Topic > Musical Movement Program in Education

Previous studies implementing musical movement programs were largely focused on preschool education and supported the effectiveness of these programs on preschoolers' locomotor development, rhythmic ability and on the cognitive development of preschool children. Furthermore, Tsapakidou, Zachopoulou and Zografou (2001), based on the musical movement methods of Orff (Keetman, 1974) and Dalcroze (Bachman, 1991), found that their implementation over a period of three months improves pupils' spatial perception between the ages of 4 and 6 years, the reaction to a sound stimulus, rhythmic ability and the ability to make decisions. However, the number of studies investigating the effects of musical movement programs on elementary and secondary school children is rather limited. Notable exceptions are the studies of Chatzipandeli, Pollatou, Diggelidis, and Kourtesis (2007), Likesas and Zachopoulou (2006), and Lykesas, Koutsoumba, and Tyrovola (2009). These studies also suggested that musical movement programs can influence pupils in various factors. More specifically, Chatzipandeli et al. demonstrated that a program including exercises with music improved the manipulative skills of early primary school students. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. Similarly, Likesas and Zachopoulou (2006) indicated that a musical movement program increases elementary school students' enjoyment and intrinsic motivation while teaching them traditional Greek dances during physical education class. Lykesas, Koutsoumba, and Tyrovola (2009) examined secondary school pupils' creativity during traditional dance lessons, indicating a strong effect on it. Furthermore, Murray (1975) recommends that teachers use dance in elementary education because of its effectiveness on parameters of rhythmic skills and many other locomotor and non-locomotor skills. This evidence demonstrates that rhythmic exercises can be applied effectively in a wide range of primary school classrooms to promote pupils' locomotor skills. However, such activities are typically integrated only in the first three grades of elementary school. However, past evidence has shown that simple rhythms (e.g., 2/4, 6/8) can be used for younger pupils aged 6 to 8, while more complex rhythms (e.g., 7/8 and 9/8) can be used in older primary school pupils (Serbezis & Panagopoulou, 2008). Furthermore, rhythms with a regular temporal structure are distinguished and reproduced better than irregular rhythms (Grahn & Brett, 2007; Patel, Iversen, Chen, & Repp, 2005). Such rhythms have been found to effectively increase the pupil's rhythmic ability (Pavlidou, Mertzanidou, & Zissi, 2009). Importantly, as Zachopoylou et al., (2003) noted, these activities are fun and do not require special equipment. Typically, national physical education curricula reduce the time devoted to musical movement education in the upper grades of elementary schools in favor of games and activities. sports (Hardman, Klein, Patriksson, Rychtecký and da Costa, 2008). However, musical movement education in these classes can still help pupils increase their locomotor development and learn sports skills better. In this sense, musical movement education should be integrated into physical education lessons. A possible way to do this without interrupting the teaching of other physical education subjects, but by assisting it, would be to integrate musical movement exercises.