Constructing schemes of work and curriculum documents in drama to meet the needs of the department and OFSTED is one thing. Providing the rationale behind the work of the drama department is another. As is providing teaching material for colleagues who are not drama trained, and yet find themselves teaching drama lessons.
I am sure that for those who were drama trained it is all a straightforward process – but for those who were not, there is a need for support.
One possible way forward is through the use of the copiable book “Alive and Kicking” (also available on CD so that it can be loaded onto the school’s learning network – which means everyone can read the scheme of work at any time).
It provides a series of templates for all three years of Key Stage 3. There are schemes of work taken term by term, with three distinct modules per year. There is a detailed scheme of assessment criteria tied in to an expectation of many students going on to GCSE courses but also tied in to National Curriculum Level equivalents. There is also a package of resource materials for use with the modules, most notably a series of mini-scripts for children to work on in combinations of twos, threes, fours or fives.
The list of contents is huge – for example within the section on classroom practice there are articles on:
- Rules of the studio
- Key concepts and key words, year by year
- Solo work (from simultaneous solo activities to audition speeches)
- Improvisation
- Scripts
- Workshops
- Use of Games
- Alternative strategies
- Feedback.
Other chapters cover key skills, assessment, reporting – and of course the complete year by year schemes of work. There is a sample chapter available on-line at http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/drama/T1650.pdf
Cat No: 978 1 86083 569 8; Publisher reference no: T1650emn
Prices
- Photocopiable report in a ring binder, £29.95. plus £3.95 delivery
- CD with school-wide rights: £29.95 plus £3.95 delivery
- Both the Ring Binder and the CD £36.94 plus £3.95 delivery
- Prices include VAT.
You can purchase the book…
- By post to First and Best, Hamilton House, Earlstrees Ct., Earlstrees Way, Corby, NN17 4HH
- By fax to 01536 399 012
- By phone with a school order number on 01536 399 011
- On line with a credit card at http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=474