The theme of this study was “Pursuing a Barrier-free Relationship between Body and Mind” and we examined teaching cases in dance reported in the third subcommittee meeting from the perspective of a barrierfree dance learning based on special education, life-long education and body theory.
The result confirmed that these cases fulfilled the following concepts;“whenever, wherever and whoever, ”“self-expression, acceptance of others and oneself, ”“body awareness, communication and sharing, ”“unification of body and mind, enjoyment, contact, and relationship.” It was suggested that therealization of “universal design work” with two-way communication required the creation of a “barrier-free space, ” where various concerns and ideas were implemented in order to remove the barriers between “theory and practice, ”“mind and body, ”“teaching and learning, ” and “school and community.”
Furthermore, a demonstration at the third subcommittee meeting presented clues for future dance teaching, where leaders organized the class/session selecting contents and procedures through improvisation, sensing what is happening “now and here” with/through their bodies.

View full abstract

This research program was a two-year trial for 39 third and fourth graders in the elementary school attached to Yamagata University, to establish learning for “HYOUGEN” that stirred emotions.
Teaching materials that had a value and energy were necessary to stir emotion. We decided to use two well-loved children's stories, which were taught in Japanese language education, as teaching materials. The third graders were guided using “TURIBASHI WATARE”(Cross the Suspension Bridge) and the fourth graders, “HANASAKIYAMA”(Blossoming Mountain.) Eight hours each were allocated for the guidance for “HYOUGEN” Reading of the children's feelings was performed in parallel in Japanese language education. As a result, first, by setting an expression assignment, the children could express their own feelings overlapping them with those of the main characters. Second, the children's “HYOUGEN” became diverse and deep by enriching images through “sounds, words and items” that worked on sensitivity. Third, using the main characters in the stories as media, the teachers and children, as well as childrenamong themselves, could sense others' feelings, producing emotion-stirring expressions.

View full abstract

This study focused on“HYOUGEN” in elementary school, and examined the problem of the learning content in the area of“Expression movement and dance.” Moreover, the aim of this study was to conduct basic research from which dance education could be developed in the future. First of all, the definition of the “Learning Content” of the physical education department was clarified. Next, the learning content of“HYOUGEN” was examined. As a result, it was revealed that the content of the study of“HYOUGEN” has been discussed repeatedly since the postwar era in parallel with the learning content of the physical education department theory. It was evident that the core of the discussion was how to take out the elements of the dance culture (or sports culture), which is so-called “Material”. To determine the learning content of“HYOUGEN” in the future, it is necessary to examine learning content that satisfies both the learner's body and brain. It was suggested that it is necessary to make a framework that is not partial to either “Education of the dance” or “Education by the dance”.

View full abstract