Description

ABOUT THIS COURSE

This course offers an introduction and overview to effectively teach AQA A-level Drama and Theatre. Suitable for anyone just starting to teach, in the first year, or lacking confidence in their teaching of AQA A-level Drama and Theatre. While assessment will be drawn from the AQA course, many of the ideas will be applicable to other specifications.

BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

• Provide new teachers of A-level Drama with the structure, planning and confidence to teach effectively to all ability ranges
• Find out more about the key challenges and how to teach them
• Take away teaching approaches and strategies to teach all the Components
• Gain insight into the content, the exam structures, how the exams are marked and what the examiners are looking for

PROGRAMME

The AQA A-level Drama course including challenges and what to expect from pupils

10.00 – 10.30am

• Exploring ways that ensure that both students and teachers hit the ground running in September
• Ways to structure the course across the two years, looking at pressure points and areas that the students will find challenging and how we can support them in overcoming this.
• How transition work from year 11 into 12 can help students to get a ‘head start’ on the course.

How to effectively teach the set text for Section A of the written exam

10.30 – 11.20am

• Creative teaching approaches and strategies to teach the set text effectively
• Structuring the learning, ways of using exam questions and model answers to highlight success
• Approaching essay writing in response to the set text
• How to apply the mark schemes and give impactful feedback
• Explore in depth the demands of the questions for Section A and explore in depth how to structure lessons in order to meet the specific demands

Break

11.20 – 11.40am

Teaching Section B, the written exam

11.40 – 1.00pm

• Explore ways to support students to maximise the marks they receive in this section.
• Ideas for practical workshop ideas when initially exploring the set text and resources
• The 10 Mark Questions – Exploring the structure and time constraints of each
• Discuss the differences between responses as a director, performer and designer.

Lunch

1.00 – 2.00pm

Section C: How to effectively teach live theatre review

2.00 – 2.45pm

• Practical strategies and approaches for structuring the lessons after students have seen a piece of live theatre.
• Explore the best resources to support students
• Look at ways to help students in drawing on appropriate moments from the production in their responses.
• Analyse top band examples
• Explore how to structure responses to ensure students are balancing their explanation of what they say with purposeful analysis and evaluation of the production’s overall total dramatic effectiveness.

Component 2: How to get the most out of students for the Devised Component

2.45 – 3.15pm

• Teaching approaches to implement the working methods of specific theatre practitioners
• How to apply students theoretical knowledge of this within the written coursework.
• The Working Notebook – exploring ways to maximise the marks achieved with the devised component.
• How to best approach the statement of dramatic intentions when completing the final performance.

Component 3: Effectively managing the scripted component

3.15 – 3.45pm

• Insight into winning play combinations for extracts 1, 2 and 3 and how and when to apply the work of a practitioner.
• Exemplar Reflective Reports with a focus on structuring this document to maximise the students marks here.
• How to approach the statement of dramatic intentions to guide the examiner’s attention to specific moments of performance in the final realisation of extract 3.

Depart

3.45pm