The Effects of an Early Childhood Physical Rhythm Education Program on Rhythm Perception and Rhythm Expression

The purposes of this study were to demonstrate whether a Physical Rhythm Education Program can alter children's rhythm perception and rhythm expression.To solve the questions posed by this study, 60 5-year-olds and 60 6-year-olds (a total of 120 children) from one child-care center in Kyunggi-province were selected.An experimental group participated in the Physical Rhythm Program which was carried out 10 times over the course of 4 weeks.The results indicated that the Physical Rhythm Program positively improved the children's rhythm perception and rhythm expression.In particular, the Physical Rhythm Program was more effective in producing effects upon six-year-olds' rhythm perception and rhythm expression (verbal, instrumental and physical expression) than five-year-olds' rhythm expression (instrumental and physical expression).Keywords：리듬지각력(rhythm perception), 리듬표현력(rhythm expression), 유아리듬교육(rhythm education of children), 신체리듬교육(physical rhythm education).