LAMDA Exams - does anyone's DC do them?

[SaveMeNow]

I am looking into them for my dd - (6) and was wondering how people manage the preparation? She attends Youth Theatre on a Saturday morning but they don't offer them there but I don't want her to change drama school as she loves it there. She spent years in Speech Therapy for Speech delay and although she has now been discharged she still gabbles so I think it would be good for her -plus she loves her drama. I was wondering what grades peoples dc do at different ages and what sort of preparation is involved?? Thank you!

[sweetiepie1979]

Hi, I'm a LAMDA teacher. For a 6 year old you would probably begin with an entrance exam you can download the communication syllabus on the LAMDA website. I usually put my kids in for 1/2 exams a year depending on their ability and grade. I teach a lot of children who have been discharged from speech therapy but need to continue work on placement and pronunciation and of course confidence. I think LAMDA exams are fab for confidence the examiners are always lovely and the children get so much from it. They usually perform a poem and a prose piece then have a chat with the examiner about the language in the pieces and the content/story. Any more questions I'm happy to help.

[SaveMeNow]

That's great - thank you!! It seems like the right thing to do - but very reassuring to hear that you get lots of SALT 'graduates'. So would you recommend weekly lessons all year round with roughly an exam every 6 months (subject to ability-obviously!)??

I had a look at the LAMDA syllabus on the website but I was struggling a bit to figure out what age/stage the different levels were aimed at? My DD is 6 (just finishing year 1) - but has reading/comprehension age that's much higher so I wasn't sure whether she should do the entrance level or Grade 1. She has no problem with memorising things and often has loads of lines to learn for drama so that doesn't cause a problem. Difficult to figure out what to base it on!!

[sweetiepie1979]

I would go for entrance exam because it's her first and she's only 6. If she is super confident on and won't mind in her own in a room with an examiner then ok grade 1 but at 6 first exam if go gentle, though only you an teacher know. I've taught 50 year olds who began with an entrance exam. That is why there is no specified age range anymore. It's up to individual/teacher.

[SaveMeNow]

Ah - just spotted the Entry level exam. This is different to the Introductory levels?? So confusing!!

[sweetiepie1979]

Ooh now I haven't got a syllabus in front of me. There are performance and communication exams. I think it could be called one intro on one and entry on the other. Can't remember. Sorry

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Until a few years ago Lamda used to specify minimum ages for the Grades (and asked for dates if birth). Now the restrictions are only suggested not mandatory.

The Introductory Exams (introductory, preparatory & preliminary )had a minimum age of 5-7 years

Entry Level was minimum age 8 and you had to be 9 years old in the day if the exam to do Grade 1

Now they just state that they do not expect anyone under 14 years to take Grade 6.

Dd is 11 and took Grade 2 when she was 10 last year (the old rules applied when she began aged 5)

I would personally enter a 6 year old for introductory and see how they got on. My 8-10 year olds tend to do Entry and my 10-12 year olds Grade 1 (dependent on ability)

[Picturesinthefirelight]

The levels go:

Introductory (Intro, Prep & Prelim)
Entry
Level 1 (Grades 1-3)
Level 2 (Grades 4-5)
Level 3 (Grades 6-8)

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Most of my students opt for acting rather than poetry/prose but that syllabus only starts at Entry Level The communication syllabus starts at Introductory. .

[SaveMeNow]

That's really helpful - thank you!! I don't want to be starting with Grade 1 then!! So really it will either be Intro (Prelim) or Entry level. Probably makes sense to try and do Intro (Prelim) fairly quickly then start working on the Entry level over a longer period??? Is there a set number of preparation hours per exam like there is for the RAD ballet exams??

[Picturesinthefirelight]

We offer them alongside group drama lessons. The students have 10 minutes a week for intro and 30 mins a week for Grades 1-3 private lessons for about 6-8 weeks before sitting the exam.

At dd's academic school they have a half hour group lesson at lunchtime every week of the year and do 1 exam a year.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

For Intriductory levels they have to learn 1 poem then take an object into the exam (toy, picture or book) to initiate a conversation.

For Entry Acting they have to perform 1 dramatic monologue and answer questions about their character and the mood.

For Entry Poetry they perform two contrasting poems and answer questions about the meaning if the poem & individual words and about how it tells a story/paints a picture etc.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Hi Pictures

I don't know if you can remember but I posted very similar a while back and you were very helpful. We haven't booked any lessons yet as hard to find the time.
Just wanted to thank you again and sabotage this thread for a moment.

Do you need to take all the exams in succession or can you skip a couple and take a higher one, like in music exams?

[Picturesinthefirelight]

No you can skip some like music exams and older students often do as long as you make sure they've covered all the theory elements of the lower grades.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Thank you Pictures

This is good as time and money don't permit dd to have lessons yet, although we know this would be good for her.
It does sound like a good aid for those having had problems with speech.

[Arnold106]

This post seems old ! My son is six he is doing grade 2 now verse and prose

[Comefromaway]

Age 6 is incredibly young for Grade 2. I would worry that as he goes through the syllabus some of the set pieces start to become more age inappropriate in content and the theory becomes harder.

[Arnold106]

That’s true atm the content is fine, if that were to happen I will switch him to public speaking and take it from there . I believe he is the youngest to reach this stage

[JustOneMoreStep]

I wouldnt worry about what level to work on if you are planning on using a specialist teacher. They will decide on what level and material is most appropriate for each individual child. For reference, Ive just had a 12yo do grade 4 and a 10yo do grade 3 (and both got distinctions) musical theatre.

[Arnold106]

Yep that’s right , he hasn’t done musical theatre as of yet I’m sure he would love that . He has a new teacher and she spent 4 lessons working with him and now decided to do his grade 2 she told me he chooses 1 and the other one needs to be chosen with her is that right ?
The other teacher he had always choose both poems with him .

[Comefromaway]

What she means is that one is chosen from the LAMDA anthology and the other is a free choice.

Most teachers have a list of tried and tested pieces as young children won’t have the repertoire. However at Grade 2 the requirements changes from 2 poems to one poem and one piece of prose but for the prose you have to read the whole book so they often say pick an extract from a book you already own or have read at school.

[Arnold106]

Thanks for that info