Managing the Challenges of Teaching GCSE Dance in Limited Time

ABOUT THIS COURSE

Dance teaching often has to be compressed into already busy timetables or taught in extra-curricular or fast tracked over a year. This new course will tackle key questions about how candidates can be brought up to GCSE level in limited time. It will provide practical advice for structuring an accelerated performance and choreography course and will suggest priorities for preparing candidates for the written examinations. The course will be of benefit to teachers who are already entering candidates for exams and to those who are considering doing so.

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BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

• Enhance the ability to manage the challenge of limited time for GCSE Dance.
• Develop ways to plan an accelerated course.
• Gain practical advice for structuring a fast track course.
• Find out how to ensure your most able candidates achieve top grades in limited time.
• Explore exemplar materials to identify characteristics of outstanding work.
• Develop ways to prepare candidates in limited time for examinations.
• Consider examiner’s reports and discuss what they are looking to see in quality responses.
• Develop knowledge of what topics to prioritise and where shortcuts can be made.

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PROGRAMME

Planning an Accelerated Course

10.00am

• Key first steps – Planning a curriculum to time constraints.
• Ways to build on and use the experience and prior knowledge your candidates already have.
• Establishing the key priorities, challenge points, issues and the shortcuts that can be made.
• Utilising homework and assessment to aid learning time.
• Using resources, materials and technology well.
• Key dates and timeline.
• Moderation preparation.

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Break

11.00am

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Performance (Set Phrases and Duet/Trio Performance)

11.15am

• Building from day one- developing the performance skills required.
•  Preparing candidates for the performance moderation.
• How to access the set phrases and duet/trio performance to utilise time.
• Documenting the performance units.
• Common errors and how to address them.
• Explore performance work created during a fast tracked course.

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Keeping on Track and Focused

12.15pm 

• How to confidently assess your candidates, give effective feedback, and ensure they remain on track.

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Lunch

12.30pm

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Teaching Choreography in Limited Time

1.30pm 

• Knowledge and understanding of the skills of choreography.
• Exploring stimuli, making the correct decisions and building exceptional responses.
• Preparing candidates for the choreography moderation.
• How to access the choreography to utilise time.
• Writing a programme note.
• Common errors and how to address them.
• Explore choreography work created during a fast tracked course

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Break

2.15pm

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Teaching Dance Appreciation in Limited Time

2.25pm

• Utilising booklets for organisation and content delivery.
• Drilling the short mark answers- creating simple yet effective hypothetical choreography responses.
• Exploring AO3- Performance and Choreography terminology and how candidates can comment on their own experience in a succinct manner.
• Describing, analysing, interpreting, evaluating- how can candidates understand the differences quickly.
• Creating effective structured responses.
• Exploring 12 mark extended questions- successful and less successful responses.
• Discussing the exam questions and techniques.
• Common errors and how to address them

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Plenary and Depart

3.25pm

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Depart

3.35pm