MUSIC - CIRCLE OF

LEARNING
CAN DO ATTITUDE
The Power of the Lollipop Stick
 WHAT IS THE CIRCLE OF
LEARNING?

5 minute presentations by departments

ONE aspect of circle of learning
 CAN DO ATTITUDE IS IT THERE?

The same students seem to answer questions

Is everyone engaged and actively learning?
Can you demonstrate everyone is learning and actively involved?
How do you build confidence so all will participate?
How do you create a positive learning environment?
 HOW DOES IT WORK?

Every desk numbered (1 32)

M ug of lollipop sticks on teacher desk each numbered 1 to 32
Set a question or questions and allow them time to think
Lots of bright coloured displays with keywords and terms for them to use
Environment of can do attitude its fine to make
mistakes that is how we learn!
Pick lollipop sticks out one by one and student has to
answer selected question
 OUTCOME
Can do Attitude
- Students embrace the chance to try and answer the
questions, often by the fear of their lollipop stick number being
chosen!
- Questions on the board and students given time to think of
answers in case they are chosen.
- Strive to work out the answers and use the correct
terminology
- Positive community within the class where its ok to make
mistakes and learn from them. Crucial aspect of music!
- Can do attitude is then transported to practical work
 OUTCOME

Teaching Perspective
- Students given greater sense of confidence to answer questions
- Can check, at random that all students are engaged and learning
- Promotes students to be thinking and not just sitting!
- Great for organising students into groups
- Promotes Can Do attitude!
Drama: Circle of Learning
Creating a Drama Literate Community
Changes to Assessment in Drama

GCSE : 70% Written:

30% Coursework
40% Written Exam

A Level : 70% Written:

30% Coursework
40% Written Exam
Revised approaches to Literacy
Across the Drama Curriculum

The Challenge:
To enthuse students
about written work
(Performance
Analysis), when
traditionally the
subject is viewed as a
practical subject?
 Creating a Drama Literate
COMMUNITY
Each Year Group at KS3 participates in a SOW with focus on Written
Performance Analysis

Completion of Written Analysis following practical assessment at KS3

Integration of Starter Activities to improve use of subject specific vocabulary

at KS3/4, plus one Spelling H/W per unit.

Approaches to Essay Writing at KS4/5

A Practical Slant is the Hook to promote productive learning

 Practical Approaches to Literacy
Improving Vocabulary
All students have journals
featuring Drama Vocabulary
The students are placed in pairs.
Student A faces the screen.
Student B sits with their back to
the screen
An image of a facial expression
will appear on the screen.
Student A must use their Vocab
Sheets to describe the facial
expression. Student B must
create the facial expression.
 Kinaesthetic Learning
Who knows the moves to YMCA?

Teaching of Subject Specific Terminology with

Physicality (Dance):
Interpretation / Context / Motivation

Teaching of Essay Structure: Building the Literacy

Community
Do you have the right IDEA?
I Identify a Key Moment
D Describing what you/someone else did in performance
E Explaining why you/they did it
A Audience Learning
Teaching Through Song
Outcome Activities Sentence Starter
Paragraphs
Outcome Activities Analysing
Exemplar Material
 Outcome Activities Documenting
Revision Notes for Direction of Plays
 Outcome Activities Documenting
Revision Notes for Reviewing of Plays
Outcomes Activities Improved
Structure in Essay Writing
 The Benefits
Through Song / Dance / Kinaesthetic activities,
we created a Community Song which:
Secures understanding of Analysis
This is used from KS3 to A Level
Increases social interaction
Adds sense of fun to Literacy
Raises attainment in less able students