Effects of physical movement in rhythm instruction in early instrumentalist development

The focus of this study was to investigate if including physical movement in instruction improves instrumental music student's rhythmic abilities. Within the rhythmic instruction, the research study specifically focused on student's rhythmic ability and note reading improvements. Participants in this study included instrumental music students in grades four, five, and six, in a middle-class school district (N=18). The control group was given four weeks of traditional rhythm instruction, with a traditional counting method. The experimental group was given rhythm instruction incorporating physical movement over a period of four weeks. Prior to the lessons, both the experimental and control groups were administered a five minute pre-test of basic rhythms, on sight, with an accompanying pulse (music), on one notated pitch. After four weeks of treatment, the subjects concluded the instruction by taking a post test. The score improvement between the movement based instruction and the traditional instruction was evaluated by three judges. There were no significant differences found between the experimental and control groups.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A. Music Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Music

Year dc:date.available

2013

Author dc:creator

• Horne-Greene, Jessica

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dammers, Rick

• Instrumental music--Study and teaching; Rhythm
• Music Education

Repository record dc:identifier

https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/210

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:rdw.rowan.edu:etd-1209