Digital Recorded Drama Exams

Part 1 – Assessment of pre-recorded pieces.

All Exam performance pieces (including sight reading) should be recorded. The pieces will relate to the specific exam chosen. Please refer to syllabus guidelines. Recordings may include:

  •  Drama
  • Poetry
  • Prose
  • Mime
  • Sight Reading
  • Improvisation

 Please note: Theory, literary background and conversation section in general is not recorded for Digital Exam. See teacher recommended marks for further information.

 

Please see examples below for Speech & Drama Grades:

  • Grade 1 to Grade 4 inclusive should choose their preferred book, as per the syllabus. A passage from this book should be read as part of your recording. It should not exceed 2 mins in delivery.
     
  • Grade 5 and higher, Unseen Sight-Reading sections – in fulfilling the requirement for unseen sight-reading, we ask that the teacher give their student appropriate reading, specific to their grade and ahead of their recording.

    For example, Grade 5 should read a passage of prose or verse provide by their teacher. Please remember that while it is allowed to glance through the reading before the recording, this should not be approached as a rehearsed reading. Approximately 2 mins in delivery but should not exceed 3mins duration.

We thank you for your continued support and cooperation with the online exams platform. Please contact examsoffice@riam.ie at or Chief Examiner for Drama & Communication if you need any further information.

In addition to above, there are a small number of exams where the student would normally receive titles on the day of the live exam. To facilitate recorded exams, we ask that your teacher provide a choice of titles where necessary and referring to syllabus.

Imagine the camera is your examiner / audience.  As with live exams, there will be times when direct speech is needed (into camera) but other times when staying in character is most important!

Please note that we have revised the Online Exam Submission process in order to make it more efficient, and to ensure that candidates avail of an experience as similar to live exams as possible.

Where possible Digital Exam submissions should be recorded in one complete take. If this is not possible separate takes of pieces can be combined. For full details please refer to the information found on our Online Exam FAQs page.

If recording in one take, it is perfectly acceptable to take a little moment between each exam piece to gather your thoughts, perhaps it might be necessary to move a chair, take a sip of water etc. This can be done briefly off-camera.

 

If student is under 18 yrs., there must be a parent/adult present for the duration of the exam. Parent/adult should introduce themselves and acknowledge their presence on camera, at the start of the exam. They should not however be visible during performance pieces.

PART 2 – Teacher Recommended Marks for Digital Exams

These marks are awarded by your teacher, in these special circumstances of digital (recorded) exams, where there is a Conversation / Discussion section. Please note that not all exams have a Conversation section (e.g. Recital Programmes).

The mark given by your teacher relates to specific exam/grade requirements in the syllabus and may include Communication Skills, Understanding of chosen work, Theory and Literary Background.

It should be a fair assessment of classwork, understanding of theory, knowledge of authors and chosen pieces. Please refer to syllabus for maximum marks possible in this section. For Example in Grade Exams-

  • Early Learning conversation is out of 50 Marks
  • Kindergarten Grade to Grade 8 is out of 20 Marks
  • Senior Certificate is out of 10 Marks

Teachers should base their recommendation mark on what they believe a student would achieve in normal live exam circumstances and may wish to reflect upon previous marks in these sections (if applicable) for guidance.

Submission Information 

THE RECORDINGS AND MARKS FROM TEACHER (WHERE APPLICABLE) MUST BE SUBMITTED VIA THE ON-LINE EXAM SYSTEM.

If you are a teacher completing the video submission, you can input the information directly. If you are a parent, you must request the recommended marks from the teacher before submitting the video.

Information for Parents

  • Fill in the correct details from your original application which you or your child’s teacher may have submitted originally.
  • Where unseen reading is required, please contact your child’s teacher (see above notes on sight-reading).
  • Please contact your child’s teacher for their recommendation mark, where required. Submissions cannot be completed without all required information.
  • You will be directed to a page to submit your video exam. Results, once processed, can be accessed on-line and results sheets will then follow via post to applicants.

Information for Teachers

  • Fill in the correct details from your original application.
  • If your student requires ‘unseen’ reading please forward to the student before they are due to record their exam (see above notes on sight-reading)
  • Please indicate your recommendation mark if required (see part 2 above) and forward to the person uploading the video submission. Submissions cannot be completed without all required information.
  • Parents/students (over 18) can submit videos themselves. Results, once processed, can be accessed on-line and results sheets will then follow via post to applicants.

The recordings and marks from your teacher (where applicable) are submitted via the online exam system.

How to Submit a Video

Please refer to detailed notes in How to Submit a Video Section.

For Drama and Communication Exams, it is important that all movement/facial expression can be captured clearly. The camera is allowed to move and zoom in and out for Drama exams once it does not affect the clarity of the video.

Camera / Device Settings

Please refer to detailed notes in “Camera/Device Settings" section of the Online Exam Submission Guide.

Further Information

For any further information,  please contact:

Exams Office examsoffice@riam.ie or

Chief Examiner for Drama & Communications ailbhemurphy@riam.ie