Mātauranga Māori constitutes concepts and principles that are richly detailed, complex, and fundamental to Māoridom. It is important to remember that the practice of these are wider and more varied than their use within the proposed NCEA Achievement Standards and supporting documentation.

We also recognise that the cultures, languages, and identities of the Pacific Islands are diverse, varied, and unique. Therefore the Pacific concepts, contexts, and principles that have been incorporated within NCEA Achievement Standards may have wide-ranging understandings and applications across and within the diversity of Pacific communities. It is not our intention to define what these concepts mean but rather offer some ways that they could be understood and applied within different subjects that kaiako and students alike can explore.

The intent of the Standard

Ākonga will demonstrate their ability to perform a scripted role using drama techniques.

Drama techniques include voice, body, movement, and use of space:

• Voice includes pitch, pace, pause, projection, tone, and volume.
• Body includes posture, gesture, facial expressions, and eye-contact.
• Movement includes pace, weight, energy, direction, and pathways.
• Use of space includes personal space and general space, levels, distance from other characters, and groupings.

For this Achievement Standard, ākonga will be able to continue their use of creative strategies from Achievement Standard 1.2 (Participate in creative strategies to devise a drama). In particular, practices of whanaungatanga, kotahitanga, and manaakitanga as they are integral in creating any performance. They serve as a foundation to apply drama techniques in a group context. Mahitahi is also inherent in the performance and use of drama techniques as ākonga must collaborate and work together to achieve a shared vision for the performance.

Making reliable judgements

Ākonga will demonstrate the ability to respond to and interact with other characters. They will be assessed on one singular performance of a role captured from a performance event they took part in at any point during the year. The role could be from an existing script or a devised work that has resulted in a written script.

Acting with, and reacting to, another actor, challenges ākonga to perform in the moment, maintain the shared vision, and channel the wairua of the play. Another actor could be either a classmate or another person of their choosing, approved by their kaiako. Potential barriers created through acting and reacting to each other allow for the development of focus, quick thinking, and resilience, which are required to create an effective performance.

Demonstrating deeper understanding of how to use drama techniques requires ākonga to convey a scripted role. To ‘convey’, in this context, means using drama techniques to effectively communicate the themes and messages of the script through their performance. To be ‘purposeful’ in the use of drama techniques means that ākonga are in control of their movement and voice, performing all actions with the intent and message of the text in focus. Delivering a ‘skilled performance’ means that the techniques are used with foresight and discernment, and in a manner suited to the themes and messages of the script.

To demonstrate high-level thinking, ākonga must ‘embody’ the scripted role. They are able to incorporate the themes and message of the script into their performance through the sustained and engaging use of drama techniques, resulting in a ‘convincing performance’. An example is a performance that prompts an immersive and impactful response from the audience.

Collecting evidence 

The performance event should be for a live audience, such as for peers, whānau, or general public, and it will need to be recorded for assessment.

The intention ākonga have for the performance must be apparent within the evidence they provide. For example, they may include a brief statement around how they intend to perform the role, taking into account their relationships to other characters they may be responding to, and the situation the performance presents to the audience.

Refer to the External Assessment Specifications for further information.

Possible contexts

This Achievement Standard provides opportunities for Aotearoa New Zealand contexts to be used to further ākonga experience of mātauranga Māori and theatre Aotearoa.

Standard Exclusions

This Standard has one or more exclusions, or Standards that assess the same or similar learning. These Standards are excluded against one another to prevent assessing the same learning twice. You can only use credits gained from one of these standards towards your NCEA qualification.

Find out more about the NCEA Level 1 Exclusions List.