The kinesthetic movement of rhythmic dances helps teach basic academic skills in math and language. An assistant or partner can work with special needs children. When I'm working with a group, I hold hands with a very active or ADHD child to guide their activity while we practice a new dance.

Here are a few benefits

Math
1. Practice and learn sequencing patterns that dances are made up of, such as: ABA, AB, ABC.
2. Learn what a set of 4 is, and about multiple sets of 4, 8 and 16 counts. By consistently moving in sets of different quantities and adding and subtracting sets of dancers or movements in a dance, addition, multiplication, subtraction and division concepts are being used.

Language
3. Learn about stressed and unstressed syllables in language by hearing, feeling and clapping the accented and unaccented beat of the rhythm with hands, tambourines or drums.
4. Learn forward, backward and side to side movement - to transfer to reading and writing: left to right across, and top down to foot of page.

General
5. Practice clockwise and counter-clockwise directions - for telling time.
6. Identify right side and left side of body for moving in those directions.
7. Learn up and down and left side to right side for north, south, east and west in map reading.
8. Develop memory through remembering the order of steps and sequences.
9. Learn to use arms in opposition to legs for right-left brain development.
10. Learn patience with self and cooperation with others in a group.
11. Finish what is begun: the steps, the sequence, completing the whole.

And, very importantly, find that learning can be fun while moving enthusiastically!

Homepage for Teaching Rhythmic Motor Skills
Rhythmic Motor Skills for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Rhythmic Motor Skills for School Age Children

Recommended

Rhythms and Dances for School Age Kids
For grades K-12 in 100 pages, how to teach 16 rhythmic dance steps illustrated and described, plus 9 little dances, 18 ABA and other sequencing combinations, and 4 advanced group dances - for learning kinesthetically about math sets, sequencing, and language phrasing and rhythms. Can be adapted for special needs kids.


Article by Susan Kramer