The Australian Curriculum: The Arts

Learning in Drama involves students making, performing, analysing and responding to drama drawing on human experience as a source of ideas. Students engage with the knowledge of drama, develop skills, techniques and processes, and use materials as they explore a range of forms, styles and contexts.
Making in Drama involves, improvising, devising, playing, acting, directing, comparing and contrasting, refining, interpreting, scripting, practising, rehearsing, presenting and performing. Students use movement and voice along with language and ideas to explore roles, characters, relationships and situations. They learn to shape and structure drama including use of contrast, juxtaposition, dramatic symbol, cause and effect, linear and episodic plot forms.
Responding in Drama involves students being audience members listening to, enjoying, reflecting, analysing, appreciating and evaluating their own and others’ drama works.

Both Making and Responding involve developing practical and critical understanding of how the elements of drama can be used to shape and structure drama that engages audiences and communicates meaning. Learning in Drama is based on two fundamental building blocks: the elements of drama and the ways that narrative shapes and structures dramatic action. The elements of drama work dynamically together to create and focus dramatic action and dramatic meaning. Dramatic action is shaped by dramatic tension, space and time, and mood and atmosphere to symbolically present and share human experiences for audiences.
(http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/TheArts/Learning-in-Drama)