Arts Curriculum: Pedagogy & Assessment

This report discusses the significance of the Arts for development and learning, the use of Arts as communication languages, the importance of creative learning environments, teaching strategies, and differentiated practices in the Arts curriculum. It also provides assessment strategies for drama and visual arts.

The Arts Curriculum
Pedagogy & Assessment

Table of Contents
Key research findings in relation to the significance of the Arts for development and learning3
The use of the Arts as communication ‘languages’ for young children ....................................4
The importance of creative learning environments, with particular emphasis on the role of
play to support young children’s creativity ................................................................................5
The rights of young children to use communication tools of their choice to make known their
feelings and views, detailing a range of such tools and how the teacher can facilitate students’
access to these tools ...................................................................................................................6
The range of teaching strategies which will be used to engage students’ learning in each of the
different Arts disciplines.............................................................................................................7
The differentiated teaching practices that could be employed to respond to different
backgrounds and abilities ...........................................................................................................8
Select 2 Arts discipline areas and identify the purpose, use and format of an appropriate
assessment strategy, and feedback and reporting strategy for each of these areas in Birth -5
year setting and an upper primary setting...................................................................................8
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Art pedagogy is defined as pedagogies for art work together like the web approach for
learning and teaching. An inclusive approach will help in fostering connections between
students, teachers and community in ways that will facilitate and enhance learning. The
following report includes various research findings that signify importance of arts for
development of students. There is discussion on use of arts as communication language. It
includes importance of creative learning environment, rights of young children to use
communication tools. There is also discussion about range of teaching strategies and
differentiated teaching practices. It also consists of two Arts discipline areas and identify the
purpose, use and format of an appropriate assessment strategy. The two art sectors included in
this report are drama and visual arts.
Key research findings in relation to the significance of the Arts for development and learning
Dramatic arts education is an essential means for stipulating creativity in problem
solving. This challenge perception of students regarding world and about themselves. Dramatic
exploration is helpful for students with an outlet for thoughts, emotions, and dreams to express.
Dramatic activity is a natural part of various children's lives before event starting school (Haslip,
M. J., & Gullo, D. F. (2018)). This is done by the means of making believe play, enabling for
making sense of own identity by exploring meaningful fictional situations. Drama is ideal for
for cross- curricular learning and this is a valuable tool that is used in various subject areas.
Drama helps in developing literacy skills. This supports listening and speaking that extends
vocabulary and encourages pupils for understanding and expressing different point of view.
Various dramatic activities helps in motivating children for writing a range of purpose. Drama
helps students for developing, discussing and dealing with difficult issues and expressing
emotions in effective manner. This enables them to explore own cultural values and of other
people. Students are able to think and act in creative manner and developing critical thinking
skills by drama. This will help them in building their future effectively. By using drama,
children of 5-6 years can be encouraged for taking responsibilities, roles and making choices.
This also helps in participation and guidance to own learning. Teachers are able to take an open
ended approach and concentrate on process of learning. Visual arts when implemented in
education at school can help students for bringing out creativity and developing their personality.

Children who are involved in performing arts can think in a creative manner and this improves
mental and imaginative skills of them. There are various forms of art that help in letting out one's
skills and emotions. Visual art includes different aspects like sketching, drawing, photography,
painting, textile design, sculptures, digital painting, etc. Visual art is appreciated by different
things like paintings, documentaries, short films, etc. it requires consistent practise for an
individual to learn visual arts. This helps in putting imagination and creativity concisely. There is
high importance of visual arts in life of kids. This enables building of their imagination power
and represent their ideas and thoughts in effective manner (Irby, D. M., & Hamstra, S. J. (2016)).
Visual arts skills helps in exploring and performing artistic skills, memories creativity and
imagination. This also affects student academics as learning skills are improved with the practise
of crafts and art. This also improves motor skills and techniques of various kind of brushes,
photography, colours, etc. Visual art is a way of representing an individual's feelings and
imagination. When students make arts and they get appreciation, it feels good and it improves
their performance and hence motivation in increased. Students who make visual arts refer to
work of the established artists. This helps in expanding knowledge regarding the visual arts
(Jung, J. H., & Pinar, W. F. (2015)). The education of visual arts will help in analysing, judging
skills and improving own skills.
The use of the Arts as communication ‘languages’ for young children
It has been said that art is one of the most influential as well as attractive method in order
to enhance learning skills of individuals and young children's. In the present context of young
children's, it is said that it is very essential for the people to adopt new and innovative techniques
in order to develop skills and knowledge of young children. For example, with the help of visual
art, young children will be able to improve their learnings and knowledge. In school teacher
often use drawing books or toys so that they can easily learn something new in unique and
innovative manner. This is one of the method largely used to increase the overall knowledge of
young children. On the other hand, in case of drama use of this type of art is quite attractive and
unique which helps in communicating with each other in an effective and appropriate manner. In
primary schools, teachers often use this method where they act in such manner that young
children will be able to learn poems or alphabets in an effective manner. Along with this, it has
been identified that generally young children learn and remember things which are presented in
attractive manner in front of them. Using these art form can increase the skills, knowledge and

learning of young children in an attractive manner and they can remember such type of things for
a longer of time. Therefore, it has been concluded that this is the method which increases the
knowledge of young children and can easily communicate their thoughts with others.
The importance of creative learning environments, with particular emphasis on the role of play to
support young children’s creativity
A creative learning style is more beneficial for students as it develops interest of students
for attending classes and learning at a faster rate (Obe, W. H. (2018)). Creative learning
environment or classroom has various benefits for students especially for children of 5-6 years.
Some of the benefits are listed below -
Learn with fun – Creative classroom provides an opportunity for students to learn with
fun. Different teaching activities like storytelling and skits will help to learn without pressure of
learning. Students are always fun loving and it includes creative activities with curriculum gains
interest for learning (Lim, L., & Apple, M. W. (Eds.). (2016)). Teachers must encourage this
type of quality students from the lower classes and inspire them for believing in own's creativity.
Freedom of expression – The creative learning classroom provides an opportunity for
expressing students their own thinking in an effective manner. Such classrooms include
interactive sessions for learning like debates, discussions, field trips, students have the chance of
taking participation in these discussions and making good and effective contribution.
Emotional development - Creative expression is necessary for a student to enhance
emotional development. This must happen at lower classes itself for growing up by responding
well to the happenings around them. Creativity provides freedom for exploring the surroundings
and learning new things from them. Students love classroom setting and this helps in exploring
freely without setting them any boundaries.
Enhancement of thinking capacity - Creativity helps in stimulating imaginative
thinking capability in students. Thus, teachers promote activities like open ended questions,
brainstorming sessions, creative team building activities, etc (Mattsson, T., & Lundvall, S.
(2015)). some of the teachers use these techniques tactfully for teaching tough lessons and
making students to learn with fun and ease. Different activities like puppet shows will keep
students feel interested in the learning sessions and flow of images in the minds provides
pleasure of creativity.

Reduced stress – Stress is common phenomenon caused during learning among students.
If students are involved in creativity and skill job, then it reduces stress upto a lot of extent. The
sense of joy keeps students relax and minimises anxiety. This helps in preparing well for studies
and managing work. Productive discussions must be encouraged and making classroom layout
more flexible is very effective in gearing up a creative classroom atmosphere.
Boosting problem solving skills – The brainstorming activities includes introducing
puzzles and stimulating skills of problem solving in students. Creativity can alter the way by
which students approach a problem and it can be optimistic for creating teaching sessions
attractive.
Improves focus and attention – The average span of a lower class kid is boring and they
lose interest in mid way. The involvement of creative teaching strategies like story telling, skits
and discussion helps in improving attention and focus and the study time will be more
productive. Creativity of students can be improved by playing memory games, taking regular
breaks and intervals and having flexible classroom environment.
The rights of young children to use communication tools of their choice to make known their
feelings and views, detailing a range of such tools and how the teacher can facilitate
students’ access to these tools
There are various tools that can be used by teachers of students of 5-6 years for making
them learn in classroom. All the communication tools promote more personalised and
meaningful learning for students. These tools are used for enhancing, amplifying and facilitating
deeper and more authentic learning. Students are able to learn things in more appropriate manner
by these tools (Orr, S., & Shreeve, A. (2017)). Some of the tools are discussed below - Buncee is defined as a web based tool which is used for creating presentations,
interactive lessons and more. In this application, there are many tools for different
characters, fonts, animations, video, etc.
 Piktochart is a tool for creating infographics, social media flyers, engaging
presentations. Students are provided menus, self-descriptions, movie and tv
advertisements, recipe presentations. Visme is a “drag and drop” tool that is easy to use for creating infographics, reports,
different presentations and more. It has a library full of images, charts and more, making

it easy for users to create exactly what they need. Teachers use this tools for making
effective presentations.
 Padlet – This is a virtual wall that promotes communication, collaboration, creativity
because of the versatility (.Shawer, S. F. (2017)). Students are allowed to work in groups
and they are allowed to perform various activities.
 Recap is a video response tool where students respond to a prompt and all responses are
compiled into a daily reel fro teachers. This helps in viewing videos based on different
topics.
The range of teaching strategies which will be used to engage students’ learning in each of the
different Arts disciplines
Teaching strategies for visual arts Cooperative learning - This technique helps in working as a team for accomplishing a
common learning goal (Tan, C. (2016)). A group of students can work together for
preparing small skit, role play, dance, musical role play, etc. Discussion - Discussion is a cooperative strategy through which students explore their
thinking, respond to ideas, process information, and articulate their thoughts in exchanges
with peers and the teacher. Discussion can be used to clarify understanding of concepts,
ideas, and information.
 Graphics and videos – This is used by teachers to make their students learn about
different topics of class (Wyse, D., Hayward, L., & Pandya, J. (Eds.). (2015)). Several
movies, videos and short films are showed to students for enhancing their learning.
Teaching strategies for drama Drama games – The exercise, drama and activities are used for introducing students to
drama. Such activities tend to be less intrusive and highly participatory. There are various
books which have been written on using drama games which can serve as good resources
for every resource that is wanting to incorporate drama games into their work.

 Choral speaking – This includes students reading aloud by assigning parts to each and
every group member. Choral dramatisation can use various texts like poetry, rhymes,
picture books, graphics, etc. Students can experiment with sound gesture, voice and
movement.
 Improvisation - This is practise of learning and acting of creating and making. This is in
response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment. This is a great introduction for
role playing. Students focus on position, expression and creativity in skits.
The differentiated teaching practices that could be employed to respond to different backgrounds
and abilities
The teaching practise differentiation includes efforts of teachers for responding to a
variance among learners and students of the classroom. When teacher reaches out to individual
or small group of students for creating best learning experience possible . Teachers can
differentiate at least four classroom elements that is based on interest, readiness, learning profile,
etc. These are mentioned below -
 Content – what the student needs to learn or how the student will get access to the
information
 Process – activities in which the student engages in order to make sense of or master the
content
 Products – culminating projects that ask the student to rehearse, apply, and extend what
he or she has learned in a unit
 Learning environment – the way the classroom works and feels.
Select 2 Arts discipline areas and identify the purpose, use and format of an appropriate
assessment strategy, and feedback and reporting strategy for each of these areas in Birth -5
year setting and an upper primary setting
Discipline Purpose Assessment strategy Feedback and
reporting strategy

Visual arts The main purpose of
this is to bring out
creativity and develop
individual's
personality.
Portfolio strategy is
used for analysing
student's visual arts
skills.
Feedbacks are taken
from students whether
they are developing
creative skills or not.
Drama The aim of drama is to
develop a student's
creativity and
emotional skills.
Feedback strategy is
used for analysing
students of drama.
Teachers collectively
make students to learn
what are the necessary
skills for developing
drama skills.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion, it is concluded that drama and visual arts must be the part of
primary education for students of age around 5-8. This will help in developing creativity skills
and abilities that will help in becoming expert in acting. Visual arts consists of different art forms
like drawing, painting, sculpture. Film-making, textile arts, etc. This also consists of fine arts and
decorative arts and crafts. This helps students to develop their interest in architecture. Earlier
people are more creative as their interest was in arts but nowadays students are not given time to
concentrate on art and design. This has diminished the value of creativity and skills among
people.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Haslip, M. J., & Gullo, D. F. (2018). The changing landscape of early childhood education:
Implications for policy and practice. Early Childhood Education Journal, 46(3), 249-
264.
Irby, D. M., & Hamstra, S. J. (2016). Parting the clouds: three professionalism frameworks in
medical education. Academic Medicine, 91(12), 1606-1611.
Jung, J. H., & Pinar, W. F. (2015). Conceptions of curriculum. The SAGE handbook of
curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment, 29-46.
Lim, L., & Apple, M. W. (Eds.). (2016). The strong state and curriculum reform: Assessing the
politics and possibilities of educational change in Asia. Routledge.
Mattsson, T., & Lundvall, S. (2015). The position of dance in physical education. Sport,
Education and Society, 20(7), 855-871.
Obe, W. H. (2018). The teaching of science in primary schools. David Fulton Publishers.
Orr, S., & Shreeve, A. (2017). Art and design pedagogy in higher education: Knowledge, values
and ambiguity in the creative curriculum. Routledge.
Shawer, S. F. (2017). Teacher-driven curriculum development at the classroom level:
Implications for curriculum, pedagogy and teacher training. Teaching and Teacher
Education, 63, 296-313.
Tan, C. (2016). Teacher agency and school-based curriculum in China’s non-elite
schools. Journal of educational change, 17(3), 287-302.
Wyse, D., Hayward, L., & Pandya, J. (Eds.). (2015). The SAGE handbook of curriculum,
pedagogy and assessment. Sage.