THE EFFECT OF GREEK TRADITIONAL DANCES, SONGS, AND GAME-BASED ACTIVITIES ON ANXIETY AND ENGLISH LEARNING AT SCHOOL IN STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

Anastasia-Kassiani Praskidou, Eirini Argiriadou, Paraskevi Giagazoglou, Styliani Douka, Chrisi Mavrovounioti

Abstract


The present study aimed to examine the effects of a program with teaching means Greek traditional dances, songs, and game-based activities on anxiety and English learning at school in students with intellectual disability (ID). The research involved 20 students with ID, who attended a Special Needs Vocational High School and were randomly divided into an intervention group (n=10) that was taught the English language with Greek traditional dances, songs, and game-based activities, and a control group (n=10) who participated in the standard English language course, for once a week for 45-minutes, for 12 weeks. Before and after the 12 weeks, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger et al., 1970) was used to assess anxiety and specially designed cognitive tests to assess English learning. Before the beginning of the program, there was no difference between the two groups concerning the studied variables. However, after the program, the two groups showed significant differences in all variables (p<0.01-<0.001). More specifically, after the intervention program there was a significant decrease (z=-2.157, p<0.05) in anxiety and a very significant improvement of the students with ID in the cognitive tests for the lessons taught (p<0.01). For the control group, anxiety remained unchanged, while all cognitive test scores in the English language slightly improved except for the significant improvement in the unit prepositions (p<0.05). However, intervention group scores were significantly higher on all cognitive tests in the English language (p<0.01-<0.001). In conclusion, the positive effect of Greek traditional dances, songs, and game-based activities on anxiety and English language learning by students with ID is evident.

 

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dance, music, playful activities, mental state, teaching, foreign language

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v10i1.5170

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