New Era Academy

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Speech and Drama - Level 1 - Foundation

Learning Outcomes

Learners should:

  • create a sense of sharing with the listener
  • demonstrate adequate preparation
  • demonstrate a greater sense of performance
  • read aloud with reasonable fluency
  • understand the basic techniques to create a character
 
Grade 1 (10 Minutes)

Marks awarded at this grade include:
Speech: 30 marks

Learners should:

  • Speak from memory one of the following poems:
    • "Schoolitis" Brian Patten
    • "I Asked the Little Boy" Anon
    • "The Woman of Water" Adrian Mitchell
    • "Ar-a-rat" Grace Nichols
    • "Ducks Don’t Shop in Sainsbury’s" Gary Boswell
    • "One Morning" Nancy Chambers (30 marks)
  • Speak from memory a piece of prose of their own choice, taken from any story written by Eva Ibbotson or Anthony Horowitz. Time limit 2 minutes (30 marks)
  • Discuss with the examiner:
    • the pieces chosen, including the book from which their prose passage has been taken
    • phrasing (10 marks)
 
Grade 2 (10 Minutes)

Marks awarded at this grade include:
Speech: 30 marks

Learners should:

  • Speak from memory one of the following poems:
    • "The Secret Rhyme for Orange" Brian Patten
    • "Just Fancy That" Max Fatchen
    • "California Skateboard Park, 1977" Andrew Fusek-Peters
    • "A Tent" Christopher Reid
    • "Evidence of Elephants" Gerard Benson
    • "Wanted: World-Sitter" Susanna Dalton (20 marks)
  • Speak from memory a piece of prose taken from any “Unfortunate Series of Events” story written by Lemony Snickett or perform a scene arranged for one character from a play. Time limit 2 minutes (20 marks)
  • Read at sight a short passage selected by the examiner, from a book chosen and brought to the examination by the learner. This book must be written by a different author to that in Section 2 (15 marks)
  • Discuss with the examiner:
    • the pieces and authors chosen
    • reading aloud (15 marks)
 
Grade 3 Foundation Medal (10 Minutes)

The Peggy Law Certificate of Excellence is awarded annually to the learner gaining the highest Distinction mark in this examination.

Marks awarded at this grade include:
Speech: 30 marks

Learners should:

  • Speak from memory one of the following poems:
    • "Sally" Phoebe Hesketh
    • "Tartary" Walter de la Mare
    • "Ghost in the Garden" Berlie Doherty
    • "Noah and the Rabbit" Hugh Chesterman
    • "The Farmer and the Queen" Shel Silverstein
    • "An Ordinary Day"  Norman MacCaig (20 marks)
  • Speak from memory a piece of prose taken from any book written by J. K. Rowling or perform a scene arranged for one character from a play. Time limit 2 minutes (20 marks)
  • Read at sight a short passage selected by the examiner (15 marks)
  • Discuss with the examiner:
    • the pieces and authors chosen
    • use of the natural pause
    • use of the suspensory pause
    • use of the dramatic pause (15 marks)