Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Integrating Dance and Reading Comprehension
Integrating Dance and Reading Comprehension
by
Katia Hamamouche
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
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
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
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
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
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)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
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
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.
Crawford, L. (2004). Lively Learning: Using the Arts to Teach the K-8 Curriculum. Turners Falls,
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
<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
Gardner, H. (1999). The Happy Meeting of Multiple Intelligence and the Arts. Harvard Education
Goldblatt, P. (2006). How John Deweys Theories Underpin Art and Art Education. Education and
Goldring, E., & Smrekar, C. (2002). Magnet Schools: Reform and Race in Urban Education. The
Irwin, R., & Reynolds, J. K.. (2017). Integration as a Strategy for Teaching Arts as Disciplines. Arts
LaJevic, L. (2016). Arts Integration: What Is Really Happening in the Elementary Classroom?
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
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.
3-22.
Smilan, C., & Miraglia, K. (2009) Art Teachers as Leaders of Authentic Art Integration. Art
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.
Walker, E., Tabone, C., & Weltsek, G. (2011). When Achievement Data Meet Drama and Arts
Whitin, P., & Moench, C. (2015). Preparing Elementary Teachers for Arts Integration. Art
Appendix A
Strictly No Elephants
b. He eats a lot.
d. He smells.
2. What does the main character do every day with his pet elephant?
a. Take a walk.
c. Go to the park.
3. Why are the main character and his elephant going to Number 17?
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
a. Elephants
b. Skunks
c. Dogs
d. Everyone is allowed
DANCE AND READING 32
Appendix B
a. The flu
c. An ear infection
d. A cold
d. Germ busters
a. Its winter.
d. The coat will stop the germs from leaving his body.
a. A type of cell
b. A type of animal
c. A type of germ
d. A type of food
Group A
5
4
Average Score
0
Traditional Arts
Approach
Group B
5
4
Average Score
0
Traditional Arts
Approach