR GRADE 7 ONLY EXAMPLE OF (mark totals are different for each grade) INSTRUCTIONS TO LEARNERS

CORRECT NUMBERING & MARK ALLOCATION  The easiest way to keep a paper well formatted is to use a table e.g. QUESTION ONE  Once you have worked in the table you hide the grid lines e.g. QUESTION ONE 1.1Why is it important to warm up before a dance class?(2) 1.2Describe TWO movements you would do in a warm up.(2) 1.3What is a cool down?(2) 1.4Describe TWO movements you would do in a cool down.(2) [8] 1.1Why is it important to warm up before a dance class?(2) 1.2Describe TWO movements you would do in a warm up.(2) 1.3What is a cool down?(2) 1.4Describe TWO movements you would do in a cool down.(2) [8]

USER-FRIENDLY Clean cut format Sequencing of questions Left/right pages – minimise turning over Consistent format to each question and across all papers Answer book corresponds to the question paper.

LANGUAGE AND BIAS Keep language simple – do not expect learners to read between the lines Avoid use of gender/racial/cultural/urb an/rural/regional/provinci al etc. bias Be sensitive to society and avoid content which may be offensive Check translations carefully Use subject-specific and commonly used words in the appropriate language register for the grade

EXAMPLES OF HOW QUESTIONS CAN BE INTERPRETED QUESTION: Vusi Ngcobo earns a salary of R per month. What deductions will be made from his salary? MEMO: PAYE UIF Medical Aid Pension ANSWER PROVIDED BY A CANDIDATE: Vusi is in a senior position in this business.

ANOTHER ONE … QUESTION: South African snakes are very poisonous. Illustrate this point by providing two examples. MEMO: Green mamba Cobra ANSWER PROVIDED BY A CANDIDATE:

MEMORANDUM Set the question and the memo at the same time Make sure you have the correct mark allocation for the amount of information learners will have in their text book Answer your own paper in the memorandum to make sure that the questions have been asked clearly, and meet the given time frame Don’t include trick questions or inconsequential sections Ask why should this be asked? What information does this question give me as an educator, to evaluate this learners understanding

MEMORANDUM continued Consider the appropriate assessment tool; traditional marking guidelines/a rubric or both Is the memo accurate A memo should be open-minded and cater for diverse, well-reasoned, motivated answers The exam is an important teaching medium Make detailed notes when marking to use as feedback to learners Learners often wish to discuss an artwork/image/text used in an exam – this leads to spontaneous learning. It is not just about marks!

STEP 7: CREDIBILITY OF YOUR EXAM PAPER  Must stand up to scrutiny and criticism  Must be internally moderated by a HoD or senior teacher. It must be someone who has knowledge of norms and standards of exam papers. It is a teacher’s responsibility to be internally moderated. Must request it or report it if not occurring.  District officials will moderate how internal moderation has occurred.  Must be topical & relevant to learners of today  Must not be set at the lowest perceived level  Must positively influence teaching & learning  Must address the topics and be CAPS compliant  Must create a culture of success & a belief that everyone can achieve EXAMS_MODERATION CHECKLIST.docx

STEP 8: ELECTRONIC MARK SHEETS - CEMIS All senior grade Creative Arts marks will be captured on this mark sheet Each learner is required to do TWO different art forms which each have equal weighting each term There are suggested totals for mark allocations per grade These are the minimum marks that can be entered each term The mark total could be much higher All marks entered must have evidence of how they were achieved

WEIGHTING The weighting between the practical and the theory must be adhered to each term TERM The practical and theory have equal weighting These are SBA marks and count for 40% of the year mark TERM 4 The practical is double the theory in weighting These are examination marks and count for 60% of the year mark

WORKBOOKS = EVIDENCE OF WORK TESTED All the topics need to have written reflection in a workbook Topic 3 – theory can have specific worksheets to complete Topic 1 – practical and Topic 2 – composition should have written tasks to show the process and skills learnt Written work can be given as homework A small section at the end of the class could be allocated to written work One lesson a month could be allocated to written work Remember each art form only has ONE lesson during the school day and one after school Must have evidence of how the work tested was covered in class

LETS HAVE SOME FUN Work in groups of 2 or 3 Pick one section from one topic and set a question Your question should show different cognitive levels It might require the learner to include knowledge across the 3 topics Set the memo Include a grid showing what section of the question is low/medium/high

Relax… here is an example QUESTION ONE 1.1At the start of each dance class you do a warm up. List three reasons why it is important for dancers to warm up.(3) 1.2At the end of each dance class you will do a cool down which includes stretching. Provide four important tips for dancers to stretch safely in the dance class.(4) 1.3In your opinion, why is it important to have a code of conduct in the dance class?(3) [10] FOCUS OF THE QUESTIONTOPICABILITY LEVELS Safe dance practice123LOWMEDIUMHIGH 1.1 Warming up. Remembering √√3 1.2 Cooling down/How to stretch safely. Applying √√4 1.3 Code of conduct. Opinion/Evaluation √3

EXAMPLES OF POSSIBLE ANSWERS: MEMO 1.1 It prevents you from getting hurt It warms up your muscles and joints to be ready for class It improves your focus and concentration It improves your posture It makes you breathe deeply so lots of oxygen gets into your body It creates lots of energy in your body after you have been sitting in a desk(3) 1.2 Always stretch slowly. Do not bounce Always stretch after you are warmed up Do not let someone else push you into a stretch Always breathe out when you are in a stretch to relax the muscles Do not compare your self with others. Work at your own limits Stretch all parts of your body regularly every week(4) 1.3 It teaches you self discipline: being punctual and in time for class dressing correctly and remember to bring your dance clothes and books to class Not talking while others are trying to work It teaches you to respect others – sharing space, not hurting people/not criticizing/working with other/sharing ideas and opinions Being able to express emotions through movement without being judged(3) [10]

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN SETTING A QUESTION