https://doi.org/10.22364/htqe.2023.21 | 275-282 | PDF

The Method of Involving Young Children in Group Musical Activities

Daiva Žitkevičienė, Jolanta Lasauskienė
Vytautas Magnus University Education Academy, Lithuania

Abstract. The possibilities and specific features of enhancing the efficiency of the educational interaction that penetrates the whole educational process by involving children in active musical activities as early as possible have been poorly explored in Lithuania so far. The aim of the research is to highlight educational preconditions of involving 3–4-year-old children in group musical activities by implementation Batia Strauss’s Method of Active Listening to Music in practice with a group of children in early childhood music education. The participants included fifteen children from a kindergarten in Kaunas district (Lithuania). The conducted qualitative case research help to distinguish the following educational preconditions of involving 3–4-year-old children in group musical activities using Strauss’s Method of Active Listening to Music: to feel and express contrasting rhythms through simulated, emotional body movements while listening to music; to conceive and demonstrate spontaneous body movements while listening to music; and to listen to music and express it through artistic expression and language. The aforesaid preconditions are considered as generalised and conceptualised research findings and enrich the didactics of early childhood music education based on reflective thinking, mediation, meta-comments and co-learning principles.

Keywords: early childhood music education, educational preconditions of involvement children in group musical activities, the method of active listening to music


In: Human, Technologies and Quality of Education, 2023. Proceedings of Scientific Papers = Cilvēks, tehnoloģijas un izglītības kvalitāte, 2023. Rakstu krājums
Riga, University of Latvia, 2023. 796 p. Ed. L. Daniela
https://doi.org/10.22364/htqe.2023
ISBN 978-9934-36-116-6