Teacher FAQ

We encourage all students to know the syllabus, grade and task they are undertaking alongside the name of their books and their authors. This provides an opportunity to casually discuss their work with the examiner as they are welcomed in to the room. This does not affect their overall grade.

All students are required to arrive with a programme of their work. You can find a template here. This is very important to help the examiner accurately assess the student.

We do not encourage actions while reciting poems. Our philosophy, is the voice is the instrument to bring out the meaning and mood of the poem. If candidates do use gesture, we will assess whether it enhances or detracts from their overall performance.

It is a good idea to memorise extracts but it is important candidates make it obvious they are quoting from text by either pausing or moving slightly.

Although the Grade 6, 7, 8 syllabi do not state that the candidates are to bring a copy of any memorised text we do expect copies.

Candidates may do the characterisations at all levels individually, in pairs or in groups.

Preparation time: Unless specifically stated in the syllabus, the prep time is roughly 1 minute but may vary slightly task to task.

Tahi 3 - Prepared Social Speech - Does the speech need to be from a living person?
The person can be living or from the past.

Tahi 7 - Flexi - Does the story need to be memorised? 
Yes

Tahi 7 - Flexi - What form do characterisations need to be?
From published plays or books (adaptations)

Tahi 8 - Storytelling - Do candidates need to bring a copy of their story?
No.

Tahi 10 - Is it a memorised prose or prepared prose extract?
In the syllabus this is presented as an extract of memorised prose. However, in the Learning Criteria it is presented as a prepared prose extract. Apologies for this confusing typo.

Tahi 10 - May a student present a characterisation from something other than a play?
No, the characterisation must be from a published play.

Tahi 10 - What form do characterisations need to be?
From published plays or books (adaptations)

Section 2 - Preparation time & programme 
2 minutes. Candidates must bring a programme into the exam.

Section 2 - Do candidates choose their skill to present at their exam? ie:  Improvisation or Sight Reading or Impromptu Speech
The candidates choose their impromptu activity prior to the exam. Candidates must arrive to the exam with a typed copy of their choices for both prepared and impromptu sections.

Section 7 - Does the original story need to be memorised or can it be read?
It must be memorised.

Preparation time & programme 
2 mins. Candidates choose what task/s they are going to do and this needs to be printed on their programme.

How are topics selected for impromptu task?
Based on the task/s expressed in the programme the examiner gives them a topic in the exam e.g. The Strange Noise for an impromptu story.

What form do characterisations need to be?
From published plays or books (adaptations)

Rua 2 - Describe the element of status in improvisation.
A person’s standing in relation to another at a given moment. In drama it is not necessarily about ranking in a community but about behaviour. Using status becomes a tactic to achieve an objective. There is both high- status and low- status behaviour.

Don Diggles in his book Improv For Actors says “High- status isn’t bad. High-status isn’t good. Low- status isn’t good. Low status isn’t bad. Status is a tactic you use to achieve an objective. Sometimes high-status behaviour works in each situation, sometimes low- status works. What ‘s important to realise is that whenever we are face-to-face with anybody, we are continually altering our status from moment to moment to achieve our objective. The more alert an action is to these transactions in real life, the more facile they are at in creating scenes on stage that feel like real life to the audience.

Rua 2 - How to show this when candidate is alone.
When candidates are working alone, they can still work status. An example is a servant getting the better of their master, or a victim overcoming the bully. However, often status can be quite subtle such as two people discussing what they did during the week- or discussing what friends were wearing at a particular event.

Improvisation for Storytellers by Keith Johnstone. Faber & Faber 1999

Performance: A Practical Approach to Drama by Louise Tourelle and Marygai McNamara. Heinemann 1998

How to prepare candidates for reflection questions?
The philosophy behind reflection is so the candidates are encouraged to gain the confidence to discuss their preparation and performance. Obviously, examiners ask very simple questions from Initial – Grade 3 and after that candidates are encouraged to give more detailed responses.

Reflection questions are included in the Flexi Speaking and Performing exams to encourage candidates to think and be able to talk about their performance pieces. Obviously, the questions are more searching from Grade 5 onwards.

Are there set reflection questions?
Examiners are not given a list of specific questions per grade.

Reflective questions might come up at any time during the examination and there is no set number.

What sort of questions may be asked?
Why? What? How?

Examples of questions may include:

• Why did you like your poem?

• What is your poem about?

• How did you use your voice to bring the words to life?

• Why did you choose this topic for your talk?

• What do you think the most interesting point is?

• How did you use your voice to bring out the most interesting bits?

• Why did you like your character?

• What is your character doing?

• How did you show your character’s mood?

• Why did you choose this book?

• What is it about?

• Who is your favourite character?

• How did you use your voice to bring out the meaning of the passage?