Background to the VELS – The Arts domain

Introduction

Essential aspects of Arts knowledge, skills and behaviour are the focus of The Arts domain in the VELS. The VELS describe learning students at each level will demonstrate through specific arts disciplines. This structure is different to that of the Arts Key Learning Area (KLA) in CSF II, where the specific characteristics of six arts disciplines are described as distinct strands, each with its own knowledge, conventions, skills and expressive forms.

The Arts domain structure in the VELS allows schools to develop programs based on specific arts disciplines, both as programs in their own right and as part of programs where learning in a range of strands and domains is interwoven in ways that are appropriate to the different stages of schooling.

For both the VELS and the CSF II, the organisation of the lower levels of schooling is different to the organisation at the higher levels. In both documents, this approach acknowledges students’ developing aesthetic sense and their capacity to respond to arts works in different styles and from different cultural and historical perspectives in their own works. At Levels 1-2 in the VELS, the Arts domain focuses on a single dimension which incorporates the two main emphases in arts education: creating and responding. From Level 3 creating and responding become the foci for two dimensions each of which draws on aspects of the other. In the CSF II, Levels 1-3 are organised in two strands – Performing Arts and Visual Arts, each with substrands focusing on Arts practice and Responding to the arts. Achievement of one outcome for each substrand is required at each level. At Levels 4-6 of the CSF II, individual arts disciplines are used as the strands and for each, the substrands of Arts practice and Responding to the arts are used. Achievement of two outcomes for each substrand is required at each level.

In the VELS, at Levels 1-3, all students should experience learning in Performing and Visual Arts disciplines and forms. At Levels 4-5, students should have experience in at least two Arts disciplines at each level. At Level 6, students should be able to continue sequential development of learning in arts disciplines they have undertaken in Levels 4-5. They may also engage in learning involving other arts disciplines to explore personal and/or vocational interests. 

The CSF II recommends that throughout the compulsory years of schooling, students should experience different arts disciplines. At Levels 1-3, students should experience both Performing and Visual Arts and at Levels 4-6, students should engage in at least two strands at each level.

Level 1

At Level 1, both the Arts VELS and the CSF II focus on students using a range of means offered by the arts disciplines to communicate ideas, feelings and experiences through creating and making arts works and talking about their own and others’ communication through arts works. Level 1 in the Arts domain of the VELS uses a single dimension – Creating and making where the CSF II uses two substrands – Arts practice and Responding to the arts. Aspects of the standard for Creating and making that refer to engagement with the processes and practices of exploring correlate with Responding to the arts but place students exploration and responses to their own and other people’s arts works as part of the creating and making process. Where the Arts domain uses a holistic structure that encompasses all arts disciplines at all levels, the CSF II Level 1 organises the arts disciplines into two categories: Performing Arts which can be implemented through Dance, Drama and/or Music and Visual Arts which can be implemented through Art and/or Media. Note that the Level 1 standard requires students to make and share performing and visual arts works.

The Level 1 standard includes generally similar requirements to those of the two CSF II Level 1 outcomes and will involve students:

• In Art, communicating ideas, feelings and experiences through making of two- and three-dimensional art works using art elements such as line (thick/thin), shape (round/square), space (big/small), texture (rough/smooth), colour and form (person/object). Students learn to manipulate a variety of media and tools as they explore a range of art forms and share ideas by presenting their work. As part of the art making process students share, look at and talk about their own and others’ art works found in familiar environments and learn about art forms that are a part of cultural events in their communities.

• In Dance, communicating ideas, feelings and experiences by exploring and using the dance elements of space, time and energy. They develop dance skills by exploring and using techniques and processes employing a range of whole body and body part actions and share dance with others in the classroom. As part of the dance making process, students talk about and share their own and others’ dance ideas and works that they have observed in the community and presented to other class members.

• In Drama, communicating ideas, feelings and experiences through improvisation using dramatic elements such as voice and movement. Students create imaginary worlds and characters to re-enact real and imagined situations using dramatic forms. Students share their drama ideas and performances with other class members and talk about their own and others’ drama and about their observations of characters and dramatic situations in the community.

• In Media, communicating ideas, feelings and experiences using media elements such as sound, colour, movement and light. Students choose and arrange sounds and images as they learn about a range of media forms. They share their media ideas and work with others and talk about their daily experience of the media and ways in which the media can be part of personal experience and cultural and social events in their community.

• In Music, communicating ideas, feelings and experiences by experimenting with the music elements such as sounds of different pitch (high/low), duration (short/long), dynamics (loud/soft) and tempo (fast/slow) and exploring ways of producing sound using their voices, body percussion, instruments and objects individually and in groups. Students use appropriate symbols to represent these elements and improvise patterns and soundscapes using appropriate techniques and processes to create their own music. They share music works through class performances. Students talk about music ideas and works they have heard in the community and performed themselves.

Level 2

At Level 2, both the Arts VELS and the CSF II, require students to identify, select and expressively use an expanding range of means offered by individual arts disciplines and continue the Level 1 emphasis evident in both documents, on communicating through creating and making their own arts works. The VELS requirement to identify, describe and comment on characteristics of arts works is similar to the requirements of the Responding to the arts outcome in the CSF II. As in Level 1, engagement with the processes and practices of exploring and responding forms part of the Creating and making standard. Whilst the Level 2 standard has a stronger focus on being expressive, than the equivalent Arts practice in the CSF II, it also reflects the essence of the scope of learning described in the CSF II for each of the arts disciplines.

The Level 2 standard combines generally similar requirements to those of the CSF II Level 2 outcomes and will involve students:

• In Art, communicating ideas in two and three-dimensional art works by selecting, arranging and making choices about ways of using art elements, such as line (continuous/broken), shape (geometric /irregular), space (crowded/empty), colour (primary/secondary), texture (real/simulated), form (imagined/observed) and tone (light/dark) in expressive ways. Students explore art principles such as pattern, contrast, repetition and symmetry. Through experimentation and practice, they develop skills in manipulating art materials and tools used in a range of art forms. They identify differences and similarities between art forms, discuss the making and presenting of their own and others’ art works and describe the use of art elements and expressive qualities.

• In Dance, making choices about the expressive use of the dance elements of space, time and energy to communicate particular understandings. Students develop physical skills through learning dance patterns and group formations and explore different ways of moving the body at and between spatial levels, using different directions and pathways. They use contrasting energy qualities when improvising dances and observe and talk about different body parts and positions, body shapes and actions, energy, levels, directions of movement, speed and rhythms. They identify ways their own and others’ dance works are made, presented and describe the dances and movements giving reasons for their preferences.

• In Drama, re-enacting situations and beginning to organise their improvisations; for example, choosing stories and adapting them for performance as well as adapting the playing space in order to make suitable settings for their improvisations. They make choices about the expressive use of dramatic elements, such as movement, voice and gesture and incorporate dramatic forms into their work. Students identify a range of dramatic elements, characters and situations used in plays and discuss places where drama is made and performed in the community. They describe aspects of performances such as the use of dramatic elements in own and others’ drama and discuss their preferences.

• In Media, communicating media ideas through visual, audio and print media production. They explore and arrange particular media elements, including images, words and sounds, in structured and expressive ways and make informed choices in order to present their ideas. Students present their media products for others to listen to, watch, read and discuss and explain how their media product was made. They describe the use of media elements and talk about their understanding of their own and others’ works, discussing their preferences. They identify differences and similarities between media forms, describe particular aspects of media presentations and identify why and how particular media productions are made, exhibited and distributed.

• In Music, creating and performing short vocal and instrumental works, making choices about the expressive use of music elements and the use of their voices, body percussion, acoustic and electronic instruments, and objects. They learn to recall and expressively perform short instrumental works, including those they have composed. Students identify and describe musical elements and the expressive qualities of sound such as pitch, duration, loudness and tone colour and distinguish between rhythm and beat. They learn to use and interpret a limited range of symbols to represent sounds and learn the skills and techniques that are used when performing with others. Students identify the ways their own and others’ music is made and places where music is performed. They listen to a range of familiar and unfamiliar music and discuss reasons for personal preferences.

Level 3

At Level 3, both the Arts VELS and the CSF II, require students to select and combine an expanding range of means offered by individual arts disciplines. Both documents require students to present, identify, describe and discuss the communication of ideas and feelings in their own and others’ arts works. The Level 3 standard for Creating and making emphasises communication of ideas and feelings but in the CSF II at Level 3 the word ‘communicate’ is only used in curriculum focus statements, not in the Arts practice outcome or indicators. The standard for Exploring and responding builds on engagement with the processes and practices of exploring and responding developed as part of the Level 1 and 2 Creating and making standards. Both documents focus on learning about arts works from students’ own and other cultures.

As with Levels 1 and 2, the standards reflect the essence of the scope of learning in the individual arts disciplines described in the CSF II. The standards also include the process of using feedback and self-evaluation to refine arts works which the CSF II does not require of students at Level 3.

The Level 3 standards involve students:

• In Art, selecting and combining a range of art elements and using a range of art forms, materials, techniques and processes to communicate ideas, observations and feelings and to develop ideas based on their own and other’ cultures. Students develop their understanding of the art elements of line, shape, tone, space, texture, color and form by exploring them with a range of art principles, such as contrast, repetition, symmetry and balance and also experiment with art concepts such as movement and proportion. They use this knowledge when planning art works for different purposes and audiences. They use appropriate art terminology to identify and describe key features of art works when discussing work from their own and other cultures and when communicating their intentions, choices and use of techniques as part of the presentation process. Students learn about features and functions of art in their own community and in other cultures.

• In Dance, selecting and combining the dance elements of time, space and energy to develop dance ideas. They learn about and use knowledge of devices such as repetition, unison and canon to plan, create and present movement sequences and short dances for particular audiences or purposes. Students perform and discuss dances from their own and others’ cultures. They evaluate their dance experiences. They use dance terminology to identify and describe features of their work. They identify the purpose and describe key features of a dance and the ways in which the elements of dance and presentation add interest and expression to movement in their own and others’ works.

• In Drama, selecting and combining drama elements such as voice, movement and gesture and dramatic forms. Students use the dramatic element of focus to assist in shaping their drama and develop knowledge and skill about ways of making and using stagecraft elements such as sound effects and props and incorporate them into their own improvisations. Students identify and describe key features of the drama of different cultures. They distinguish between acting space and audience space as they work in groups to plan, rehearse and present their work to particular audiences for particular purposes. They use appropriate drama terminology to identify and describe key dramatic features when discussing the making and shaping of their work or performances they have seen from their own and others’ cultures. They discuss the function of drama in the community.

• In Media, selecting and combining media elements such as words, sounds and images in different combinations and using media structures to order ideas and information about characters and sequences of events to create stories and present their media in the school. They work together to plan and make media productions, taking different production roles that draw on experience of media productions and knowledge of basic conventions as well as develop ideas based on their own and other cultures. Students consider the interests of particular audiences and how their media productions will communicate to an audience. They use appropriate terminology to identify and describe key features of media texts from their own and other cultures when discussing how these texts communicate ideas and are used for entertainment.

• In Music, selecting and combining the elements of music individually and in combination to communicate ideas and feelings and to plan, improvise and compose short works for particular purposes and audiences. Students use and interpret conventional and unconventional notation representing sounds of different pitch, duration, loudness and tone colour. They imitate and create rhythmic, harmonic and melodic patterns and use typical compositional devices from various cultures to compose/improvise/arrange, rehearse and perform short vocal and instrumental works from their own and other cultures. Students use appropriate music terminology to identify and describe key features and expressive qualities of music when discussing musical characteristics of their own work and works from their own and others’ cultures. They discuss the function of music in their community.

Level 4

At Level 4, both the Arts VELS and the CSF II require students to apply a range of skills using their continuously expanding range of means within individual arts disciplines. Students also present, evaluate, identify, describe, compare and discuss, using appropriate arts language, the communication of ideas and influences in their own and others’ arts works. The standards continue an emphasis on the communication of ideas but at Level 4 in the CSF II, the word ‘communicate’ is not used in the outcomes and is not always used in the curriculum focus for each arts discipline. The VELS require students to use evaluation to refine and improve their arts communication where the CSF II does not consistently acknowledge the value of evaluation at this level. Both documents acknowledge the influence of cultural contexts on students’ arts works and emphasise responding, through discussion, to arts works from different historical and cultural contexts.

One difference of note is that the standard at Level 4 for Creating and making refers to arts principles (compositional/structural conventions or devices) where in the CSF II, Art is the only strand (discipline) that refers to arts principles in the outcome statements.

At Level 4 when using:

• Art to address the Arts standards, students experiment with and use a variety of sources for inspiration and ideas to plan, develop, refine and make two- and three-dimensional art works that apply specific skills using a variety of media and techniques in a broad range of art forms. They select, combine and manipulate art elements such as, line, shape, tone, space, texture, color and form to demonstrate understanding of art principles such as, pattern, contrast, repetition and symmetry and explore the possibilities of art concepts, such as movement, proportion and perspective, to express ideas and communicate in visual ways. They individually and collaboratively use a range of presentation skills to plan and display their art works for different audiences and particular purposes. Students use appropriate terminology to identify and describe the use of the art elements, principles and expressive qualities as well as other stylistic features of contemporary and traditional art works. They compare personal opinions as they discuss the ideas expressed in their own art works and compare and respond to the content and ideas in art works from different times, places or cultures. Students discuss the various purposes and role of art, considering history and tradition, as they compare art works from different cultures.

• Dance to address the Arts standards, students individually and in groups, improvise and compose dance sequences using ideas about past and future times, different environments and cultural contexts. They learn dances representative of different cultural groups. They experiment with and manipulate the dance elements of space, time and energy and begin to use symmetry/asymmetry and different spatial groupings to organise their movement and express their intentions. Students plan, rehearse and refine dances and develop production skills related to performance spaces, such as lighting, props, costumes, sound accompaniment and scenery, to enhance the presentation of dances for a variety of purposes and audiences. They identify cultural influences on their dance and evaluate the effectiveness of own dances, reworking dances to their satisfaction. Students use dance terminology to describe components of a dance and make comparisons of dance, referring to differences in the application of dance elements and gender differences in dance with respect to times, places or cultures. They identify the features and purpose of dances from specific times, places or cultures giving opinions on effective expression through movement.

• Drama to address the Arts standards, students experiment with and use dramatic elements such as movement, voice, language and gesture to portray characters and dramatic forms to convey meaning through their improvisations and other dramas. They refer to stimulus material, pre-texts and other peoples’ playscripts for ways of structuring their work, dividing their improvisations into scenes in order to give focus to particular moments in the dramatic action and use linking devices such as song or frozen images. They work individually and in groups to present their work, using different performance spaces to suit different purposes. Students experiment with ways in which stagecraft elements such as sound accompaniment and lighting can be manipulated to create different effects. Students experiment with ways of including dramatic forms used in the performances of other times and cultures in their own work. Students evaluate the effectiveness of their drama in conveying intended meaning and use feedback to refine their own work. Students use drama terminology to describe their own and others’ drama works and identify the use of dramatic elements in their drama. They identify features of drama from specific times, places or cultures and describe the purposes of drama and theatre in the present and the past.

• Media to address the Arts standards, students develop media productions individually and in groups. They experiment with, select and combine media elements and apply a range of media equipment to produce longer electronic sequences, more detailed layouts and more involved stories to express ideas and experiences in different media forms. Students develop skills in preparing for a media production and present media products to suit different audiences and purposes. They approach media production in a collaborative way at the different stages of pre-production, production, post-production and presentation. Students identify and describe different aspects of own and others’ media productions. They describe different types of media texts and how media elements can be used to achieve particular effects in specific media forms and identify features of these media texts that locate them in different times, places and cultures. Students describe media technologies and identify the influence of production conditions and technology on media texts.

• Music to address the Arts standards, students manipulate the expressive qualities of sound to explore ways of communicating ideas using a range of compositional processes and knowledge of music from different times and places. They experiment with, select, match and combine music elements to improvise and compose individual and group works incorporating influences from their own and other cultures, times and places. They interpret and use conventional and non-conventional notation representing sounds of different pitch, duration, metre and volume in their own compositions. Students present works individually and in groups to a variety of audiences and evaluate the effectiveness of own compositions and performances. Students use appropriate music terminology to describe music elements and to identify and discuss musical features of a range of works from a variety of styles, cultures and times, including those by contemporary composers. They compare the ways in which music is made for specific purposes in particular times, places or cultures and identify social and cultural influences on own works. Students participating in an instrumental or vocal program develop their technical and performance skills and use them in a range of contexts.

Level 5

At Level 5, both the Arts VELS and the CSF II, require students to apply a range of skills in more complex ways using the continuously expanding range of means offered by individual arts disciplines. Both documents identify the arts disciplines of Art, Dance, Drama, Media, Music and Visual communication as those that will be the focus of learning programs. The VELS and the CSF II, where appropriate to the arts discipline, require that students individually and collaboratively plan, design, improvise, interpret, evaluate, refine and present arts works as well as use appropriate arts language to evaluate, identify, describe and explain the communication of ideas and influences in their own and others’ arts works. Both documents:

• acknowledge the influence of cultural contexts on students’ arts works and emphasise responding to arts works from different cultural and historical - particularly contemporary - contexts in terms of the ways arts works are made, the influences they reveal and purposes they serve
• call for students to make considered, informed decisions when making and presenting their own arts works as well as offering informed opinions about others’ arts works.

The Arts VELS requires students to ‘expressively communicate’ ideas where the CSF II focuses on developing ideas expressively. The Level 5 Arts standards do not focus on self-evaluation, students’ engagement in analysis or comparing arts works or responding to arts works ‘of different styles’ in the same way as the CSF II Level 5. Teachers are recommended to consider appropriate elements of the Level 5 standards for Thinking Processes, Communication and/or Personal Learning when assessing these aspects of student work. The Arts standard for Creating and making at Level 5 requires students to develop ideas that explore ‘issues’. This requirement is not included in any of the arts disciplines in the CSF II at Level 5.

At Level 5 when using:

• Art to address the Arts standards, students use observation and experience to generate and expressively develop ideas for both two- and three-dimensional art works. They use experience and experimentation to generate and extend real, imaginary and abstract ideas through research into a range of art forms and use skills, techniques and processes appropriate to these art forms. They develop skills in selecting, manipulating and combining appropriate art elements, including line, tone, texture, shape, space, colour and form. Through exploration of art principles, such as distortion, symmetry, pattern, contrast, emphasis, harmony and repetition, students learn about art concepts such as movement, perspective, unity, proportion and foreshortening; or the defining of a focal point or a particular viewpoint or mood. Students make individual contributions to the presentation of group projects or exhibitions for specific audiences. They consider purpose, space, lighting and security in relation to the art forms. Students use appropriate terminology when identifying features of art works and discussing opinions about intentions and the expressive use of art forms, elements, principles and concepts in their own and others’ art works, giving reasons for their opinions. They describe the way images and forms communicate ideas and feelings and ways in which art works are related to distinctive aspects of cultural and historical contexts. Students focus on recurrent themes in past and present societies and explain the purpose of selected art works in particular cultural and historical contexts.

• Dance to address the Arts standards, students use experience and experimentation as they explore real, imagined and abstract themes to generate and expressively develop ideas when making and presenting dances. They improvise, select dance sequences and compose dances individually and collaborative in groups using a range of dance making processes to structure the elements of dance. They rehearse, refine and present dance works for a range of purposes and audiences. They interpret and reproduce dance patterns and sequences using structured and sequential warm-ups, learning about injury prevention, alignment, focus and different releasing techniques. They develop awareness and control of movement through space, and accurately translate rhythms and notations of spatial patterns into movement. Students use and combine symmetry/asymmetry, contrast, repetition, unison and canon to organise sequences within the dance making process. Students learn about the close relationship between dance, sound or music accompaniment and production elements, such as lighting, costume, props and staging. They use appropriate dance terminology to describe, interpret and evaluate the making and performing of their own and others’ dances. Students use evaluation to reflect upon and modify their dance as appropriate. They explain how cultural and historical contexts influence their own dance. They describe the role of dances in particular cultural and historical contexts and discuss changes in the purpose and content of dance.

• Drama to address the Arts standards, students explore the dramatic potential of observation, experience and drama from other cultures and historical periods to generate and expressively develop ideas. Individually and in groups they experiment with dramatic and theatrical forms, styles and conventions to convey meaning. They use the skills of refining and shaping improvised drama to develop and sustain characters and situations and write scripts which incorporate dramatic elements and forms. Students experiment with ways in which a range of stagecraft elements can be used to convey intended meaning, structure drama presentations and enhance performance. They plan, rehearse and refine both improvised and scripted works for performance and experiment with staging possibilities to communicate their work to a variety of audiences in a range of settings. Students use appropriate drama terminology to discuss, interpret and evaluate their own and others’ drama. They identify distinguishing features of performances from different social and cultural contexts and discuss how cultural and historical contexts influence their own and others’ drama. They develop and express informed opinions about their own and others’ drama, identifying dramatic forms and styles and ways in which they are used to express ideas and feelings and meet specific cultural and historical purposes.

• Media to address the Arts standards, students use observation and experience to generate ideas for the organisation of sounds and/or images using a range of media forms. They refine skills in operating a range of equipment to develop understanding of production techniques and processes, and use these techniques and processes to order content and communicate ideas in their media productions. Students plan and structure their work considering the relationship between different aspects and elements of texts. They select, modify and revise their ideas to solve production problems and present their media productions for particular purposes, occasions and audiences. They explore the conventions of a range of styles and types of media productions. Students use appropriate terminology to describe, evaluate and discuss ways in which their own media texts are constructed as well as media texts from different historical periods, cultures and styles. Students describe conventions used in a range of production styles and program formats and describe ways in which conventions are used to convey meaning in media texts in different times and cultures. They explain the influence of social, technological and industrial conditions on media texts and productions and identify and describe media texts produced by commercial, non-commercial, government-owned and community organisations.

• Music to address the Arts standards, students explore the qualities of sound to express ideas, experiences and feelings, by improvising, composing, interpreting and performing music in a range of styles and forms. They use experimentation and a range of sound sources including vocal and instrumental, acoustic and electronic, to develop music ideas and produce individual and group compositions. They aurally recognise selected elements of music and make choices about and imaginatively combine the elements of music to expressively interpret music they create and perform. Students use conventional and unconventional notation. They effectively use spaces (venues) and appropriate sound equipment to present performances. Students participating in an instrumental or vocal program develop a higher level of technical and performance skills and use them in a variety of contexts. Students use appropriate terminology to identify and describe distinctive musical features of works from a range of musical styles, times and cultures. They identify elements within a work and describe how specific elements and qualities of sound are used to create expressive effects and how these elements are used in similar or different ways in other works. They evaluate the use of musical elements and the expressive and technical proficiency of their interpretations and use evaluation to refine their own compositions and performances. Students identify changes in the development of their own works and identify ways in which contemporary music, including their own, is influenced by cultural and historical contexts. They discuss the purpose of music in their lives as well as different purposes of music in past and present societies.

• Visual communication to address the Arts standards, students use observation, research or experiences for inspiration to generate and expressively develop ideas and messages in visual communication. They explore ideas and apply design elements such as line, shape, tone, texture, colour and letterform and principles such as figure and ground, hierarchy and pattern during the development of visual presentations and use a visual communication production process to develop and refine presentations. Students use appropriate two- and three-dimensional drawing systems and conventions and experiment with a range of materials and equipment, media and format in their visual presentations. Using the visual communication production process they define the purpose, need and audience of a given brief. Students use appropriate visual communication language to describe and discuss the work of a range of designers. They identify and describe the use of design elements and principles in a range of existing visual presentations. Students identify messages in visual presentations and evaluate their effect on audiences and also evaluate their own presentations with reference to purpose, client need and audience. They identify design aspects of visual communications in different cultural and historical contexts and describe the different purposes, meanings and messages and intended audience of selected visual presentations.

Level 6

At Level 6, both The Arts VELS and the CSF II, focus on style in the Arts with the intention that students explore the conventions of a particular style and demonstrate development of a personal style. Both documents require students to demonstrate technical competence in their use of skills, techniques and processes when engaging with the more specialised range of means offered by individual arts disciplines at this level. The VELS and the CSF II - where appropriate to the arts discipline - require that students individually and in groups, create, design, and refine arts works as well as use appropriate arts language to analyse, interpret and describe the communication of ideas and meaning in their own and others’ arts works. Both documents acknowledge the influence of a range of contexts on students’ arts works and emphasise the consideration of aesthetic qualities in own works and when responding to their own and others’ arts works from a range of contemporary, traditional, stylistic, historical and cultural contexts.

The standards dimension Exploring and responding requires that students refer to specific examples in the arts works they are analysing. This component in the processes of critical analysis is used when commenting on the impact of arts works on society and for describing ways arts works communicate and challenge ideas and meaning. Students were not required to refer to specific examples when commenting on other people’s arts works in the CSF II. The Level 6 standards do not include student use of evaluation or self-evaluation or require student engagement in comparing arts works or researching about arts works and about vocations and careers associated with the arts. Teachers are recommended to consider appropriate aspects of the Level 6 standards for Thinking Processes, Communication and/or Personal Learning when assessing these aspects of students’ work.

At Level 6 when using:

• Art to address the Arts standards, students investigate specialised two- and three-dimensional art forms. They explore issues, personal responses to themes and concrete and abstract concepts to develop art ideas. Students use a range of media to record, experiment with and refine ideas to develop art works influenced by the style of particular artists or cultures and develop their own art style. They explore compositional relationships when using and manipulating art elements, principles and concepts selectively and in combination. They investigate and show competence in their use of skills, techniques and processes to solve technical problems. Students plan and modify the presentation of art works, considering presentation qualities and visual effect and the requirements of a range of audiences. They reflect on their progress at each stage of the creative process and evaluate their work. Students use appropriate art terminology when making, discussing and writing about art. They focus on the development of particular art forms in a range of cultures. They describe the content and purpose of art works and compare themes, aesthetic qualities styles and artistic movements, focusing on cultural issues or influences. They apply knowledge of visual composition in their personal interpretations of the works of particular artists or styles, clarifying and reappraising their aesthetic preferences, and offer supporting arguments for their preferences. Students research and discuss ways in which technological change and scientific discovery have changed or influenced the shape and direction of particular art forms and how particular art works have communicated ideas that reinforce and challenge social, cultural and artistic values.

• Dance to address the Arts standards, students generate ideas both individually and in groups and communicate these ideas through the competent and refined use of dance elements, skills and processes. They draw on dance traditions and styles from a range of cultures and times to develop their own dances. Through solo and group improvisation, composition and performance, they adapt and use established dance structures and techniques. They demonstrate technical competence in making and presenting dance, using specific styles and forms and begin to develop a personal style. They create dances to meet the needs of a specific audience or for a particular purpose, using a variety of performance spaces and incorporate a range of production elements when presenting their dance works. Students apply specific dance terminology when creating and describing their own and others’ dances. They describe and analyse dance making processes, the use of elements, forms and modes in works from several cultures and from different periods in history. They compare meanings communicated by dances and explain ways in which dances reinforce or challenge social, cultural and artistic values. They evaluate own and others’ dance works and provide personal interpretations with supporting arguments about the qualities of dances. They discuss distinguishing characteristics of works in particular styles and analyse multimedia dance forms which reflect current usage of digital technologies.

• Drama to address the Arts standards, students develop drama ideas individually and in groups as they develop their acting and stagecraft skills applying them to both improvised and scripted drama. They create characters, write scripts and treatments and interpret texts, characters and scripts from a range of cultural and historical sources. Students identify themes and issues in their work and use dramatic elements, forms, styles and conventions to convey meaning to an audience. They design and construct sets, costumes and props, and consolidate their knowledge of stagecraft. They refine and present works for particular audiences and purposes. Students critically analyse and evaluate their own performances and those of theatre practitioners, using drama terminology. Students discuss the dramatic and theatrical styles, conventions and forms of selected cultures and historical periods. They identify characteristics of these forms that exist in present contemporary drama and theatre and demonstrate their skill in incorporating them into their own drama. They explain ways in which drama reinforces or challenges social, cultural and artistic values.

• Media to address the Arts standards students experiment with the properties of different media to explore ideas and learn about the aesthetics, styles and formats of a chosen medium. They use and manipulate media elements, techniques and conventions to develop media texts in specific styles and different media forms. They develop a range of skills when using different types of equipment at different stages of the production process for particular media forms. Students vary and adapt promotional material, for different media forms and show detailed planning in their media productions for a particular audience. They use appropriate media terminology and personal interpretations to describe the structure, content and aesthetic qualities of media texts. They use critical approaches to analyse and interpret media texts and demonstrate an understanding of the histories and traditions of the media of selected societies and different cultural groups. Students learn how audiences participate in the construction of the meaning of media and explain ways in which media texts reinforce or challenge social, cultural and artistic values. They learn how media organisations have evolved and compare production styles, treatment of themes and production intentions in media texts as they investigate the social and industrial contexts in which production, circulation and reception of media texts occurs.

• Music to address the Arts standards, students individually and in groups, explore processes for developing ideas for original works and interpretations. They draw upon approaches to composition evident in their own and other cultures. They develop a personal style as they create, perform and interpret instrumental and/or vocal works in a range of styles, demonstrating aural awareness and technical competence. They compose and arrange works, experimenting with ways of using the elements of music as well as skills, techniques and processes appropriate to the music style or genre. They prepare and interpret both conventional and unconventional notation. Students document the development of their ideas and choice of musical processes, using a range of formats and appropriate music terminology. They prepare and present works in selected styles, as a soloist, ensemble member and/or conductor catering for specific audiences and purposes. They use analysis and rehearsal to refine their interpretation and prepare musical works for performance. Students participating in an instrumental or vocal program develop a higher level of technical competence and performance skills and use these in a range of contexts. Students develop critical and aesthetic responses to musical works, styles and genres from a diverse range of cultural, historical and social contexts. They use appropriate terminology to describe, analyse and interpret compositional and expressive devices used in a range of works, including unity and variety, repetition and contrast, tension and resolution. Students explain ways in which music works reinforce or challenge social, cultural and artistic values. Students analyse works and performances and provide personal interpretations with supporting arguments about the qualities and distinguishing features of the works of specific composers, performers, particular styles and periods. They explain the impact of music derived from other cultures on contemporary performance and composition practices and research the ways in which technological change, including digital technology, has influenced the shape and direction of music historically and culturally.

• Visual communication to address the Arts standards, students interpret information from a wide variety of sources for ideas and use a visual communication production process to respond to a range of briefs representative of different fields of practice. They explore and develop ideas using a range of materials and media and use design elements and principles and a variety of production systems and related conventions. Students develop their understanding of the conventions and standards of technical, architectural and orthogonal drawing. They learn and experiment with freehand, instrumental and computer drawing techniques and processes and explore the use of mixed media in their two-and three-dimensional drawings. They develop individual approaches, skills and processes and use the most appropriate format for their intended solution. They explore the client-designer relationship and produce final presentations which meet the needs of a given brief for particular audiences. Students focus on the communication need of the work, considering layout and a range of presentations. They observe conventions but understand these may be varied to suit a particular audience or personal interpretation. Students refine their final presentations by evaluating mockups and assessing their effect on the target audience. They use appropriate visual language to describe and critically analyse work and demonstrate an understanding of histories and traditions of the visual communications of different cultural groups. Students analyse the visual communication work of others to develop an appreciation of contemporary design practices and describe the application of design elements and principles. They describe specific factors, such as technological change, and social and cultural events that have influenced the work of designers.