Expression Through the Arts

Expression Through the Arts provides learners with opportunities to develop their awareness of, understanding of, and involvement in arts experiences. Expression Through the Arts offers creative opportunities for self-expression in learners’ genre of choice: music, dance/movement, drama, or visual art (2D, 3D or Electronic Media).

Learners will develop some knowledge, understanding and skills that are suited to their abilities, needs and interests. Using a practical skills-based approach, this course is designed to encourage learners to become more involved in arts activities both at school and in their community. Learners will enjoy arts experiences for their educational value, and develop an appreciation of how arts experiences can be valued for leisure and pleasure.

Learners can successfully complete this course using the assistance of learning aides and technological devices used by the visually impaired and the hearing impaired. Learners requiring speech communication assistance can use relevant learning aides and technical devices.

Expression Through the Arts is part of a suite of courses designed to provide basic skills to high needs learners, many of whom have a learning difficulty or disability.

Some learners may need the full suite of courses for study in both their Years 11 and 12, some may need it for only part of their course load, and others may need only some courses in Year 11 before moving into other programs for Year 12.

Expression Through the Arts provides learners with an introduction to artistic creativity and appreciation. Learners will experience the artistic products of others in the form of concerts, dance works, plays, and visual arts events. Learners choose one genre upon which to focus, and will participate in other arts experiences.

On successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:

1. develop safe practices when using instruments, materials and equipment, tools, rehearsal and performance spaces, art studios and workshops
2. appropriately prepare for arts activities
3. respond appropriately to a range of arts experiences
4. develop some basic skills in performing or visual arts
5. express themselves through performing or visual arts.

This course provides a very basic introduction to performing and visual arts.

This course is preparatory to Level 1 and Level 2 courses in music, dance, drama and visual arts.

Delivery of this course requires specialised workspace(s) and associated facilities and materials according to the form(s) or genre(s) of arts selected (e.g. a dance space, visual art materials, musical instruments).

Learners are required to experience the arts works of others (e.g. attending an exhibition, play or concert, listening to music played on CD player, viewing visual arts in a book or on-line art gallery, watching a DVD of a dramatic or dance performance, or a music concert).

All learners have a right to an education that meets their needs through full participation and engagement with learning. Teachers need to enhance the quality of all students’ learning through responsive and planned learning programs that optimise achievement using inclusive practices.

Learners should have access to appropriate resources such as professional support staff; or adult assistance, and equipment such as assistive technology or modified facilities, as required. The Disability Standards for Education, 2005 outline the obligations that educational providers must meet in supporting the needs of students with disability through reasonable adjustments.

Adjustments include a range of supports and accommodations including but not limited to: supportive learning environments, tailored delivery models, visual and organisational supports, multimodal learning and assessment opportunities, varying levels of prompting and adult assistance. In the instance of online, distance or flexible delivery, adjustments may be made to the courses by teachers to suit the individual student’s learning environment. This may involve adaptation of the course to reflect the resources readily available to the learner within their home or community.

This course has complexity level preliminary to that of TASC Level 1.

This course has a size value of 15.

Tasmanian Certificate of Education: The qualifications available have a level of complexity preliminary to that of TASC Level 1. Achievement of the qualifications does not, therefore, contribute credit points towards meeting the participation and achievement standard of the Tasmanian Certificate of Education qualification.

Qualifications Certificate: The qualifications available can be listed on the Qualifications Certificate issued by TASC.

This course has four (4) Units. Learners will complete all Units.

UNIT 1 Safety and safe practices

UNIT 2 Prepare and participate

UNIT 3 Experience and respond

UNIT 4 Develop basic skills to create and express.

Each Unit will be completed within the context of at least one of the following genre:

• music
• dance/movement
• drama
• visual art (2d, 3d or electronic media).

To broaden their general understanding of the arts, it is recommended that learners have additional experiences in the other genres as a participant in the making/creating process. Learners are required to experience the Arts works of others as a viewer or audience member. These experiences will include: listen to music and/or voice (singing); and watching dance or drama. These experiences may also include viewing the visual art works of others.

UNIT 1 Safety and safe practices

Learners will:

1. Learn about the importance of safety
2. Learn about safety issues specific to their genre of choice
3. Act and use materials and equipment safely
4. Follow work, health and safety directives.

Topics for each genre may include (but are not limited to):

Music

• safe use of instruments
• safe storage of instruments
• safe carriage of instruments
• aural safety
• use of ear protection
• cords and leads
• electrical equipment
• placement of equipment.

Dance/Movement

• safe footwear
• appropriate clothing
• dance surfaces
• storage of belongings in the space
• warm-up
• injury prevention
• safe use of space
• jewellery and hair
• music volume
• safe use of lighting, props, staging materials.

Drama

• appropriate clothing
• safe use of space
• safe use of lighting
• safe use of sound and effects
• safe use of props and staging materials
• storage of theatre materials and equipment.

Visual Arts (2D, 3D and Electronic Media)

• safe use of tools
• safe use of materials
• safe use of equipment
• safe use and storage of medium
• protective clothing (where appropriate)
• electrical safety (where appropriate).

UNIT 2 Prepare and participate

Learners will:

1. Learn about the importance of preparing for class
2. Bring items required for class
3. Participate in class activities
4. Respond to instructions and directions.

Topics for each genre may include (but are not limited to):

Music

• bringing instruments to class
• bringing lyrics, music, charts (if appropriate)
• joining in class and small group activities
• working with others in a positive manner
• listening to advice from tutor
• responding to advice from tutor
• doing extra practise in preparation for next class.

Dance/Movement

• wearing or bringing appropriate footwear
• wearing or bringing appropriate clothing
• attending to hair tie-back, removal of jewellery
• joining in class and small group activities
• working with others in a positive manner
• listening to advice from instructor
• responding to advice from instructor
• rehearsing in preparation for next class.

Drama

• wearing or bringing appropriate clothing
• wearing or bringing any required costuming
• bringing any required props/materials
• joining in class and small group activities
• working with others in a positive manner
• listening to advice from instructor
• responding to advice from instructor
• rehearsing in preparation for next class.

Visual Art (2D, 3D and Electronic Media)

• bringing required tools/materials/equipment
• bringing medium as appropriate
• wearing or bringing personal protective clothing (if appropriate)
• joining in class and small group activities
• working with others in a positive manner
• listening to advice from instructor
• responding to advice from instructor.

UNIT 3 Experience and respond

Learners will:

1. Experience live arts events (where possible)
2. Experience recorded/video/filmed arts events
3. Discuss arts events
4. Respond to arts events.

Experiences for each genre may include (but are not limited to):

Music

• concerts
• performances
• recitals
• rehearsals
• visiting performers
• peer performers
• excursions
• artists in residence
• community events
• school/college events
• jam sessions
• workshops
• solo/ensemble events.

Dance/Movement

• performances
• rehearsals
• workshops
• visiting performers
• peer performers
• excursions
• artists in residence
• community events
• school/college events.

Drama

• performances
• rehearsals
• workshops
• plays and skits
• visiting performers
• peer performers
• excursions
• artists in residence
• community events
• school/college events.

Visual Arts (2D, 3D and Electronic Media)

• exhibitions
• showings
• openings
• gallery experiences
• excursions
• workshops
• artists in residence
• visiting artists
• film nights
• displays of artworks by peers
• community events
• school/college events.

UNIT 4 Develop basic skills to create and express

Learners will:

1. Experience instruction of basic skills and techniques, sufficient to give them an appreciation of the genre
2. Use their learning to create low-tech, rudimentary works in their genre of choice
3. Express themselves through performing/showing their works to others.

Instruction and creative activities for each genre may include (but are not limited to):

Music

• listening for elements of music (e.g. tempo, dynamics, instrumentation)
• listening to different styles of live and recorded music (e.g. rock, folk, country, classical, heavy metal)
• communicating individual preferences for pieces, style, artists and bands
• recognising emotional reactions to music
• making music from tuned and/or percussion instrument(s)
• expressing ideas and emotions by creating musical phrases, examples or short works
• playing music solo, in a duet, small group or ensemble without or without audience
• recording own performance for discussion.

Dance/Movement

• viewing for elements of live and recorded dance (e.g. choreography, theme, costume, music)
• viewing different styles of live and recorded dance (e.g. hip hop, jazz, ballroom, folk/cultural)
• communicating individual preferences for pieces, style, artists and companies
• recognising emotional reactions to dance
• making dance from given movements
• making dance from original movements
• expressing ideas and emotions by creating dance/movement motifs, phrases, or short works
• performing dance/movement phrases, in a duo, small group or ensemble without or without audience
• recording own performance for discussion.

Drama

• viewing for elements of live and recorded drama (e.g. acting skills, script/plot, role playing/characterisation, production tools)
• viewing different styles of live and recorded drama (e.g. comedy, puppetry, musical theatre, improvisation, mystery, pantomime)
• discussing individual preferences for plays, films, theatre, television shows, companies, etc...
• recognising emotional reactions to drama
• expressing ideas and emotions by creating simple drama works
• performing simple drama works solo, in a duo, small group or ensemble without audience
• performing simple drama works solo, in a duo, small group or ensemble with audience
• recording own performance for discussion and review.

Visual Art (2D, 3D and Electronic Media)

• viewing different types of visual art works such as:
  • 2D – paintings, posters, advertising, photographs, etc...
  • 3D – pottery, fabric creations, paper works, fashion art, etc...
  • video, film, television
• communicating individual preferences for different visual art forms
• using mediums appropriate to the art form (e.g. paint, ink, oils, clay, paper, fabric, recycled materials)
• using tools and equipment appropriate to the art form (e.g. brushes, plates, containers, hand tools)
• recognising the basic features of electronic media (e.g. music, action, characters, script)
• expressing ideas and emotions through the making of a product (e.g. painting, pottery, garment, video clip)
• presenting works to teacher/instructor
• presenting works to peers and/or a small group
• recording (photograph/video/film) own 2D/3D works for discussion.

Criterion-based assessment is a form of outcomes assessment that identifies the extent of learner achievement at an appropriate end-point of study. Although assessment – as part of the learning program – is continuous, much of it is formative, and is done to help learners identify what they need to do to attain the maximum benefit from their study of the course. Therefore, assessment for summative reporting to TASC will focus on what both teacher and learner understand to reflect end-point achievement.

The standard of achievement each learner attains on each criterion is recorded as a rating of ‘C’ (satisfactory standard) according to the outcomes specified in the standards section of the course document.

A ‘t’ notation must be used where a learner demonstrates any achievement against a criterion less than the standard specified for the ‘C’ rating. The ‘t’ notation is not described in course standards.

A ‘z’ notation is to be used where a learner provides no evidence of achievement at all.

Providers offering this course must participate in quality assurance processes specified by TASC to ensure provider validity and comparability of standards across all awards. To learn more, see TASC's quality assurance processes and assessment information.

Internal assessment of all criteria will be made by the provider. Assessment processes must gather evidence that clearly shows the match between individual learner performance, the standards of the course and the learner’s award. Providers will report the learner’s rating for each criterion to TASC.

The following process will be facilitated by TASC to ensure there is:

• a match between the standards of achievement specified in the course and the skills and knowledge demonstrated by learners
• community confidence in the integrity and meaning of the qualification.

Process– Each provider is responsible for ensuring the integrity and validity of their assessment results against the requirements of the course, including standards, and for maintaining records and documentation that will demonstrate the integrity, accuracy and validity of the award decisions they make each year.

Where TASC identifies sufficient potential for concern about the integrity or validity of a provider’s award decisions it will undertake an investigation. After such an investigation is completed, TASC may take action under Section 33 of the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification Act 2003 as it considers appropriate, including but not limited to:

• giving the school/college a direction in relation to the provision or assessment of the course (section 33 (2))
• refusing to accept results for this course from the provider (section 33 (4)).

The assessment for Expression Through the Arts will be based on whether the learner can:

• 1. apply safe practices
• 2. prepare for arts activities
• 3. experience and respond to arts events
• 4. express themselves through the creative process

Expression Through the Arts (with the award of):

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT (SA)

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT (PA)

The minimum requirements for an award in Expression Through the Arts are as follows:

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT (SA)
4 ‘C’ ratings

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT (PA)
3 ‘C’ ratings

The Department of Education’s Curriculum Services will develop and regularly revise the curriculum. This evaluation will be informed by the experience of the course’s implementation, delivery and assessment.

In addition, stakeholders may request Curriculum Services to review a particular aspect of an accredited course.

Requests for amendments to an accredited course will be forwarded by Curriculum Services to the Office of TASC for formal consideration.

Such requests for amendment will be considered in terms of the likely improvements to the outcomes for learners, possible consequences for delivery and assessment of the course, and alignment with Australian Curriculum materials.

A course is formally analysed prior to the expiry of its accreditation as part of the process to develop specifications to guide the development of any replacement course.

Version 1 – Accredited on 5 February 2014, operable from 1 January 2014 and with accreditation period expiring on 31 December 2018. This course replaces Expression Through the Arts (PRE012510) as TASC cancelled the accreditation of that course on 5 February 2014.

Version 1.a – Minor amendments to course content and standards. 20 December 2017