Dance as a means of teaching in the Maltese primary education sectors : proposing a possible alternative teaching approach with special reference to learning by discovery

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to highlight how dance may be used in education, focusing on Maltese Primary Schools. This is outlined as dance might possibly not be used enough in schools as a way to educate students; and also, dance might hardly be seen as educational. This was discovered through theories such as Dearden, Learning by Discovery and Gardner, Multiple Intelligences. Combining these theories together might be a possible manner for dance to be seen as educational rather than just movement. Initially, this interest rose as usually, in Malta, dance is seen as a personal interest. Even so, it may be said that only little creativity is found in the Maltese Primary Schools, and due to this, children might not be allowed to explore and create educational matters. Thus, why should this be the case? The aim of this study is to show that creative dance workshops might be a possible teaching method, not only to educate students in Mathematics and other subjects, but also to highlight that through dance, different types of intelligences may be enhanced through a workshop.