Literature Review 4

Teaching the Dance Class:Strategies to Enhance Skill Acquisition, Masteryand Positive Self-Image.

Lynda M. Mainwaring, Ph.D., C. Pysch., and Donna H. Krasnow, M.S, Journal of Dance Education, 2010. Vol 10

This journal has been an interesting read as is the first piece of literature that I have reviewed that is specifically dance related. As with a number of other pieces of literature this journal acknowledges Mosstons theory and goes on to view it as the “single most influential model of teaching for physical education pedagogy”. Having said this it is also suggested that while the goal has remained the same some of the more contemporary versions of Mosstons theory allow for more fluidity between various approaches. Although there are guidelines to follow it seems there is not one best method for teachers to follow but it is about using a mixture of styles to create the best learning environment that you can.

This journal acknowledges that there has been no overwhelming attempt to take such literature and apply it to create a specific model for teaching and learning within the dance discipline,  although much research has been done within regards to teaching styles there is nothing specific to dance. This is interesting especially as this journal was published in 2010 which is very recent and so it makes you wonder why this is the case, is it because dance is seen as one of the arts and not a ‘proper’ subject, or could it be that as dance is not such a common subject taught within the curriculum then no specific research has been done on it. However there are a lot of private dance schools and dance is a very popular activity but as seen from Sho Bothams research often the private dance are more reluctant towards change as she has seen whilst trying to promote a more person centred approach to dance teaching.

The journal goes on to talk about 16 guidelines for teaching dance. One area that stood out for me was with regards to “Influences that affect the dances progress” and the importance of your role as a teacher. As a teacher you are in control and the actions that you take can affect a whole class or individual students very much, teachers should recognise that they are “powerful influences”. The journal suggests it is your job as a teacher to “maintain a disciplined and driven atmosphere while inspiring and encouraging the dancers…” I agree with what is said here and do believe that as a dance teacher you are also a role model for your students, what you say, how you say it and your behaviour can all affect the atmosphere and progression in a class,  “Positive reinforcement can both inspire and motivate the dancer in class.”

Another area looked at in this Journal that would influence a student’s progress is the way in which they are nurtured. By recognising that students have different learning styles and using teaching methods that cover visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning you can help your students not only learn in a way suited to them but also help them develop new ways of learning. I had not thought of it like this before and had only concentrated on ensuring students learn in a way most suited to them but can now see that it is also good for them to practice learning in a number of different ways in order to improve their own learning skills which again could then be applied to other situations outside of the dance class, “Improving and expanding learning strategies enhances skill development and self-esteem simultaneously.”

Another thing that I had not considered was that if students recognise their own learning style they will be able to learn more efficiently as they would know what they need to do, “It is empowering for students to learn about their own learning styles.” By questioning students and getting them to think and understand how and why they learn better in a certain way could really help them progress.

One line from this journal really stood out within me in reference to my own research is, “Students learn more effectively in an environment that is both challenging and enjoyable.” From my own survey results I have found that enjoyment is the top reason for wanting to come to a dance class and when asked about being given challenging steps the overwhelming majority would prefer to be challenged with more difficult steps than stick to what they can do. This ties in exactly with what is said here and shows the importance of working in a fun but challenging environment.

Although there is much that I can take from this piece of literature it still shows there is a gap within this research area as although some guide lines are given there is no structured model or examples given of many of the ways you could use differentiation and different teaching strategies specifically within a dance class and so I do feel confident that the research I am undertaking will be of value to myself and others too.

References

Botham, S.  2000.  A dancer is a person (online), International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS), Miami. Available from: http://www.ethicsdance.co.uk/downloads_assets/A%20Dancer%20is%20A%20Person.pdf (accessed 7 November 2011)