GRADE 8 AND 9 DRAMA

SUBJECT POLICY

Dramatic Art encourages verbal and non-verbal communication and employs the range of register that exists in a multilingual and multicultural society. Drama, as an art form, is concerned both with the workings of the imagination and with the discipline of craftsmanship. A study of the principles and practice of drama provides a means of understanding the nature of people and the world.

Dramatic Art provides opportunities for creative expression; for the development of a critical perception of human situations; behaviour in a variety of contexts; and for encountering group dynamics in a creative situation rather than training specifically for the stage. Dramatic Art also provides knowledge and experience of the workings of film sets, television sets, professional theatres and production planning.

The subject prepares learners for many career paths e.g. magazine stylists, public relations, journalism, advertising, events management, broadcasting and many more.

Aims

·         To extend the learners’ creative potential.

·        To train them as performers, directors and practitioners for South Africa’s growing entertainment industry.

·        To assist learners to become more self-confident and self-affirming through the development of their communicative skills.

·        To promote the learners’ sense of commitment and concentration through interactive learning.

·        To provide an environment and create situations in which learners can experience and reflect on the use of dramatic forms of             communication through movement, speech, acting, plot and the use of performance spaces.

·        To use dramatic forms of communication in order to choose, explore, understand and communicate perceptions, issues, themes             and ideas that lend themselves to exploration in this art medium.

·        To provide learners with communication skills.

·        To cultivate in learners an interest in their own cultural history and to develop a respect for and an understanding of the cultural              history of other peoples through experiential learning.

Plays, Theatre History & Film

The interrelated presentation and study of principles of drama, theatre history and film enable the learners to achieve the following:

·      To understand what dramatic theatre and film skills have been used;

·        why they have been used;

·        how they have been used; and

·        where they have been used.

·        To realise that dramatic forms and performance spaces arise and develop from the dynamic tension that exists between the                        values and needs of a community and cultures on the one hand, and the socio-political and economic contexts of a community on            the other.

·         To encourage independent research.

Entry requirements

All Grade 8 and 9 learners are given the opportunity to experience Drama, Dance, Music and Art as strands of Arts and Culture. These courses serve as an introduction and there are no necessary requirements. 

Practical Projects

Practical work covers the various disciplines of dramatic performance. Emphasis is placed on the purposeful creative process rather than striving for adult theatrical performance and film making.

The Grade 8 and 9 course is largely practical. Learners are expected to work continuously on their practical dramatic skills and are assessed on a regular basis.

Acting

Special attention is given to creative drama and improvisation with playmaking (workshopped plays) and problem-solving. Acting elements (characterisation, concentration, communication and imagination) are discovered through practical projects. Projects, including work shopped and/or scripted plays, are learner coordinated, integrated and directed.

Production

Learners are introduced to a wide variety of theatre and film career opportunities through group productions.

Assessment & Examinations

Grades 8 and 9 are continuously assessed on the practical work that they perform. The final NCS examination comprises a 1-hour written paper and a practical project. All written and practical marks are moderated by members of the drama department.

If assessments and/or examinations are missed by the learner, a medical certificate must be provided at the first available opportunity. A supplementary examination or practical date will then be supplied. If the learner should however not provide any valid excuse or choose not to perform/write on the supplementary date, an incomplete mark will be submitted which will result in failed assessment.  

Annual Events

The Drama Department presents a Grade 8 class play practical and a Grade 9 Genre film festival every year. The Inter-House Play Festival is held annually and gives learners the opportunity to direct, perform or be involved backstage.

Facilities

Drama lessons take place in the various drama classes, the Student centre and School Hall. 

Career Paths and Opportunities

The social skills attained through Speech and Drama will assist the learners in whatever career path they choose to follow. Theatrically, they could follow acting, directing, producing or writing for stage, film, TV or radio. Other career opportunities include any sphere where people skills are required, such as law, public relations, advertising, teaching and tourism, to name a few. 

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