CLASSICAL DANCE ACTIVITIES BASED ON CREATIVE MOVEMENT APPROACH AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS OF EARLY PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to 1) develop a package of classical dance activities based on the creative movement approach aimed at enhancing executive function skills, specifically self-regulation, in early primary school students, and 2) study the effects of using this activity package. The sample consisted of 19 2ndgrade students who studied at schools under the Samut Prakan Primary Educational Service Area Office 1in the second semester of the 2023academic year. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. The data collection tools were using a measure of self-regulation skills in classical dance activities. The data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
Students had a higher mean post-test score on self-regulation skills of executive functions thanpre-test at the .05level of significance. When analyzed by individual components of self-regulation skills of executive functions, it was found that all components showed a significant increase in mean scores at the .05level. According to the quality level of score interpretation, it was found that every student showed improvement in all targeted skills, including Focused Attention, Emotional Control, and Self-Monitoring, by atleast one quality level.