Assessment in Drama

How will teachers know what students learn?

Checking how much students understand can be different depending on their grades. Assessments can be formative or summative, both in the process of drama-making in the classroom and drama performance on the stage. These assessments can be about many different subjects, like math or reading, or simply about what students learned in drama.

For all learners, teachers can observe how effectively students use actors' tools to communicate the content of what they have studied or learned in the classroom. Specifically, teachers can evaluate:

• participants' capacity to remain in role and stay involved in the pretending elements of a story or historical scene,
• how students can retell a plot line,
• whether or not students can demonstrate respect for the thoughts of others, or
• how well the students give constructive feedback and incorporate others' suggestions into their work.

Listening, working cooperatively, observing details, and responding appropriately to other learners are additional elements that can be included in summative assessments for learners of all ages.

For younger children, summative assessments focused on drama work might include basic self-evaluations, answering questions like these:

• Was I able to perform my part?
• Did I help others?
• Did the audience hear me?

Drama-based self-assessments for older students can be more specific. They may include multiple categories for evaluating job performance as a performer, designer, director, writer, choreographer, or backstage project manager. These assessments can also include specific evaluations of learning choices that might apply to other curricular areas, including meeting deadlines, learning new things, and taking creative risks. 

A Framework for Assessing Drama in the Classroom

The framework below offers specific ideas and thought-provoking questions for creating an individualized and distinct assessment tool that can be used in drama work or drama-integrated learning in other areas.

1. Teachers can decide what students will be expected to demonstrate. Consider what evidence of student learning needs to be seen, heard, or read that will demonstrate understanding. Assessment may be of learning objectives in another curricular subject, relate solely to drama, or both. 

2. Build an assessment tool, such as a rubric, checklist, guideline, etc., that teachers and students can use. 

3. Let students work, process, revise, and perform.

4. During assessment, teachers can observe and ask the following questions:

• Does the students' acting (body, voice, movement, creative choices) demonstrate what they know? How?
• Does the way the students use space demonstrate what they know? Provide evidence.
• Does the content of what the students say demonstrate what they know? Describe how you came to this conclusion.
• Does the way the students say words, make sounds, move their bodies, engage the other actors, and/or engage the audience demonstrate what they know? Explain what you notice about these connections.
• Does the way the group scripted their work demonstrate what they know? What do you see that supports evidence of learning?
• Do the creative choices including design, character work, and staging demonstrate what they know? How did you come to this answer? 
• Does the way the group worked together demonstrate what they know? Explain your observations.