Qualifications Update: Higher Drama Qualifications Update: Higher Drama

Key Messages Provides progression from National 5 Drama Develops an increased depth and complexity of knowledge, understanding and skills Offers personalisation and choice Provides flexibility

Course Structure Two units: Drama Skills (Higher) Drama: Production Skills (Higher) Internally assessed Externally verified by SQA Pass/Fail

Course Assessment Performance, marked by SQA Visiting Assessor (60 marks) Question paper, marked by SQA (40 marks) Both performance and question paper contribute to final grade

Use valid and reliable assessments -SQA-produced Unit Assessment Support Packs -Centre devised assessments that have been prior verified -Your own assessments – strongly advise you have these prior verified Marking of assessments -SQA packs are designed on a pass/fail basis -Use Judging Evidence Tables to make assessment judgments against Assessment Standards -Judging Evidence Tables have commentary on how to meet each Assessment Standard -A task/activity can meet most or all of the Unit Outcome and Assessment Standards -Indicate on candidate’s work that Unit Assessment Standards have been met Unit Assessment complementing learning and teaching -Unit Assessment is open and flexible -Assessment should allow you space to prepare for Added Value/Course Assessment Key messages Key messages from Verification (Round 1)

Assessment Support Schedule 2013/14 Sept 13 CfE Update Letter Oct 13 Unit Assessment Support (Package 1) Feb 14 Unit Assessment Support (Package 2) Feb 14 Higher Specimen Question Paper Mar 14 Coursework General Assessment Information Apr 14 Unit Assessment Support (Package 3) May 14 Update Mandatory Documents Jun 14 Update Unit Assessment Support

Drama Unit Assessment at Higher

Unit assessment - recap Flexible and open Assessment Standards and Evidence Requirements in Units Greater range of techniques and methodologies for assessment – encouraged Assessments can be designed to provide evidence across more than one outcome or Unit – combined assessments More opportunities to gather naturally occurring evidence – assessment as part of learning and teaching

Unit Assessment Support purpose As at National 5, Assessment Support will be provided which you can use to: Assess your candidates Adapt for your own assessment programmes Help you develop your own assessments

Unit Assessment Support at Higher – key features Valid from August 2014 Complements and supports learning and teaching Assess competence against Unit Outcomes and Assessment Standards Designed to encourage professional judgement Provide broad-based tasks – allow assessors to choose appropriate context and forms of evidence Show range of approaches to generating assessment evidence Give information on the type of evidence which could be gathered

Unit assessment support packages at Higher - approaches Package 1 Unit by Unit (generic) approach – discrete assessment tasks for each Unit Package 2 Unit by Unit (stimulus-specific) approach – discrete assessment tasks for each Unit Package 3 Combined approach – groups Outcomes and Assessment Standards from different Units

Assessment Support Package Example Unit by Unit Approach – Drama Skills: Devise a drama – Drama Production Skills: Develop production skills within 2 selected production roles

Drama Skills – Responding to stimuli, including text, to develop ideas for drama – Exploring form, genre, structure and style – Developing and communicating ideas – Planning devising and directing a drama – Using complex acting skills to portray character to an audience – Evaluating their own work and that of others

Assessment Tasks -Flexible and easily adapted for specific content -Ideas based on a stimulus -Candidates will take responsibility for one section of a drama and act in one other section

Evidence Ideas communicated to the group Development of ideas within own section Directorial responsibility Acting in one other section Evaluation

Drama: Production Skills – Responding to stimuli, including text, to develop ideas for drama – Selecting ideas for chosen production roles – Developing appropriate ideas and production skills within their chosen production roles – Demonstrating complex production skills within selected production roles – Evaluating their own work and that of others

Assessment Tasks -Flexible and easily adapted for specific content -Ideas based on a textual extract -Candidates will explore and develop production skills within 2 production roles

Evidence Ideas communicated to the group Development of skills within 2 production roles Application of skills Evaluation

Discussion To provide pupils/students with opportunities to generate evidence: What existing practices could you continue/adapt? What new practices could you develop/adopt?

Drama Higher Course Assessment

Course Assessment at Higher Course Assessment at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher assesses Added Value Courses at Higher are normally assessed by one or two Components Courses at Higher are graded A – D, as at present Controlled Assessment of setting, conducting and marking 2 Components for Higher Drama – question paper and performance

Higher – Question Paper 40 marks 2 hours 2 extended response questions: – textual analysis(20 marks) – performance analysis (20 marks)

Textual Analysis An extended response from the point of view of a director or actor or designer Demonstrate knowledge of a text Show an understanding of how the text could be communicated to an audience 2 parts to question, each worth 10 marks

Textual Analysis In the first part of the answer one mark should be awarded for each relevant point of understanding which is used to respond to the question. Up to a maximum of five marks. One further mark should be awarded for each of the above points if the candidate goes on to give further detailed development of understanding which is insightful. Up to a maximum of five marks In the second part of the answer, one mark should be awarded for each relevant production concept. Up to a maximum of five marks. One further mark should be awarded for each production concept if the candidate has given further detailed development of each production concept. Up to a maximum of five marks.

Performance Analysis An analysis of a performance that the learner has seen. This may be a live or, if necessary, a recorded theatrical performance. The play must be different from the selected text in Section 1. Candidates will be asked to select two aspects from a list of performance analysis areas. One mark will be awarded for the explanation of each feature of the performance that achieves dramatic impact and an audience response. One further mark will be awarded for an explanation that is detailed.

Performance Analysis Considers such areas as: the genre, theme and social, historical and/or theatrical context of the performance piece; the company performing the play; the performance space; the director’s intentions and effectiveness; the acting and development of characters; the design concepts and their effectiveness — set, props, costume, make-up, lighting, sound/effects.

Higher – Drama Performance 60 marks Externally marked Role of director or actor or designer 2 sections: preparation for performance (10 marks), performance (50 marks)

Section 1: Preparation for Performance An account of their research findings, a description of their chosen role and the processes used to reach either their acting or directing or design concept for the performance. The preparation for performance will be generated in open-book conditions towards the end of the rehearsal period.

Section 2: Performance Performance in the chosen role of acting, directing or design Actors will prepare two contrasting roles from two different texts. 25 marks will be available for each role. Directors will conduct a rehearsal with actors from a textual extract of approximately 2 pages. The rehearsal should last approximately 30 minutes. Designers will design a set for their chosen text and choose one other relevant production area.

Recommended Texts List AntigoneSophocles The Birthday PartyHarold Pinter BondagersSue Glover The Caucasian Chalk CircleBertolt Brecht The CrucibleArthur Miller DunsinaneDavid Greig Enemy of the PeopleHenrik Ibsen Further than the Furthest ThingZinnie Harris The House of Bernarda AlbaFederico Garcia Lorca The Importance of Being EarnestOscar Wilde LoversBrian Friel Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped OffLiz Lochhead Men Should WeepEna Lamont Stewart The Prime of Miss Jean BrodieJay Presson Allen The Servant of Two MastersCarlo Goldoni The Slab Boys TrilogyJohn Byrne Sunset SongLewis Grassic Gibbon The Taming of The ShrewWilliam Shakespeare A Taste of HoneyShelagh Delaney TartuffeMoliere

Discussion What approaches and content would be useful when preparing candidates for the question paper? Within the contexts of your own centre, what will be useful in preparing candidates for the performance roles?