PROMOTING PRESCHOOL CHILDREN'S SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING SKILLS THROUGH CREATIVE DRAMA INTEGRATED MUSIC ACTIVITIES

Abstract

This study investigates the progression of social-emotional learning skills in children by integrating music activities into creative drama. The research was executed employing a pre-and post-test control group research design. The research cohort consisted of 40 five-year-old participants, separated into two groups of 20 each, experimental and control. An 8-week comprehensive music education program was implemented exclusively for the experimental group to enhance their social-emotional proficiencies. A personalized information questionnaire was also employed to gather demographic information about the children and their respective parents. The "Vineland Social-Emotional Early Childhood Scale" (VSEECS) and the "Expression of Emotions Test" (EET) were applied as pre-and post-tests to determine children's social-emotional behaviors. The results of this investigation revealed a statistically significant difference in the EET pre-and post-test scores within the experimental group. Conversely, comparing both study groups, no statistically significant difference in EET scores was observed. The lack of a significant difference could be attributed to social-emotional learning activities in the curriculum that were carried out at school. This result may positively affect the control group's emotional expression and social skills. The analysis revealed that no statistically significant difference was observed in the mean scores of the (VSEECS) between the two groups at both the pre-test and post-test scores. In the context of forthcoming research, it is advisable to procure data through systematic observation, interviews, and the implementation of longitudinal investigations to elucidate the impact of music education on the development of children's social-emotional learning skills.

Keywords: Creative drama, integrated music activities, preschool children, social-emotional learning skills.

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