One small cast production a year (roughly) to model excellent work to other students and to offer G & T experience. Sometimes we've taken them to Edinburgh or involved them in AETF (All England Theatre Festival) there will be a local one near you search the internet for their site. Involve them in workshops led by practitioners... and I often go to other schools to lead G & T workshops so clearly other schools do this too. Their learning is always cascaded into the classes so it's easy to justify assuming you teah in a mixed ability set up... if not then the cascading doesn't happen other than in extra curricular work. Mark Wheeller

When the last government set up gifted and talented it was defined in the following way:

 gifted students - those with academic ability.

talented students - those with a talent in the arts or sport.

Unfortunately schools seem to erroneously lump the two together.

Some students can be gifted but not talented, some can be talented but not gifted and some students can be both.  In drama you are interested students who are talented in drama. To define those students who are talented write a list of the criteria that you think makes up talent - if they fill the crieria then they are talented. Clearly someone who takes a lead in a school play is talented etc.

[edited by: ralfhroisterdoister at 16:32 (GMT 0) on 25-7-2011]

 Thanks Eedsud for your helpful reply!

Our school has departmental registers. So we assess our pupils within the department and run different programmes for each year group. We do a G&T focus day for years 7, 8 and 9 (separately) where we do slightly more challenging work. Then at KS4 and 5 we focus the G&T provision in lessons, in terms of stretching the most able and differentiating the work. It's tricky further up the school as I find that GCSE and A level classes tend to be very enthusiastic and if they're not taking part in any extra G&T activities it can be very disappointing. At KS3 there are so many of them that it doesn't seem like such a big deal if they're not chosen. Hope that helps.

 Hi there,

 Hope it's not too late to offer help. I work in a department of 200 performing arts students- the majority of whom are talented. In my experience, the best opportunities that you give G&T pupils/students in Performing Arts are more performance opportunities. Ones that are not always accessed on the regular programme of study. For example- theatre companies, plays and Dramatic concepts that are not typical in the Drama classroom.

With our post 16 students we look at works from Forced Entertainment, Sarah Kane (not 448) and Martin Crimp.

Choosing more specailised work could also be great for those or younger pupils- for example offering the chance to do units from the vocational diplomas which include Voice, Acting, Storytelling and Auditions for Actors without even accessing  but just using the specifications for ideas-

 

Hope that helps-

 

Bex  

 

 

Hi Bex. That sounds really interesting. Just out of interest, why do you focus on performance? Do you find it still caters for those who are more G&T in terms of devising drama or understanding drama, rather than necessarily being the best performers?

Good point, crunchy.

Over 90% of those employed in the performing arts industries are not performers.

Thanks everyone for your lovely responses, really useful!

I am also interested in the idea of performance and G&T... Some students are amazing during the rehearsal process but just don't have that gift of performance. I was reading on a website that you should place G&T in three areas (often used in assessment): Making, Performing, Responding. Does anyone else do this? It seems a sensible approach. 

 

Thanks again everyone, this is an on going thing so please keep the responses coming!

Hope summer is going well for you all. 

[edited by: summerbunny at 12:49 (GMT 0) on 6-8-2011]

summerbunny

I was reading on a website that you should place G&T in three areas (often used in assessment): Making, Performing, Responding. Does anyone else do this?

Yes, roughly. Our KS3 focus days definitely include all these elements. We assess according to Creating, Performing and Responding and pupils are selected because they show a talent in any or all of these.

 Hi there.

Ofcourse when I say performance opportunities, I am refering to the many roles that are available within the devlopment and execution of productions-

There are some units on the First and National Diploma-s (now the extended diploma) which offer ideas for Stage make-up, costume design, performance management and lighting and sound- the point I was making is that the best way that you cater for those who demonstrate interest and ability in Performing Arts is to emerse them in the process and practice of creating perfromances. Small extracts of text could also be offered as directing opportunities where pupils can audition and develop a piece from the ground up.

For those who are interested in the workings of the theatre RSC offer excellent backstage tours,  and technical specialists will often offer talks and demonstrations at smaller theatres.

 Bex