Course performance descriptors for Drama
Course performance descriptors for Drama 7–10 (2003) provide holistic descriptions of typical achievement at different grade levels. Course performance descriptions are used to identify and report a student’s level of achievement in a Board Developed Course at the end of Stage 5.
Areas for assessment
- Making
- Performing
- Appreciating
Grade A
A student at this grade typically:
- communicates a sophisticated understanding of the elements of drama in the integrated practices of making, performing and appreciating drama within playbuilding and other dramatic contexts.
- perceptively develops and refines their work, individually and collaboratively, using a range of dramatic forms, structures, devices, acting and performance techniques to create dynamic and engaging works with an intended meaning for an audience.
- demonstrates excellence in improvisation, playbuilding, the enactment and interpretation of scripts, texts and other dramatic forms and performance styles.
- selects and manipulates performance spaces, technologies and elements of production to communicate different dramatic intentions.
- researches and critically assesses the contemporary and historical contexts of drama.
- evaluates the contribution of groups and individuals, using appropriate drama terminology.
- analyses and synthesises drama with a sophisticated awareness of the unique relationship between performer and audience.
Grade B
A student at this grade typically:
- demonstrates a thorough understanding of the elements of drama in the integrated practices of making, performing and appreciating drama within playbuilding and other dramatic contexts.
- capably develops their work, individually and collaboratively, using dramatic forms, structures, devices, acting and performance techniques to create effective and engaging works with an intended meaning for an audience.
- competently improvises, playbuilds, enacts and interprets scripts, texts and other dramatic forms and performance styles.
- confidently uses performance spaces, technologies and elements of production to communicate dramatic intentions.
- researches and analyses the contemporary and historical contexts of drama.
- assesses the contributions of groups and individuals using appropriate drama terminology.
- analyses drama with an awareness of the relationship between performer and audience.
Grade C
A student at this grade typically:
- demonstrates a sound understanding of the elements of drama through the practices of making, performing and appreciating drama within the context of playbuilding and other dramatic contexts.
- develops their work, individually and collaboratively, using dramatic forms, structures, devices, acting and performance techniques to create engaging works with an intended meaning for an audience.
- improvises, playbuilds, and enacts scripts, texts and other dramatic forms and performance styles.
- uses performance spaces, technologies and elements of production to communicate a dramatic intention.
- researches and describes the contemporary and historical contexts of drama.
- describes the contribution of groups and individuals using drama terminology.
- describes the relationship between performer and audience.
Grade D
A student at this grade typically:
- demonstrates a basic understanding of the elements of drama through the practices of making, performing and appreciating drama within the context of playbuilding and some other dramatic contexts.
- develops their work using basic dramatic forms and performance techniques to create drama for an audience.
- demonstrates limited skills in improvisation, playbuilding and other dramatic forms.
- uses aspects of performance spaces, technologies and elements of production.
- conducts basic research and describes some contexts of drama.
- recognises the contribution of groups and individuals, using limited drama terminology.
- recognises the relationship between performer and audience.
Grade E
A student at this grade typically:
- participates, with teacher support, in the practices of making, performing and appreciating drama.
- has an elementary understanding of some elements of drama and performance skills required to create drama for an audience.
- demonstrates very limited skills in improvisation, playbuilding and other dramatic forms.
- uses some aspects of performance spaces and elements of production.
- with guidance, conducts basic research.
- recognises the contribution of some groups and individuals.
- recognises aspects of the relationship between performer and audience.