The Effects of the Orff Approach to Music Education Programs on Young Children's Musical Expressiveness

The purpose of this study was to verify the effects of the Orff Approach to music education programs on singing ability, the ability to play musical instruments, physical expression ability, musical improvisation ability as well as overall musical expressiveness in 5 year old children. The test subjects for this study consisted of fifty-eight children. They were arbitrarily assigned to the experimental group of 31 children and the control group of 27 children. The experimental group was engaged using the Orff music education program for a total of 16 sessions, while the control group conducted music activities according to the annual music education plan of M kindergarten. The main results of this study were as follows : The Orff Approach to music education program was effective in improving abilities in the sub-factors of the four kinds of musical expression ability (singing, playing musical instruments, physical expression and musical improvisation) as well as overall musical expressive abilities. These results indicate that the Orff Approach to music education programs can create positive effects in the developing musical expressiveness of young children.