DANCE AND READING 1

INTEGRATING DANCE AND READING COMPREHENSION

by

Katia Hamamouche

Dr. Jesse Store, Sponsor

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts with
Honors in Education

ALMA COLLEGE

Alma, Michigan

May 2017
DANCE AND READING 2

Abstract

There has been an ongoing debate regarding arts integration within the school

system. Some educators believe the arts to be a distraction; therefore, they should be cut

from schools. Other educators believe that integration of the arts helps students gain a

better understanding of the curriculum. The proponents of arts integration cite multiple

benefits to integrating art into the curriculum, including the engagement and interest of the

students. This study explored the relationship between dance and performance in reading

comprehension. Second and third grade students participated in a read aloud, either taught

with dance or traditionally. Following the read aloud, the students responded to written

comprehension questions. This procedure was completed twiceonce with a fictional text

and once with an informational text. For the informational text, the average score for the

traditional approach was a 3.8 out of 5 while the average score for the dance integrated

approach was a 4.6 out of 5. While the results were greater in regards to the fictional text,

this study has shown that integrating dance with reading is associated with students better

comprehension of stories.
DANCE AND READING 3

Literature Review

Background

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up,

stated Picasso (Vant Hul, 2011). While it would be unrealistic to encourage every child to

become a professional artist upon graduation, the thought of utilizing a childs innate artistic

abilities in the classroom could be mutually beneficial to the children and their teachers. The

topic of an arts integrated curriculum is mentioned frequently in the world of education. Some

educators rave about the tremendous outcomes and transformations that they have experienced in

their classrooms (Chapman,1998). Other professionals think of the arts as a waste of time and

money (Marshall, 2014). The professionals who do not support the arts believe that more focus

should be on the core subjectsmathematics, science, history, and language arts. With many

school districts finding themselves in need of evaluating the expenditures in the classrooms,

budget discussions often eliminate the classes such as art, music, and physical education (Vant

Hul, 2011). The arts have gained the attention of educational reformers as research has exposed

the benefits of the arts on the individual student and learning (LaJevic, 2013). Once educators

review case studies on the ability to integrate arts into all subjects and are able to see the benefits

from this teaching method, it leads one to question whether we could be eradicating a learning

experience because we are purging some of these classes? The reality is that the such classes

benefit the students within their core curriculum. To fully understand these benefits, we must

determine benefits of an arts-integrated curriculum.

Arts integration is a two-way street. The art inspires the core curriculum and the core

curriculum inspires the arts. As Degas shared, Art is not what you see, but what you make

others see (Degas). An arts- integrated curriculum incorporates the fine and performing arts as
DANCE AND READING 4

a pathway to learning all subjects, including the STEM and core subjects. Arts integration is

taking the subject matter already being taught in the classroom and infusing it into a variety of

art mediums to allow the child more meaning and connection to the curriculum (Marshall,

2005). Some experts (Marshall, 2005, Brezovnik, 2016, Chapman, 1998) have demonstrated arts

integration as an approach wherein students are encouraged to identify an art form about which

they are already passionate. After all, many children engage in artistic activities long before they

enter a formal classroom. If the child who has learned to count dance steps for her dance routine

can transfer that knowledge into counting numbers on a number line, she will be able to make the

connection between dance in her everyday life and mathematics in the classroom (Vant Hull,

2011).

As illustrated above, an arts integrated curriculum involves a subject area and an art

formdance, theatre, music, or drawing. This type of curriculum emphasizes the importance of

making connections between the two. As these connections are being made, instruction is being

further reinforced in the students minds. At the end of the lesson, one is left wondering whether

the subject matter is teaching the art or the art is teaching the subject matter. Marshall states, A

truly integrated curriculum is organized to show the connectedness of things (Marshall, 2005,

p228). Making these connections is what makes learning meaningful and beneficial for the

students (Marshall, 2014). As the students make their personal connections with the form of art,

they may learn a variety of skills that they share with their peers. When the arts become a

vehicle for learning classroom content, the whole child is involved. Children are immersed

intellectually, emotionally, physically and rigorously, in the learning experience (Lynch, 2017,

p34). This process allows them to view their curriculum in everyday settings and promotes the

importance of their coursework.

DANCE AND READING 5

History of Art Education

Arts education made its presence in the United States as early as the 1800s with the

introduction of drawing education. As early as 1821, schools started introducing drawing into

the schools. While in its infancy, the drawing allowed the students to develop their creativity.

Over time, this type of instruction became more formalized, and by the late 1800s earned

the name of picture study movement. According to Mary Ann Stankiewicz (1984, p87),

picture study [began in the] south to develop appreciation of fine art among school children. A

picture study included students analyzing the elements of visual art and creating stories through

them. Suggested methods included telling the story of the painting and its artist, asking the

children questions about subject matter or story, setting up tableaux, writing stories, or making

booklets of reproductions with essays (Stankiewicz, 1984, p86). The main goal of the picture

study was to teach children to appreciate the artistic qualities of paintings. The picture study

movement ended in the 1920s.

Art education played a major role in the Progressive Education Movement, which took

place during the period of 1930s to the 1950s. Researchers began studying the potential

impacts art education could have on students. Among these researchers, John Dewey is perhaps

considered the most influential to education and social reform. His theories were shared through

books such as School and Society, The Child and the Curriculum, and Experience and

Education. According to Patricia Goldblatt (2006, p17), John Dewey believed every person is

capable of being an artist, living an artful life of social interaction that benefits and thereby

beautifies the world.. Dewey argued that art and experience are connected. Through art, a

student could inquire, study, and understand information that had no personal meaning

beforehand. Students could use art as a way to find significance in the content. Simply put, art
DANCE AND READING 6

functions as experience (Goldblatt, 2006). According to Dewey, art assists the student in

developing decision-making skills and defining the ways in which disciplines are interconnected.

(Goldblatt, 2006)

Interest in art classes became more prevalent in the late 1960s during a time of

individual uniqueness. Magnet schools began to pop up throughout the United States around the

same time. According to Goldring and Smrekar (2010), Magnet schools were established to

promote racial diversity, improve scholastic standards, and provide a range of programs to

satisfy individual talents and interests (Goldring and Smrekar, 2010). Magnet schools attracted

those who were interested in the visual or performing arts

J. Paul Getty influenced discipline-based art education (DBAE) in the early 1980s.

According to Fabiola Agustin (2016) there are four disciplines to DBAE, art production- to

make art, art criticism- to respond and judge the properties and qualities that are in visual forms,

art history- to acquire knowledge of artist, art and their contribution to culture and society, and

aesthetics- understanding how people justify their judgments about art (2016, p4). Through

DBAE students were educated in the arts as a whole.

Fowler is another important theorist who made major impact in the historical

development of art education. For Fowler, the arts are windows on the world in the same way

that science helps us see the world around us. Literature, music, theater, the visual arts, the

media (film, photography, and television), architecture, and dance reveal aspects about ourselves,

the world around us, and the relationship between the two (Fowler, 2011, p32). Fowler argues

the arts are every bit as important as math or science, stating the pyramids can be explained in

mathematical equations and measurements, but photographs can explain the importance of them.

The timeline below summarizes the historical development of arts education. From this timeline,
it may be observed that having arts in the school curriculum continues to be debatable. From
DANCE AND READING 7

when drawing is reported in the history of education in the 1800s, by 1930 arts is pushed aside
from the curriculum for financial reasons, and it regained popularity with Progressive Education
Movement. Even after a blooming of art education research, arts in the curriculum still remain a
debatable topic.
Timeline for Arts Education (Smith, 1996)

1821 1850 Drawing education in its infancy

1851 1870 Two beliefs dominant in arts education: Creative expression

through sensory learning and rigidity of arts

1871 1900 Towards the end of the 19th century, common and normal schools
are flourishing; discussion on the purpose of school, for example if
the arts should be included

1901 1930 art is often removed from the schools due to cost

1931 1950 Art education plays a major role in Progressive Education

Movement

1951 1970 Art Education research increases; greatly influenced by global

context; interest in art grows with the development of magnet
schools

1971 Present Educational debates continue regarding arts education

Successful Arts Integration Case Studies

Curriculum that includes the arts is a means to enhance learning and can lead to

improved student performance results (Miller, 2017, p4). There are many success stories

regarding the integration of arts into curriculum. Wiley H. Bates Middle School demonstrates

how successful these programs can be. This low performing public school in Annapolis,

Maryland, made the decision to utilize the approach of a fully integrated arts curriculumdance,

theatre, music, and artworkin 2007 (Baker, 2013). The results were astounding. The

institution saw a 23% drop in the average number of suspensions in 2009, while the retention

rate increased. The Boston Arts Academy is another example of a school that embraces an arts

integrated curriculum. This school teaches math, science, and the humanities. Each student
DANCE AND READING 8

chooses a supporting major in music, art, dance, or theatre. The school strives to challenge the

students academically and artistically. According to their website, The Boston Arts Academy

believes that schools should develop a well-rounded student and a curriculum that enforces arts

integration helps do so. Through their selected art genre, they are able to infuse their knowledge

of the art while developing their knowledge of the assigned curriculum. As they become

proficient in music, art, dance or acting, they are applying that knowledge to their everyday

studies. Most importantly, they are learning while developing a skill that they chose and in

which they are interested (Walker, 2011).

Whitin and Moench, authors of Preparing Elementary Teachers for Arts Integration

(2015), provide an example of an arts integrated language arts lesson. Students in Whitin and

Moench study were asked to choose a piece of art to which they felt an emotional connection.

The students were asked to explain the arts composition, such as the placement of visual

elements in a work of art, and use it for a final exam project. When students chose the same

piece of artwork, they realized that there was more than one way to interpret the same

picture. The realization transitioned to their academics where they soon learned that there are a

variety of interpretations and each held value. The students realized that there are many different

ways to answer a question or solve an equation. The students gained important listening skills

throughout the exercise where they learned how others had interpreted the same piece of

artwork. Next, the students were asked to respond to a childrens literature piece using digital

media or paper and pencils to create pictures to represent different characters in the book.

The students were required to explain their use of artistic elements and artistic

decisions. Through this project, the students learned that there are many ways to show emotions

by using artistic elements. This assignment with the arts and a language arts lesson showed that
DANCE AND READING 9

the students who focused on one specific piece of art for an extended time were more confident

in their artistic decisions. For example, one student selected a piece of art titled Daybreak: A

Time to Rest. When the student saw the image for the first time she commented on the beautiful

colors that the artist had used. On the day that the assignment was due, she had decided that the

woman in the painting was Harriet Tubman. She noted that Harriet Tubmans feet were very

large in the painting (Figure 1). She interpreted this as a representation of all her trips on foot

that she made through the Underground Railroad. At the end of the project, the students said that

the pieces of art influenced their writing and the writing influenced the way they viewed the

piece of art. Through arts integrated curriculum students are developing this skill set throughout

their elementary school years. This tool becomes a highly developed resource for these

childrena resource that they will use in their future careers regardless of their chosen

field. Arts integrated lessons, like the one described by Whitin and Moench, benefit students in

multiple ways.

Increased student performance has been linked with arts integration. Baker (2013)

argues that the arts help develop cognitive growth. Baker (2013, p2) states that, Creative ideas

are generated through bisociation or the juxtaposition of previously unassociated entities. She

claims that creativity and learning are connected. According to Chapman (2016), scores greatly

improved at Shady Brook Elementary School in Texas after an arts- integrated curriculum was

enforced. The reading scores improved by 12.3%, writing scores improved 14%, and math

scores were up 61% within five years. Scores on standardized tests have also been known to

improve when students are taught in an arts integrated setting.

According to Walker, Tabone, and Weltsek (2011), The Education Arts Team integrated

the arts with two subjects. This case study was by far the largest as it took over five hundred
DANCE AND READING 10

students and followed their path through an arts integrated curriculum for several years. In this

study, half of the students were put into arts-integrated curriculum, while the other half remained

in a traditional setting. Students were introduced to arts integration within social studies and

language arts during years four and five, followed by theatre and language arts in years six and

seven. The standardized tests reflected the success of the arts-integrated curriculum with the

following results: 47% of the integrated math students passed the assessment, while 39% of

those in the traditional setting passed theirs. Within the older group that took part in the study,

56% of the theatre students passed the state language arts assessment while only 43% of the

control group succeeded. Walker and colleagues (2011, p370) argued, being in an arts-

integrated classroom increased the odds of students passing the state assessment by 77%,and

concluded that arts integration had a much greater effect on students than previously known.

This case study showed the impact that arts integration had in a classroom and its long term

effects on students. The students from the Shady Brook case study were followed throughout the

next year of their academics. The results were impressive with 78% of the eighth grade

participants in the theater-integrated classroom during the previous year passing the state

language arts test. Only 69% of the traditional setting students passed their language arts

assessment. Meanwhile, 49% of the eighth graders in the theater-integrated setting passed the

state math exam compared to 35% of their traditional class counterparts.

In another study, Brezovnik (2015), studied two groups of fifth grade students, the

control group was taught using traditional methods and the experimental group was taught with

the arts curriculum. Two hundred and ten students participated, with both the control and

experimental groups being comprised of one hundred and five students. Their in-class

assessment focused on math equations, inequations, powers, and the perimeter of objects. This
DANCE AND READING 11

study not only determined the impact of the arts integrated curriculum, but also determined the

impact among the individual lessons. Researchers stated the largest impact was found within the

topic of powers; whereas the least impact was found in the lesson on perimeter. Brezovnik

reported that the students learning through an arts-integrated curriculum were more motivated

and curious when it came to learning. Students in the arts integrated classrooms also had fewer

behavioral issues and absences. There was an average class absence of 5.51 in the theater-

integrated class compared to 6.3 in the traditional classroom. Brezovnik (2015) claims that

people look at art and mathematics the same way. Both artists and mathematicians are enthralled

by the questions that nature provides. These questions develop further curiosity within the

students.

Teachers have been known to teach one subject matter at a time within the classroom

(Whitkin, 2016). This compartmentalized learning, Whitkin argues teaches the students the

skillsets they need within the subject matter, but it does not teach the student how to infuse the

subject matters together. Students work is not necessarily supported throughout the other

courses. In the real world, it is necessary for an individual to multi-task, collaborate, and

coordinate pieces of their knowledge when completing a task. The arts are an integral way to

promote learning as a community and collaborating with peers (Chapman, 1998). In fact, these

curriculums have succeeded in infusing the necessary learnings of the common core with the

excitement of developing the students creativity. The marriage of these ideas is producing the

output of happier, smarter, and well-adjusted young adults.

Brezovnik realizes that, fine art is pushed to the edge of formal education for three

reasons: art is understood as a leisurely activity, a non-academic activity and an activity that is

insignificant for the market economy (2015, p16). Some educators categorize all forms of art as
DANCE AND READING 12

a waste of time because not many people can make a living making art (Brezovnik, 2015). It is

argued that the arts do one thing, distract students from what is important, their

academics. However, the aforementioned studies prove the overwhelming importance of

utilizing the arts to further develop skills in the classroom. By integrating art, the students are

able to better understand the curriculum and better able to utilize the skills throughout all

courses. The arts integrated learner no longer compartmentalizes his subjects, but rather looks

for commonalities across the disciplines. To this type of learner, art can be easily connected to

all academic subjects. Marshall articulates, Knowledge can no longer stand on its own, it

needs to be connected to life experiences to be meaningful (Marshall, 2005, p227). Students

use art to make meaning out of content. It is as simple as having students draw a picture for each

of their vocabulary words. These pictures may have nothing to do with the vocabulary word

when someone else looks at it; however, to that individual student it has meaning. Whenever

this student hears the word, he or she can immediately recall the picture and know its

definition. Marshall claims, art is the location where subjective and cultural interpretation

(meaning-making) are most openly celebrated and practiced (2005, p229). Piagets

constructivist theoretical perspectives support the view that students learn when information is

connected to their prior knowledge and stored in schemata (Marshall, 2005). The arts help

connect that prior knowledge. Marshall argues that, imagination operates through constructing

bridges between perceived entities (connection-making) and develops further through projection,

it is closely lined to learning and understanding (2014, p104). Making connection is imperative

in learning. It is what makes students store the information in their long-term

memory. Expanding these connections is vital when it comes to retention and more essentially

comprehension. According to Whitin and Moench (2015, p36), all meaning-making systems
DANCE AND READING 13

(visual, linguistic, spatial) are equally valuable. Each has unique potential that, when used

together, expand and deepen meaning. Through observable skills, students learn to use their

imagination, which encourages methodical thinking. Brezovnik (2015) examines when

mathematical thinking begins in young children. She notes that it begins with the everyday

objects that are around the children. Children begin thinking critically at a young age and

teachers should continue to aid that desire by incorporating the arts within their classrooms.

Clearly, arts integration and arts education have many benefits. Empirical studies and

several educational theories support this notion. Nevertheless, even when schools move past the

debate of whether to teach arts or not, and embrace art education, they are still faced with the

issue of whether art should be taught for arts sake or to support other subjects.

Issues with Teaching Art

There are two competing perspectives on how and why art should be taught in schools. One
perspective emphasizes the art integration approach. Another perspective proposes teaching art
for arts sake, just as other curriculum areas, and not as a tool for other curriculums.
As the case studies discussed earlier in this paper have shown, schools offering an arts

integrated curricula have experienced an increased success rate on standardized state exams,

lower absenteeism, and higher educational attainment levels. Proponents of art integrated

curriculum believe integrating the arts into the core subjects is the reason for these success

stories. These individuals stress that the skills and abilities acquired and developed through arts

education are skills and abilities that figure in the mastery of other disciplines (Elgin, 1983).

Such proponents seem quick to quote the statistics of the previously failing school districts and

compare those statistics to their post arts-integration statistics which show significant success

rates. Moreover, studies show the self-confidence and demeanor of the students as improving

throughout the use of the arts integrated curriculum. Furthermore, proponents of arts-integrated

teaching methods indicate that socio-economic barriers are broken in the classroomall students
DANCE AND READING 14

can share their opinion on a piece of music or art. It is for these reasons that they propose an arts

integrated approach.

On the other hand, others believe art should be taught for arts sake. Making and

appreciating art is an end in itself that need not be justified by any further goods it produces

(Elgin, 1983, p318). Gardner (1999) agrees with Elgins view points and identifies the coming

together of multiple intelligences as a happy accident. Gardner explains that he struggles with

the theory of teaching art in order to improve student performance in other disciplines, he argues

that art should be taught on its own merit. When art is taught for arts sake, it is the art that is of

importance rather than the impact the art has on its audience. Building on that, Eisner

who has long studied the role of the arts in educating the well-rounded student argued that the

arts have far greater utility to learning than simply being a tool to teach other subjects (Cerveny,

2001). The arts (music, dance, theater, and visual arts) are disciplines on their own just like

math, science, history, or other core subjects. They should therefore be treated and taught as

such.

Understanding that The arts are not just important: they are a central force in human

existence (Fowler, 2011, p25), my position is this paper is that, the arts cannot be viewed as

simply instrumental or intrinsic for they are a combination of both. Art, whether standing alone

or being integrated into core subjects, has earned a place in the school system by making content

more accessible, encouraging joyful and active learning, helping students express connections to

content, understanding and expressing abstract concepts, stimulating higher level learning,

building community, and helping children develop collaborative work skills (Crawford, 2004).

However, for convenience and practical purposes, this study focused on integrating arts into the

curriculum.
DANCE AND READING 15

Methods

Participants

The study was conducted at the Boys and Girls Club of Zionsville West where nineteen

second and third graders chose to participate in this study. It is located in a middle class town.

This club provides a program for students who need a place to go after school each day or during

the summer vacation for either homework help or simply because there is no parent at home to

watch them. According to their mission statement, The Boys & Girls Club of Zionsville helps

area youth develop the skills, fitness, and character they need to reach their potential as

productive, caring, and responsible citizens. This mission is fulfilled through the offering of

homework assistance, sports such as cheerleading camps, fitness, recreation, field trips, and

specialized camps throughout the summer months. It also has specialized weeklong offerings

featuring local athletes and artists as visitors.

Enrollment at The Boys and Girls Club Zionsville West is secured by means of the

family applying for a spot within the program and is limited to a specific number of attendees.

Limits are determined by the event and the sites ability to handle the number of children.

Families pay a fee to participate in the club, with additional fees being charged for specialty

camps throughout the summer or sports workshops throughout the year. Bus service is provided

from the local elementary schools and, therefore, tends to be a popular option for the local

residents who are primarily Caucasian.

Having become familiar with the Boys and Girls Clubs in Zionsville, I contacted them to

inquire as to the possibility of conducting research and gained access through the director.

Following the established guidelines of the Boys and Girls Club, participants for this study were

second and third grade students. Nineteen students expressed an interest in participating in the
DANCE AND READING 16

activity. Six of the students were in second grade and thirteen of the students were in third

grade. Eight of the students were male and eleven were female. All except one of the students

were Caucasian; this student was a Hispanic male. As each student involved in the Boys and

Girls Club is required to read twenty minutes per day, some students inquired as to whether

participation in the activity would fulfill this requirement. The director determined that

participation would count toward their daily reading requirement.

Preparing the setting

During my planning meeting with the camp director, she offered to secure the necessary

release forms for the students to participate in the study. This decision also assisted in

maintaining the students anonymity as I had no previous contact with any of them, nor did I

want to gain specific knowledge of these children prior to conducting the study. This release

form also collected data on participants' dance or theatre experiences either in the current or past

seasons. This point was particularly important as there is a dance studio located near the site.

The parents were provided with information on my background, including educational

background, and the purpose of the study, and information regarding my background check,

parents were advised that their childs participation would be anonymous and there would be a

snack offered during the study.

Meeting each of the students on the day of the event, the manager of the Boys and Girls

Club introduced me to the volunteers, at which time I provided the students with an introduction

advising them that I was going to divide them into two groups, read them a story, and then have

them answer five short questions. I advised the students that, while I wanted them to do their

personal best, I would not be returning their answer sheets to them. The manager of the Boys

and Girls Club distributed, collected, and filed the necessary permission slips. She then handed
DANCE AND READING 17

each child a card which was my indication this was a participant for my research. Each

participant was told to sit in a specific areas of the clubthe library for those being read to, and

the tables outside of the door for those waiting for their groups turn. While waiting to

participate, the children were encouraged to play a game, draw pictures, or work on their

homework.

Each student was well behaved during the study as they had been advised the normal

rules of the club needed to be followed even during this study. The manager had suggested a

prize for participation and each child was told if they successfully participated in the event

they would be able to choose a special snack. I supplied these snacks from a preferred list the

manager had provided, including fruit snacks and miniature chocolate bars.

Materials

Two books were conveniently selected. One of the books was Strictly No Elephants by

Lisa Mantchey and Taeeun Yoo published in 2015 by Simon & Schuster for Young Readers.

Mantchev, Lisa, and Taeeun Yoo. Strictly No Elephants. New York: Simon & Schuster for

Young Readers, 2015. Print.

Strictly No Elephants is a story about a young boy and his pet elephant who wish to participate in

the local pet club. Due to the strictly no elephants rule, the boy and his pet feel excluded. The

two decide to form a new pet club where all are welcome. In the end, they form a friendship

with a little girl and her pet skunk, both of whom were prevented from membership in the

original pet club. The other book was I Know How We Fight Germs by Katharine McEwen.

Rowan, Kate, and Katharine McEwen. I know how we fight germs. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick

Press, 1999. Print.

DANCE AND READING 18

I Know How We Fight Germs is a story about Sam, a child who is sick with a cold.

Throughout the story, Sam learns about how germs spread and how people become ill.

Tips on how to properly cover your sneezes and stay healthy are also included within the

text.

Five reading comprehension questions were developed to accompany each book. The number

and type of questions were determined from a research on typical and popular lesson plans off

Educational Websites. These questions, attached as appendix 1 and 2, remained general in

nature, covering mains points in the story including the plot.

Procedure

On Day 1, students were randomly assigned to one of two groups (Traditional Approach

and Dance Integrated Approach). The students were given a number, either one or two. The

students given the number one participated in the Traditional Approach, whereas students with

the number two were in the Arts Integrated Approach. There were four males in each group and

six females in the Traditional Approach and five in the Dance Integrated Approach group.

Students in the Traditional Approach group sat quietly while the I read Strictly No Elephants.

The students had very serious looks on their faces during the reading. While they reacted to the

story itself, it was necessary to watch their faces for their reactions. Immediately following the

story, I distributed the questionnaires that included the marking of the appropriate group number

and read aloud five multiple choice reading comprehension questions. The students responded

individually by circling the correct response on their questionnaire. The questionnaires were

then gathered and placed in a manila envelope. The camp director made a list of all the students

who participated in this group to ensure the groups remained the same on the following day. The

students in the Dance Integrated Approach stayed standing while I read the book to their group.
DANCE AND READING 19

The students would raise their hand when they believed they heard a main point of the story. At

each point, the students would agree on a movement to represent the idea. For example, the

students created the movement in Figure 2 to represent the sign on the door that said Strictly No

Elephants in the fictional text Strictly No Elephants. Secondly, for the informational text I

Know How We Fight Germs, the students produced the movement in Figure 3 to represent the

white blood cells fighting the germs to keep the body healthy. By the end of the story, the

students would have a movement phrase to retell the story. The dance movements included

imitated the movement of an elephant, an action of a character, or a difficult term used in the

story such as viruses. The dance followed the story accurately in sequential order. Although, the

movement may have slightly varied from student to student, the movement had a personal

meaning to each individual. The end sequence was forty-five seconds long. The students

seemed to enjoy standing up and acting out the story. This session was louder than the

traditional approach and it was necessary to remind the students to keep their voices to an inside

voice level. Following the story, the students completed the questionnaire as described above.

On Day 2, students in the Traditional Approach group completed the Dance Integrated Approach

and vice versa.

All questions were read aloud and students responded with paper and pencil. Each

traditional read aloud took approximately fifteen to twenty minutes. The dance Integrated

readings lasted between twenty and thirty minutes. Students were given ten minutes to complete

the five questions questionnaire. None of the students asked any questions prior to returning

their forms to me.

Data analysis
Data was collected by looking at the number of correct answers for each student to find a

performance score. Each question was looked at as well to see if one type of question was
DANCE AND READING 20

missed more often than another. A summative score of each student for the group performance

was found for each book. This was to compare the performance in regards to the genre and with

or without dance integration. Field notes on student behavior and motivation were qualitatively

collected. Data was analyzed for each group to see whether there were differences in behavior

with and without dance. Field notes were analyzed to summarize the dance movements created

by the students.

I acknowledge the test items were short and that might affect the reliability of that test.

However, the number of items was based on what is considered typical assessments for that age

group in literature and practice. There were no issues with scoring reliability and there was no

need for other readers to score the assessment. Another reader checked the qualitative dated to

verify that it was sound.

Results

The results of this study echo previous studies that showed an increase in English reading

comprehension, both within the fictional and informational genres, when utilizing the arts

integrated approach. While these results speak for themselves statistically, it is also important to

factor in the enthusiasm of the students and their desire to learn material through the infusion of

the arts into the curriculum. The overall participation in the arts integration model demonstrated

that this teaching approach, combined with the students observable enthusiasm when learning

with this approach, show that elementary school children are poised to excel when integrating

various methods of art into the classroom.

Group A began the experiment with the traditional reading of the fictional text, followed

by the art approach of the informational text. Given the length of the questionnaire, I determined

the easiest way to assess the comprehension of the materials would be by finding the average
DANCE AND READING 21

score of each group and within the group by the teaching method. By taking the results of each

students quiz, adding them together and dividing by the number of students within this group,

an average score of 2.8/5 resulted. Thus, this groups average score of 56% demonstrated their

overall comprehension on the book when using the traditional approach. Their overall

comprehension was also demonstrated by the looks on their faces and their desire to ask

questions during the assessment. This same group scored an average of 4.6/5 (92%) on the

informational text questionnaire when dance was integrated. A summary of results for each

participant in Group A is summarized in Figure 4. Though at varying degrees, each student

except one scored higher on a comprehension test during the arts integrated approach compared

to the traditional approach. Group B used the arts integrated model to read the fictional text and

their score of 4.77 on the questionnaire reflected their overall high level of comprehension over

the contents of the book. This same group scored a 3.44 on the questionnaire on the

informational text using the traditional methodology. Individual student performance on the two

genres resulted in a greater variance of scores within the traditional approach ranging from a 2

to a 5 whereas the arts approachs range was between 4 and 5. As shown in Figure 4, Group As

results were closely aligned with the arts integrated approach. In Figure 5, we see the results of

the two approaches in reference to Group B. As indicated above, this group shows a greater

variance in scores, while the overall scores are closer together. Also, while the group averages

increased, one students score for the arts was lower than for the traditional. Further

investigation is needed to explain this outlier score.

On average, scores using the Arts Integration approach raised comprehension scores

approximately 1.97 points. Or, simply put the traditional approach left the majority of students in

that group with a failing grade of 56% whereas the arts integrated approach left the students with
DANCE AND READING 22

a score of over 95%. The results for the informational text were not as staggering, but were

nonetheless meaningful resulting in an increase of .75% for the arts integrated approach.

To further illustrate the dynamics of the arts integrated methodology, we studied the overall

results of both approaches as shown in Figure 6. The overall scores for the arts integrated

questionnaires covering both genres of books; the average students score is a remarkable

94.11% or an overall score of 4.7 out of 5. For those questionnaires over the traditional model,

the students combined score was a mere 3.27/5 or an average of 65.55%. For many schools, the

latter percentage would be a failing grade or a grade of a D at best. If we look at these scores at

the individual students level, the results are nothing short of amazing. The combined scores for

the traditional setting averaged to 3.11/5 on both questionnaires, whereas the Arts integrated

model averaged 4.7/5 on the questionnaires.

Statistically, these results speak for themselves and validate prior studies on arts

integration. By adding the overall observations of the classroom while teaching with both

methodologies, we provide additional evidence for the arts integration model. The students who

experienced the arts integrated methodology on day one shared their disappointment on the

following day during the traditional approach. Students reported enjoying being able to be a part

of the books when acting out the main points during the arts approach. The children were

enthusiastic and engaged in the arts integrated approach whereas during the traditional setting,

the students were more complacent to the reading of the story. The ability for the group to infuse

their experience in the reading of the story using the arts integrated methodology appeared to

increase the groups level of engagement in the lesson. Some of the children seemed to be bored

or disinterested during the reading using the traditional approach.

Conclusion
DANCE AND READING 23

Arts integration benefits students needs in many ways. Each child has the ability to

create masterpieces. Drawing pieces of artwork, choreographing new dance moves, or acting in

theater productions makes a lesson meaningful for each student. This helps every student have a

voice in the classroom and allows him to interpret the topic in his own, meaningful way. At the

end of the day, this in-depth interpretation allows a student the ability to retain the information

over the years because he has left his mark on the assignment (Brezovnik, 2015). Furthermore,

the repetitive movement incorporated with the story creates muscle memory, which helps

memory retention when it comes to the test. Additionally, it keeps students engaged in

classroom activity while reducing behavioral issues (Brezovnik, 2015). Arts integration can be

geared toward a variety of learnersvisual learners through pieces of artwork, auditory learners

through pieces of music, and kinesthetic learners through theater or dance. As my study shows,

integrating reading and dance in the classroom can greatly increase a students comprehension

score. We can watch a struggling student transition into one who performs well and gains

confidence within the classroom.

While the Wiley H. Bates Middle School and The Boston Arts Academy studies have

shown the effects of studying a musical instrument, producing a play, or choreographing a dance

performance on standardized tests through following the students and their scores for two school

years, this current study focused on the effects of dance integration with regard to a daily

classroom activity. The results of this study confirmed the previous ones, indicating dance

movements assisted the students with their reading comprehension for both fictional and

informational genres. Given the past results of the past studies, it is assumed the culmination of

such activities over the course of the year would have a lasting impact on the students in the

classroom. Ultimately, the impact was the greatest within the realm of fictional stories, which is
DANCE AND READING 24

not all that surprising given the increased variety and interpretation of the subject matter over

that of the informational text. Further observations revealed the enthusiasm of the students as

they determined which dance moves to utilize to represent the main ideas of the stories. Students

loved the ability to be in motion during the readings of the texts in lieu of sitting upright and

listening to read aloud. As predicted, student engagement was greater during the arts integrated

settings and none of the students were uncomfortable with the exercise. While I had to discipline

a couple of students during the traditional readings, all students followed rules during the arts

integrated sessions.

As we investigate manners in which to turn around underperforming schools, we must

ask ourselves if arts integrated curriculum is the answer as this method of teaching appears to be

mutually beneficial to the school districts and the students they serve. When does arts

integration make sense? By all accounts, arts integration always makes sense. Given the

aforementioned studies, students attending arts integrated schools always produce at a higher rate

than their traditional setting peers (Walker et al., 2011). Similarly, my study shows an increase

in reading comprehension between two different genres when utilizing an arts integrated

approach.

Why is an arts integrated curriculum beneficial? This question is best answered by

Marshall who claims, it is congruent with the way the mind workshow we think and learn; it

highlights and promotes learning, especially learning for understanding and transfer; and it

catalyzes creativity (Marshall, 2005, page number). Granted, the arts integrated curriculum

comes with an added expense to the school district and the teachers must be willing to overcome

any insecurity they may have with the arts in order for the students to gain the benefits. General

education teachers do not need to be art experts, but have a general understanding of the arts.
DANCE AND READING 25

They (teachers) should be familiar with techniques of creation; with the effects of cultural,

historical, and critical influences upon art and artists; and with questions related to philosophies

of art (Irwin, 1995, page number). Furthermore, as Smilan and Miraglia report not every art

teacher needs to become an authentic art integration leader (Smilan & Miraglia, 2009, page

number). Teachers cannot integrate arts into their classrooms unless they, too, understand the

arts. Effective results will only be seen if the teacher is confident and if the integration is

frequent.

Many proponents of the arts integrated curriculum will speak to the benefits of increased

student performance on standardized tests, increased retention of the subject matter, increased

retention rates or the reduction of behavioral issues. It makes sense to think this kind of success

with different types of programs is related to the increase of the level of self confidence in the

students. By infusing art throughout all subject matters, teachers are leveling the playing field.

All students can share their thoughts about a piece of artwork or music. Through developing

their communication skills on opinion-based ideas, students are developing skills they werent

aware of and building their confidence. Art integration treats all studentsrich or poor, ugly or

pretty, intelligent or strugglingthe same and gives each student the tools with which to develop

their minds (Walker et al., 2011). Educators should strive to deliver self-confident, well-

adjusted, and prepared students into the world by integrating arts in their curriculum. It certainly

appears arts integration may hold the key to the current generations desire to enter the

workforce with the ability and confidence to change the world. By combining the increased

motivation in the classroom (Brezovnick, 2015), the ability to make connections to better

promote better understanding (Marshall, 2005), and the increased confidence in comprehending

the subject matter for interpretation (Whitkin & Moench, 2016), arts integration contains all the
DANCE AND READING 26

components necessary to transform the world education for all students regardless of their

geographic location or socio-economic status.

 DANCE AND READING 27

References

Agustin, F. (2016). Discipline based art education. Art Education Case Studies, 6, 1-13.

Baker, D. (2013). Art integration and cognitive development. Journal for Learning Through the

Arts, 9, 1-15.

Brezovnik, A. (2016). The benefits of fine art integration into mathematics in primary School.

Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal, 5, 1-23.

Crawford, L. (2004). Lively Learning: Using the Arts to Teach the K-8 Curriculum. Turners Falls,

MA: Center for Responsive Schools, Inc.

Chapman, R. (1998). The arts improve student performance. The Education Digest, 63, 58-60.

Cerveny, K. (2001). Elliot W. Eisner, The role of the arts in educating the whole child. Grantmakers

in the Arts Reader, 12, (3).

"Edgar Degas." Quotes. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.

<http://www.artinthepicture.com/artists/Edgar_Degas/Quotes/>.

Elgin, C. (1983). Art and Education. The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Education, 311-324.

Fowler, C. (2001). Cheating Our Children: Why Every Child Needs the Arts. Strong Arts, Strong

Schools: The Promising Potential and Shortsighted Disregard of the Arts in American

Schooling. Oxford Scholarship Online.

Gardner, H. (1999). The Happy Meeting of Multiple Intelligence and the Arts. Harvard Education

Letter, 15, 1-6.

Goldblatt, P. (2006). How John Deweys Theories Underpin Art and Art Education. Education and

Culture, 22, 17-34.

Goldring, E., & Smrekar, C. (2002). Magnet Schools: Reform and Race in Urban Education. The

Clearing House, 76, 13-15.

 DANCE AND READING 28

Irwin, R., & Reynolds, J. K.. (2017). Integration as a Strategy for Teaching Arts as Disciplines. Arts

Education Policy Review, 96, 13-19.

LaJevic, L. (2016). Arts Integration: What Is Really Happening in the Elementary Classroom?

Journal for Learning Through the Arts, 9, 1-30.

Lawrence, J. DaybreakA Time to Rest. 1967. Tempera on hardboard. National Gallery of Art,

Washington DC.

Lynch, P. (2007). Making Meaning Many Ways: An Exploratory Look at Integrating the Arts with

Classroom Curriculum. Art Education, 60, 33-8.

Marshall, J. (2005) Connecting Art, Learning, and Creativity: A Case for Curriculum Integration.

Studies in Art Education: A Journal of Issues and Research in Art Education, 46, 227-241.

Marshall, J. (2016). Transdisciplinary and Art Integration: Toward a New Understanding of Art-

Based Learning Across the Curriculum. Studies in Art Education, 55, 104-127.

Miller, R. (2016). Implementation of the A+ Schools Program: An Examination of Baseline Teacher

Perceptions and Instructional Behaviors. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, 4.

3-22.

Smilan, C., & Miraglia, K. (2009) Art Teachers as Leaders of Authentic Art Integration. Art

Education, 62, 39-45.

Smith, P. (1996) The History of American Art Education. Greenwoood Press, 39, 285-287.

Stankiewicz, M. (1985). A Picture Age: Reproductions in Picture Study. Studies in Art Education,

26, 86-92.

Vant Hul, J. (2011) ArtfulParent

Walker, E., Tabone, C., & Weltsek, G. (2011). When Achievement Data Meet Drama and Arts

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 DANCE AND READING 29

Whitin, P., & Moench, C. (2015). Preparing Elementary Teachers for Arts Integration. Art

Education, 68, 36-41.

DANCE AND READING 30

Appendix A

Strictly No Elephants

1. What is the problem with having an elephant for a pet?

a. He doesnt fit through the door.

b. He eats a lot.

c. Its hard to fit in.

d. He smells.

2. What does the main character do every day with his pet elephant?

a. Take a walk.

b. Give him a bath.

c. Go to the park.

d. Play jump rope.

3. Why are the main character and his elephant going to Number 17?

a. They have a play date.

b. They have to go to school.

c. It is Pet Club Day.

d. It is Show and Tell Day.

4. What does the sign on the door of Number 17 say?

a. No Elephants Allowed

b. Strictly No Elephants

c. No School

d. Welcome
DANCE AND READING 31

5. What types of animals are not allowed at the new club that the boy and girl made at the

end of the story?

a. Elephants

b. Skunks

c. Dogs

d. Everyone is allowed
DANCE AND READING 32

Appendix B

I Know How We Fight Germs

1. What is Sam sick with?

a. The flu

b. The chicken pox

c. An ear infection

d. A cold

2. What types of cells kill germs?

a. Red blood cells

b. White blood cells

c. Blue blood cells

d. Germ busters

3. Why does Sams mom make him put on his coat?

a. Its winter.

b. She doesnt want him to lose it.

c. Keeping warm will help his body fight the cold.

d. The coat will stop the germs from leaving his body.

4. What are viruses?

a. A type of cell

b. A type of animal

c. A type of germ

d. A type of food

5. How do the white blood cells kill the bacteria?

DANCE AND READING 33

a. They gobble them up.

b. They zap them.

c. They crush them.

d. They fight them with swords.

DANCE AND READING 34

Figure 1. Lawrence, Jacob. DaybreakA Time to Rest. 1967. Tempera on

hardboard. National Gallery of Art, Washington DC.

 DANCE AND READING 35

Figure 2. Sample movements from the arts integrated approach.

DANCE AND READING 36

Figure 3. Example of movement from the arts integrated approach.

DANCE AND READING 37

Group A
5

4
Average Score

0
Traditional Arts
Approach

Figure 4. Traditional vs. arts comprehension scores for Group A.

 DANCE AND READING 38

Group B
5

4
Average Score

0
Traditional Arts
Approach

Figure 5. Traditional vs. arts comprehension scores for Group B.

DANCE AND READING 39

Figure 6. Overall performance across both approaches.