The Certificate in Dance Education focuses on equipping candidates to train dancers in Graded examinations up to and including Levels 1 and 2 of the National Qualifications Framework.
The objective of this qualification is to provide the practical and theoretical knowledge and understanding to become a teacher of dance.
The candidate is required to undertake tutored teaching practice at a minimum of two different levels and study the theoretical aspects of teaching up to and including Intermediate.
The candidate maintains a portfolio of evidence of all units of the qualification which is moderated and standardised by the ISTD prior to certification.
The qualification has been accredited by QCA (Accreditation Number 100/4788/8) at level 4 of the National Qualifications Framework which is roughly equivalent to the first year of a degree course.
Target Candidates
Minimum age: 18 years within the academic year in which they are registered
Prior qualifications: Advanced 1 examination of the ISTD or other QCA-approved awarding body in the chosen dance genre along with the Foundation in Dance Instruction
Successful completion of the Foundation in Dance Instruction is required before proceeding to the Certificate in Dance Education as the principles acquired in the Foundation in Dance Instruction are applied in the practice of teaching.
The specific qualification breakdown is as follows:
Module 1 – Teaching Skills
Module 2 - Contextual Studies
Module 3 - Dance Practice
Module 1 – Teaching Skills
This module is common to all dance genres and once attained does not have to be retaken when qualifying in another genre. This Module is assessed by the candidate's Tutor.
Units 1, 2 and 3 are delivered in a cross-modular approach due to the inter-relationship of the subject matter. The candidate is observed teaching at a minimum of two different levels for at least 10 hours prior to the 1¾ hour final teaching assessment conducted by an ISTD appointed assessor. The formal assessed teaching practice lasts a minimum of 10 hours, but tutors may wish candidates to undertake extra hours of informal teaching practice. It is not essential that the teaching practice is confined solely to one dance genre.
Unit 1 - Planning Techniques in Dance Teaching
The candidate studies current practice in dance education and learns how to evaluate, produce and manage lesson plans/schemes of work relating to their personal teaching practice.
Unit 2 - Dance Teaching Practice
The candidate:
- is allocated an ISTD school to undertake the required number of hours of supervised teaching practice. This will be at two sepa ate designated levels from Primary to Intermediate. This is monitored by an ISTD-registered tutor
- teaches a series of lessons (10 hours min) divided between the two design ated levels
- prepares individual and appropriate lesson plans as a teaching aid for the required teaching activity
Unit 3 – Evaluation of Dance Teaching Practice
The candidate formulates effective formative and summative assessments in the support of teaching and learning methods. This includes:
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Module 2 - Contextual Studies
This module is common to all dance genres and once attained do not have to be retaken when qualifying in another genre.
Unit 4 - Promotion of Health and Safety in Dance
Unit 5 - Lifespan Development and Learning in Dance
These two units have individual Course Books which have been written as distance learning packages from which candidates can work in their own time with the support of their tutor or with the help of a distance learning tutor.
There are optional learning activities throughout the course book and also a task at the end of each section which must be completed by the candidate and marked and signed off by their tutor before they are able to enter for the Examination in each unit.
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Module 3 - Dance Practice
This module is specific to each dance genre and the candidate may choose to take this module more than once to pursue the study of different dance genres.
Unit 6 - Dance Practice within a Chosen Dance Genre
The candidate studies a wide range of resources that develop and enhance personal learning, communication and delivery skills with a view to demonstrating, analysing and teaching a range of technical movements within a specific dance genre in a musical and artistic context. These skills include:
- the technical specifications of a chosen dance genre up to and including Grade 6 or Gold (Dance Sport), Intermediate Foundation (for some dance genres) and Intermediate
- instructional technique
- observation of the physical and cogn it ive development of students
- demonstration of musical awareness
Unit 7 – The Relationship between Music and Dance
The candidate is provided with a greater awareness of the value, function and relationship of music and dance and the opportunity to study and undertake personal choreography and will:
- study the use of music in relationship to the chosen dance genre
- devise dance sequences in a specific genre
- undertake the choreography of a solo at Intermediate level
- increase and develop personal musicality
Both Units 6 and 7 are assessed together by an ISTD examiner. The examination is in the form of an oral and practical assessment and both units combined last 90 minutes.
Unit 8 - Background to a Chosen Dance Genre
This unit is assessed in the form of a 2000 – 2500 word essay.
The candidate should select a person, company, aspect of style or historical period relating to their chosen dance genre. This can either be the same topic as chosen at Foundation level or a different one.
The candidate should formulate an essay question which allows them to critically engage with the topic and evaluate the impact of their chosen aspect on the development of their genre. The essay should not be a straight forward narrative or biographical account.
Comprehensive information regarding the Certificate in Dance Education is available from Approved Dance Centres in the form of a qualification syllabus. This syllabus is also available from the Education and Training Department at ISTD HQ. To request a copy by email please click here.
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