Aboriginal ways of learning

Teaching strategies

During the rehearsal phase, students can:

• meet in their yarning circle each lesson to agree on their purpose for the performance and for the day’s rehearsal.
• make the links to their significant place clearer.
• make sure there are clear points of tension in their performance.
• create a clear actor-audience relationship in the space.
• make sure they are sharing the story with their audience.
• work to control character, transitions, stage action, focus and tension.
• find a moment for every group member to be the point of audience focus.
• create a shared focus as the ensemble.
• regularly show their work to teacher and peers for feedback.
• time their piece.
• refer to and further develop their learning maps.

Students should also ensure that they are meeting all the requirements of the task:

The 4-6 minute group devised performance should share a story that is clearly linked to and inspired by land and place. The structure of the story should be non-linear and may include flashbacks, a narrator and/or be retold from multiple points of view. Performances must include some use of movement and image to communicate dramatic meaning non-verbally.