Multiple Intelligences

Multiple Intelligences is an approach to teaching, introduced by Howard Gardner in 1993, that focuses on his belief the learners' intelligence is not a single structure like IQ but a conglomerate of different types of "intelligences". Gardner’s multiple intelligences extents the concept of the one intelligence and defines a broader variety of intelligences for everyone. This takes into account the idea that a person who is good at mathematics is not necessarily good at other tasks. Furthermore it questions the concept that a person with low mathematical skills is considered to be less intelligent even though he or she might be a high achiever in other areas like music, sports, etc.

Background

The traditional assumption about intelligence is that it is a single, unchanged, inborn capacity. This intelligence can be measured using tests like the Stanford – Binet with results showing the traditional idea of IQ. “Those tests measure only logic and language, leaving out a whole lot of other capacities that the human brain has to offer” (Richards & Rodgers, 1986). Howard Gardner viewed intelligence as 'the capacity to solve problems or to fashion products that are valued in one or more cultural setting' (Gardner & Hatch, 1989).

He therefore proposed eight different intelligences. In the original thesis he included seven intelligences and in 1999 an eighth intelligence, the "naturalist intelligence", was added. Other intelligences such as the existential, emotional or moral intelligence were considered. These additional ones were not included due to what he felt was insufficient evidence that they fit his criteria.

These criteria or ‘signs’ consist of

• Potential isolation by brain damage.
• The existence of idiots, savants, prodigies and other exceptional individuals.
• An identifiable core operation or set of operations.
• A distinctive development history, along with a definable set of 'end-state' performances.
• An evolutionary history and evolutionary plausibility.
• Support from experimental psychological tasks.
• Support from psychometric findings.
• Susceptibility to encoding in a symbol system.

(Howard Gardner 1983: 62-69)

Intelligences

Gardner (1999) discusses the following inteligences:

Linguistic intelligence

Linguistic intelligence involves sensitivity to spoken and written language, the ability to learn languages, and the capacity to use language to accomplish certain goals. This intelligence includes the ability to effectively use language to express oneself rhetorically or poetically; and language as a means to remember information.

Writers, poets, lawyers and speakers are among those that Howard Gardner sees as having high linguistic intelligence.

Logical-mathematical intelligence

Logical-mathematical intelligence consists of the capacity to analyze problems logically, carry out mathematical operations, and investigate issues scientifically. In Howard Gardner's words, it entails the ability to detect patterns, reason deductively and think logically.

This intelligence is most often associated with scientific and mathematical thinking.

Musical intelligence

Musical intelligence involves skill in the performance, composition, and appreciation of musical patterns. It encompasses the capacity to recognize and compose musical pitches, tones, and rhythms.

According to Howard Gardner, musical intelligence runs in an almost structural parallel to linguistic intelligence.

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence entails the potential of using one's whole body or parts of the body to solve problems. It is the ability to use mental abilities to coordinate bodily movements.

Howard Gardner sees mental and physical activity as related.

Spatial intelligence

Spatial intelligence involves the potential to recognize and use the patterns of wide space and more confined areas and to form mental images about it.

This intelligence is regarded as one needed by architects, sculptors and painters.

Interpersonal intelligence

Interpersonal intelligence is concerned with the capacity to understand the intentions, motivations and desires of other people. It allows people to work effectively with others. Educators, salespeople, religious and political leaders and counsellors all need a well-developed interpersonal intelligence.

Intrapersonal intelligence

Intrapersonal intelligence entails the capacity to understand oneself, to appreciate one's feelings, fears and motivations.

In Howard Gardner's view it involves having an effective working model of ourselves, and to be able to use such information to regulate our lives.

Naturalist intelligence

Naturalist intelligence refers to the ability to understand and organize the patterns of nature.

Learner and teacher role

The learner role. One major aspect of the learner role is that every learner is unique. The focus is on the learner and his or her different abilities to learn things. The learners develop their own personality within the frame of the foreign language classroom. Learners may take an intelligence inventory to create their own multiple intelligences profiles to answer, "What type of learner am I?" They are an active part in the classroom and they are aware of aims and achievements and reflect on their own learning.

The teacher role. The teacher may introduce his students to the existence of multiple intelligences and guide them in identifying, celebrating and making use of all their intelligences through language learning activities that exercise the students' multiple intelligences.

Typical tasks & classroom materials for each intelligence

Most of the mentioned tasks are taken from Christison (1997) and a more detailed list can also be found in Approaches and Methods in Language teaching (Riachrd and Rogers 2001).

Linguistic. All task types that deal with reading, writing, listening and speaking are part of this intelligence. Since this is the most important aspect for TEFL please see below for further information.

Logical/Mathematical. Tasks for this aspect can be scientific thinking, solving logic problems or puzzles or playing board and computer games that require planning ahead and strategic decisions.

Spatial. This intelligence can be brought into the classroom by adding material such as charts, diagrams, videos, photography. Such tasks like drawing or painting, using mind maps and imaginative storytelling can be used.

Bodily/Kinesthetic. Activities for this intelligence often require a lot of time such as cooking or field trips but there are other activities such as small creative movements, small classroom games (like Simon says) or role playing. For good additional ideas the Total Physical Response approach could be implemented.

Musical. Group singing, making instruments & playing instruments as well as listening to music are among the suitable activities especially designed for this intelligence. Especially implementing modern pop songs into the classroom can be a very successful activity since it is often correlated with a high amount of intrinsic motivation.

Interpersonal. One of the easiest to implement is the Interpersonal intelligence. It is already activated by simple lectures of the teacher but it is even more enhanced by activities like group work. For further idea's check the Communicative approach and the Cooperative approach.

Intrapersonal. Tasks trying to implement this intelligence aim at the student’s ability to organize themselves and also to be aware of their own merits and flaws. Tasks that can help students to achieve such a state can be independent work, reflective learning, journals, self-image evaluation or help in finding & creating goals.

Naturalist There are no specific tasks for this in the literature but this intelligence can be enhanced by showing connections between different topics to create a broader image of the world within the students. This can be done by using bilingual teaching, implementing topics such as culture, ethics, biology or everyday life within the language classroom.

Advantages

1. Each student is seen as an individual with his or her own strengths and weaknesses.
2. The teacher learns how each student may learn best and may give suitable tasks to teach the content demanded by the curriculum.
3. Students may be motivated and confident when using an intelligence they know is one of their strengths.
4. Due to many different tasks the students are more intrinsical motivated

Disadvantages

It may be difficult and impractical to tailor lessons to students various individual intelligences, especially within large classes.