This research aims to verify the effects of applying musical activities employing the sounds of nature on the enhancement of young children's musical expression abilities. The research questions established for this study are as follows:
Research Qu...
This research aims to verify the effects of applying musical activities employing the sounds of nature on the enhancement of young children's musical expression abilities. The research questions established for this study are as follows:
Research Question 1. Do musical activities employing the sounds of nature have an effect on enhancing the abilities of young children's musical expressions?
In order to test the above question, this research analyzed the sounds of nature and materials related to nature learning, domestic and foreign literature as well as pieces of research involved with young children's musical development and musical expression abilities, and relevant musical activities of the young children as a primary concern. The concrete musical activities were designed based on relevant literature reviews, and experts evaluated if the musical activities employing the sounds of nature could be applied in child care centers and its professionalism related to the musical activities contents as well. Through this process, this research constructed a system of young children's musical activities employing the sounds of nature and selected aims of the musical activities, contents, teaching-learning methods, and evaluations.
In order to enhance the musical expression abilities, the musical activities employing the sounds of nature was composed of sound exploration and sound listening, singing short-phrased songs in tune, making changes in high or low voices, listening to music, playing simple rhythm or melody patterns with rhythmic instruments, responding to musical expressions through physical expressions and movements etc.
So as to investigate the effects of the musical activities employing the sounds of nature on the enhancement of young children's musical expression abilities, total of 62 young children in 5-year-old classes in K Child Care Center and G Child Care Center located in Seoul city were randomly sampled, and the musical activities employing the sounds of nature was conducted with 32 young children in an experimental group and 30 in a comparative group. Young children having participated in this experiment are ones who have not previously participated in the musical activities employing the sounds of nature.
The musical activities employing the sounds of nature selected by this research was given to the experimental group, and the comparative group was given the musical activities by the traditional musical activities with the same number of sessions and activities. Field experiment of the musical activities conducted to both groups were carried out from September 6, 2011 to November 24 for 12 weeks, twice a week (for 25 minutes), 24 sessions in total. After completing applying the musical activities, post-tests were conducted with the experimental group and the comparative group using the same methods as pre-tests. The collected data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 15.0 Window after going through coding process, and ANCOVA of setting up pre-tests as covariates was conducted.
Results of analyzing effects of applying the musical activities through the above process are as follows:
First, it was found that scores of singing songs by the experimental group young children participating in the musical activities employing the sounds of nature were higher than those of the comparative group young children participating in the traditional musical activities showing statistically significant differences.
Second, scores of playing musical instruments by the experimental group participating in the musical activities employing the sounds of nature were higher than those of the comparative group participating in the traditional musical activities showing statistically significant differences.
Third, scores of physical expression by the experimental group children participating in the musical activities employing the sounds of nature were higher than those of the comparative group participating in the traditional musical activities showing statistically significant differences.
Fourth, scores of making music by the experimental group participating in the musical activities employing the sounds of nature were higher than those of the comparative group in the traditional musical activities showing statistically significant differences.
These findings indicate that methods of the musical activities employing the sounds of nature used by this research had more positive effects on 5-year-old young children's abilities in singing songs, playing musical instruments, showing physical expressions and making music. These positive effects suggest that the musical activities employing the sounds of nature is effective on the enhancement of 5-year-old-young children's musical expression abilities.