Cross-curricular integration of music and social sciences from the first to the fifth grade of primary school is implemented quite often. However, it is too often imperfect, unreasonable, of insufficient depth and, most of all, not covered entirely. As an aid towards the integrated cross-curricular approach the integrated musical-movement approach »Orff-Schulwerk« can be used which is primarily closely related to both areas. Every of the four areas being primarily holistic, by considering common bases and integrating their entirities an integrated cross-curricular approach with advantages on a larger scale can be achieved.
The objective of this research is to investigate which activities of the »Orff-Schulwerk« approach allow the implementation of selected objectives of social scienced and how students of different grades achieve those objectives. The goal of this research is to show how well pupils can put themselves in somebody else’s shoes (empathy) in a folks play, whether they are able to express elementary music-making and to except and respond to nonverbal communication in musical language using the »Orff-Schulwerk« in cross-curricular integration in relation to social sciences.
This research is action-based, combining the qualitative and quantitative approach. Twenty-one pupils participated in seventeen classes extending over six weeks. All the classes were recorded by a video camera, at the same time notes were being taken down into a research diary. Using different short tests at the end of every week we checked whether learning objectives were met. These were analysed quantitatively. Video recordings and notes from the research diary were analysed qualitatively by encryption.
By working continuously, following the »Orff-Schulwerk« approach, pupils of different grades improved in all the areas that were being analysed: empathy, elementary quality of music-making and nonverbal communication, meeting cross-curricular learning objectives (operational and general). The results revealed that the »Orff-Schulwerk« effects the integral development of a child. Based on the »Orff-Schulwerk« approach, the research exceeded its framework, bringing the quality of cross-curricular learning and teaching to a higher level.
The results of the research could be used as a basis for developing a new, prospective model of cross-curricular approach. The research can serve as an idea or as the basis of cross-curricular approach, bringing together music and social sciences. The useful value of the research is implied through the »Orff-Schulwerk« approach (whether in scope of cross-curricular approach or not) as a strategy for promoting all the pupils’ areas to be developed, as an approach of holistic education, an approach of inclusive pedagogy, adventure pedagogy, musical therapy, as a means of differentiation, individualization, etc.
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