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Research in Dance and Physical Activity
[ Article ]
Research in Dance and Physical Education - Vol. 5, No. 3, pp.51-65
ISSN: 2586-1034 (Online)
Print publication date 31 Dec 2021
Received 31 Oct 2021 Revised 10 Dec 2021 Accepted 20 Dec 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26584/RDPE.2021.12.5.3.51

Playdancing for Special Children

JuanAnn Tai*
Tainan University of Technology, Taiwan, Professor

Correspondence to: *Email address: anntai62@hotmail.com

Abstract

Playdancing, a pedagogic method that incorporates the functions of play into dance, is used as a tool for improving special children’s learning ability. This article discusses a research project whose goal was to help mentally challenged children to improve their learning ability through therapeutic movements based on Playdancing techniques. Journals, videotapes and photos were used as tools for observation and record collections. Throughout a one-semester period of time in the Playdancing classes, most participating children demonstrated improvement in their body actions, while also improving their behavioral and emotional self-control, motor skills, and relationships with others. Specifically, improvements were shown in the special children’s responses to the directions, numbers and shapes through body movements, while increased endurance and attention to social relations between peers were also noted in the findings. In that respect, the importance of Playdancing as an educational tool should be recognized and broadly applied by the educators, artists and researchers.

Keywords:

dance therapy, dance for special children, cognitive development, social skills

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