Fostering Pre School Childrens social development - Why I will be adding songs to my classes

One of my inquiry questions asks how I can foster social and creative development in my classes.  I found this study through the Starcatchers blog which has encouraged me to include songs and singing in my dance classes.

The full article can be found here.

Over a month, 39 babies attended 12, 15 minute sessions in a lab with their parents. In groups of 2/3 babies sat with their parents. 20 children were assigned to the 'music group' where childrens tunes were played while they tapped out a waltz rhythm.  19 babies attended a session without music.

Both groups experienced active involvement and included body movements.  The key difference was whether the babies were moving to learn a musical rhythm.

After a week, the babies were placed in a brain scanner and the rhythms were played to them with disruptions in the music.

Results:  The babies in the music group has stronger brain responses to the disruption of the music and speech.

“Schools across our nation are decreasing music experiences for our children, saying they are too expensive,” Kuhl says. “This research reminds us that the effects of engaging in music go beyond music itself. Music experience has the potential to boost broader cognitive skills that enhance children’s abilities to detect, expect and react quickly to patterns in the world, which is highly relevant in today’s complex world.”

This study has encouraged me to use songs and rhythm exercises in my classes.

Laban Movement Theory

Whilst reading for my inquiry I came across this theory from 'Developmental Movement for Children' by Veronica Sherborne and found it may be useful to teachers and in particular will help me with my inquiry question 'How can I foster social and creative skills in my classes.'

Laban characterized movement into four parts

• Direction 
• Weight
• Speed
• Flow

With Direction, Laban describes 6 movements:

• High/Low
• Side to Side
• Backwards/Forwards

As a teacher, you can encourage children to move in ways that are normally neglected and thus enrich their awareness of the space.  I am going to try this in my classes and note down in my journal how the children react.  I already include a lot of High and Low movement in my classes so it will be interesting to see how the children react to more side to side movements and backwards movement and if I will see an improvement in these directions over the term.

The book states:

'If children have not developed awareness of their bodies, movement into space becomes meaningless and empty.  With the development of some body awareness, the spatial directions begin to have greater significance.'

Movement Qualities

There are eight movement qualities:

1. Strong
2. Light
3. Bound Flow
4. Free Flow
5. Direct
6. Flexible 
7. Fast 
8. Slow

When teaching or observing young children, 'we are mainly aware of one or perhaps two of these qualities.  It is rare to see as many as four at once.' 

As an Early Years teacher, this will help me with my classes as I can look for qualities that the children are less familiar with and try and try and develop these qualities with them. It will be hard at first but with the help of my journal I think this will help me to become a better teacher.