Multiple Intelligences: Relevancy in the Classroom

Multiple Intelligences: Relevancy in the Classroom

EDE 756: Teacher as Researcher

Dr. Jeanne Peloso

December 12th, 2012

Denise Clarke

Introduction

The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, created by Howard Gardner, has many practical purposes in the classroom. The theory has evolved from just theory to a strategic plan of action for many teachers, students, and administrators. MI theory has huge implications in the classroom, thus making it relevant in classroom. In this paper, the different types of multiple intelligences will be examined, the multiple ways MI theory has been implemented will be explored to prove the relevancy of this theory, and finally, conclusions and recommendations will be presented in order to prove the relevancy of MI theory in the classroom.

According to Gardner, the multiple intelligences are linguistic, logical -mathematical, musical, bodily -kinesthetic, spatial intelligence, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and the naturalist intelligence.

"The linguistic intelligence allows individuals to communicate and make sense of the world through language." (Fierros, 2004, page4) This intelligence is characterized by reading word problems, writing math stories, listening and giving explanations, and talking about strategies.

The logical-mathematical intelligence "enables individuals to use, appreciate, and analyze abstract relationships." (Ferrios, 2004, page 4) This intelligence is characterized through the usage of solving and creating problems, constructing and solving equations, justifying and evaluating thinking, as well as making connections between math and the real world.

The musical intelligence "allows people to create, communicate, and understand meanings made out of sound." (Fierros, 2004, page4) This intelligence is characterized by creating rhythmic patterns to solve and interpret problems. The bodily kinesthetic intelligence "entails using all or part of the body to solve problems or create products." (Ferrios, 2004, page 4) This intelligence is characterized by using movements to solve problems or to derive a product, exploring tactile models, in order to solve problems.

The spatial intelligence" allows an individual to perceive visual or spatial information." (Ferrios, 2004, page 4) This intelligence is characterized by decoding by drawing diagrams, analyzing by creating pictures, or other representations. This intelligence allows others to reason and solve problems. Interpersonal intelligence "is the capacity to recognize and make distinctions among other's feelings and intentions, and to draw on these to solve problems." (Fierros, 2004, page4) This intelligence is characterized by working cooperatively, engaging in role play, sharing strategies, assessing peers' work and interviewing others. The intrapersonal intelligence "enables individuals to recognize and distinguish among their own feelings, to build accurate models of themselves, and to draw on these models to make decisions about their own lives." (Fierros, 2004, page 5) This intelligence is characterized by writing in journals to assess one's own personal feelings, conducting self assessments, and addressing one's own values and personal biases/attitudes.

Literature Analysis

There are many classroom uses of multiple intelligences. Many studies have concluded that classrooms should start with using a survey. From there, multiple intelligences can be applied according to student interest, curriculum planning, final products, stations, content diversification and according to varied assessments.

Ferrios (page 8) reported that MI was used to shift the thinking and problem solving of the various studies that were part of Project Summit (the Project on Schools Using Multiple Intelligences Theory). Many of these schools had different reasons for using MI in their schools. Some wanted to implement MI shift instructional practices. Some wanted to implement MI to shift school wide practices, and some wanted to implement MI to shift the school environment.

Marge Staszek, one of the participants in Project Sumit, used MI to construct a unit on culture and traditions. Her application of MI focused on curriculum design, she allowed the students to apply a variety of intelligences, in order to make sense of the unit. Students applied the verbal linguistic and spatial intelligence by using scrap books to present what they learned in the heritage unit. Students used the verbal linguistic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligences by interviewing family members and using those interviews to write stories and poems. Students used the musical and bodily kinesthetic intelligence to learn the music and dance of other cultures.

It is evident this Ms. Staszack created lessons for each unit that addressed specific intelligences. It is clear that all intelligences were not used in every lesson. "Yet, it should be noted that while it is important to consider the different intelligences in the creation of a learning curriculum, it is also important to remember that addressing all the different intelligences in one lesson or unit is not the ultimate goal. Rather, the goal is to engage learners in multiple ways that make sense to teachers and students alike." (Ferrios, 2004, page9) The strength of allowing a variety of intelligences as it relates to the different lessons opens up your instruction to a wide variety of learners. Gardner words also support the actions of Ms. Staszack. As more learners are exposed to a variety of ways to engage with the unit, the learners themselves realize they are being validated because the traditional two types of intelligences (verbal linguistic and logical-mathematical) are not the only intelligences used in assessing them. Ferrios also reported that the schools that were a part of this program had "improved standardized test scores, reduced disciplinary infractions, increased parent involvement, and increased ability to work with students with learning disabilities." (Fierros, 2004, page 7) The children are seeing that the way they learn is being recognized and not ignored. This recognition of one way of learning via the multiple intelligences allows students to continue to take in the learning process. This recognition ultimately builds motivation. Motivation builds ambition and ambition builds success.

There is an inherent weakness to this approach. The instructor has to guard against creating tasks that