Post on 03-Jan-2016
What is the theory of multiple
intelligences?Alison Bencivenga
Benold Middle SchoolGeorgetown, TX
In 1983, Howard Gardner (Harvard professor) said:
All people learn differently.
There are 9 “intelligences,” or ways people learn.
Some kinds of intelligence will be dominant over others. This is
different for each person.
Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence
Student learns best with spoken and written language.
Visual/Spatial Intelligence
Student learns best by seeing information and visual displays.
Mathematical/Logical Intelligence
Student learns best through reasoning and problem-solving; good at seeing
patterns and connections.
Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence
Student learns best by doing; physical interaction and practice of skills works best.
Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence
Patterns, rhythms and music are
excellent ways for these students to learn and retain
information.
Intrapersonal Intelligence
Student learns best by assessing the values and
responsibilities attached to learning; strongly aware of their
own feelings and attitudes.
Interpersonal Intelligence
Cooperative learning strategies are very effective with these students, who learn best through interaction with
others.
Naturalist Intelligence
Students are adept at sorting
information into classes and categories, in
addition to the study of nature.
Existential Intelligence
Students learn best by
addressing “big” questions about human existence and their roles in the world.
What does this mean for educators?
Many American educators now
embrace Gardner’s theory and vary lessons to
address a wider range of learning
styles.
What might this look like in the classroom?
One example: Create groups to complete a task. Assign an historical figure to each group.
Step One: Research Compile information and pull together the most important facts.
Step Two: create a poster to represent important concepts in visual form.
Step Three: Compose/Rehearse
Students with strong musical intelligence might create or find a short song or jingle to perform for the rest of the class.
Step Four: Present
A student with strong verbal-linguistic skills presents the group’s work to the rest of the class.
A sample project (from History Alive!)
What does this mean for students?
Students who can identify their strengths can adapt their studystrategies to make better use
of time and effort.
Examples of effective study strategies using
multiple intelligences:
Interpersonal: study groups
Visual/spatial: flash cards, graphic organizers
Verbal/linguistic: oral repetition
Bodily/kinesthetic: transcribing notes by hand, drawing, “act-it-outs”
Musical/rhythmic: creating songs/jingles/rhymes
Resources
Concept to Class. http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/mi/index.html
Gardner, Howard. Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic,1983
Gardner, Howard. Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. New York: Basic, 2000.
McKenzie, Walter. http://surfaquarium.com/MI/nine_intelligences.pdf
Teachers’ Curriculum Institute: History Alive!
Clipart Courtesy of:www.discoveryeducation.comwww.microsoftclipartgallery.comhttp://www.phillipmartin.info/clipart/homepage.htm