Using Dancesport as an Educational Resource for Improving Institutionalized Children's Learning Strategies

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Sports Science
• Child Development

Background:

• Extracurricular activities, including dance, stimulate multiple intelligences crucial for academic success.
• Investigating the impact of dancesport on institutionalized children's learning strategies is essential for educational development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the benefits of dancesport for institutionalized children's learning strategies.
• To examine gender-dependent differences in learning strategies.
• To provide recommendations for dance practice in preadolescence to enhance school success.

Main Methods:

• A six-month dancesport program with two 60-minute weekly lessons was implemented.
• Thirty institutionalized children aged 11-12 participated, with no other concurrent physical activities.
• The School Motivation and Learning Strategies Inventory (SMALSI) assessed changes in learning strategies and motivation.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in study strategies, test-taking effectiveness, and reduced concentration difficulties.
• Girls showed significantly better results than boys in study strategies and writing/research skills.
• Academic interest increased, and test anxiety and concentration difficulties decreased significantly.

Conclusions:

• Dancesport practice positively impacts institutionalized children's learning strategies, fostering academic performance and school integration.
• The program effectively improved academic interest and reduced test anxiety and concentration issues.
• Findings support the integration of dancesport as a beneficial extracurricular activity for preadolescents.