The purpose of the research was to evaluate the experiences of children while listening to three purposefully created radio plays for preschoolers within the B-AIR project. We explored what aspects of radio plays captivate the attention of preschoolers and evoke emotional responses, as well as how individual elements (speech, sound, music) independently and in combination influence a child’s experience and memory of the content. We examined how five-year-olds most easily express their experiences when listening to radio plays. A total of 54 five-year-old preschool children participated in the study. Through the results of qualitative research, obtained through triangulation of data (children’s drawings, interviews with children, anecdotal records from observers), we found that the rhythm and dialogues of the story are crucial for maintaining children’s attention, and the equal intertwining of all radio play elements influences a deeper experience. Listening to radio plays is challenging for a child, and it is necessary to provide a prepared and safe space with contact with an adult. Children’s drawings are the most suitable medium for evaluating the auditory experiences of five-year-olds.
Keywords: experience, five-year-olds, listening, radio fairy tales, radiophonic elements
Article available at Glasbenopedagoški zbornik Akademije za glasbo v Ljubljani | Založba Univerze na Primorskem (upr.si)