The effect of voice education on the musical voice development of 35-40 months old children with and without hearing loss at preschool education

ABSTRACT THE EFFECT OF VOICE EDUCATION ON THE MUSICAL VOİCE DEVELOPMENT OF 35-40 MONTHS OLD CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT HEARING LOSS AT PRESCHOOL EDUCATION Ebru TEMİZ FINE ARTS EDUCATION DEPARTMENT MUSIC EDUCATION BRANCH Prof. Dr. Ali UÇAN June, 2007 The purpose of this study is to determine whether preschool music and voice education affect the musical voice development of the children with and without hearing loss, and whether there is a relationship between hearing loss and musical voice development, hence, to contribute the music education and voice development of the children with and without hearing loss. In the study, one group pretest-posttest research model was used. In determining the sample, the population of the group and the type of the hearing loss were taken into consideration. The experimental phase of the study was conducted at Gazi Education Faculty Application Kindergarten with 11 children in the age group of three. Prior the experimental procedure hearing analysis and pretest of the sample were made. In the experimental procedure, 20 different voice education activities were applied to the sample. After the experimental procedure the last considerations about the posttest phase was made and the results were compared. In the study, the data collected through personal information and information forms related to the parents, interview forms constructed to be administered to the area specialists, a a measurement instrument for the ability to differentiate musical v sound features and a measurement instrument for measuring the ability to sing according to musical voice features. The statistical analyses were made through various statistical analysis techniques in SPSS 11.0 software. The statistical significance was chosen at .05 levels. In the study, nonparametric tests were used because the population of the groups was not adequate for parametric tests. The results of the study show that after voice education given to 35-40 month old children, voice education process is effective in children?s musical voice development, and that the variable of hearing loss affects children?s musical voice development, in other words, children?s ability to differentiate musical sound features and to sing according to their musical voice features negatively. The results also show that the children?s musical development features and some factors that can affect their development deserve attention, and that research studies should be conducted in this area.