A Case for Multiple Intelligences Based Classroom Instruction

Although many high school age students tend to think and learn in nontraditional ways, American schools still base their instruction primarily on the verbal-linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences. As a result, many students who are not strong in these traditional intelligences develop poor attitudes toward school and their academic achievement suffers.

According to psychologist Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, intelligences change with age and with experience. Since our culture places so much importance on the traditional intelligences and since so many high school students have strengths in the nontraditional intelligences, it makes sense to incorporate the multiple intelligences into classroom instruction in order to provide experiences that will change students' intelligences for the better.

This is not to say that the development of linguistic and analytical skills should be abandoned in favor of nontraditional approaches to education. Rather, traditional and nontraditional approaches should be combined to formulate a method of education that is best suited to the students who populate our classrooms. The multiple intelligences offer a balance which teaches students what they need to know in order to be successful in our society in a way that compliments the unique abilities that each individual possesses.

All students should have the opportunity to not only further develop their dominant intelligences, but should also have the opportunity to develop their weaker intelligences.  Students who are weak in the verbal-linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences will certainly be at a disadvantage in a culture that places so much emphasis on the traditional intelligences. Despite their weaknesses, however, students who are given the opportunity to succeed using an intelligence in which they can excel demonstrate that they are capable of developing their verbal-linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences.
 
Because MI based instruction is designed to reach a combination of intelligences, the multiple intelligences classroom is perceived by students as a place where everyone can do something well, instead of as a place where some students are "smart" and others are not. MI focuses on students' strengths and uses those strengths to build up weaker areas. According to Jie-Qi Chen & Gardner the multiple intelligences can bridge the gap from an area of success to an area of difficulty because "the sense of success in one area may make the student more likely to engage in areas where they feel less comfortable." Since students are not made to feel as though they are stupid because they do not know something, a change in attitude takes place which effectively removes the "block" which once prevented learning.

Multiple intelligences based instruction is effective because it provides a comfort zone by allowing students to think in ways that are comfortable for them. It also helps them develop thought processes that they do not normally use by providing them with a positive environment in which they can experiment without feeling that they are not "intelligent." Students who are strong in nontraditional intelligences often are made to feel that they don't measure up to the rest of their classmates. Multiple intelligences based instruction provides all students with the opportunities they need to succeed, and students who have been successful are better equipped to attempt more challenging work.

In short, multiple intelligences based instruction has the potential to eliminate (or at least reduce) the number of American students who are currently stumbling blindly through our systems of education. These students can be provided with the opportunities that they need in order to succeed in school while they are improving the verbal-linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences that they will require in order to be successful in our society. 

Visit http://www.thewritingtutor.biz/teachers_resources/Englishlessonplans.php
for more multiple intelligences teaching ideas.  Handouts are available for most lesson plans and writing assignments. 

Learn more about the multiple Intelligences --
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References:

Chen, J. Q., & Gardner, H. (1997). Alternative assessment from a multiple intelligences perspective. In B. Torff(ed.), Multiple intelligences and assessment: A collection of articles, 27-54. Arlington Heights, IL: IRI/Skylight Training and Publications, Inc.

Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.

Gardner, H. (1995a). Multiple intelligences as a catalyst.
English Journal, 84 (8), 16-18.

Gardner, H. (1995b). Reflections on multiple intelligences: Myths and messages. Expanded Academic ASAP [on-line database]. Original Publication: Phi Delta Kappan, 77 (3).

Teele, A. (1996). Redesigning the educational system to enable all students to succeed. NASSP Bulletin, (80) 583,
65-75.

Michele R. Acosta is a freelance writer, a former English teacher, and the mother of three boys. She spends her time writing and teaching others to write. Visit http://www.TheWritingTutor.biz/articles for more articles, http://www.TheWritingTutor.biz/writing_editing_service for professional writing and editing services, or http://www.TheWritingTutor.biz for writing and educational resources for young authors, teachers, and parents. Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Writing Tutor & Michele R. Acosta. All rights reserved.

Assessing Student Performance

Teacher Discounts at the NASA Spcace Store

Online Teaching Degrees

Writing Lessons Using the Multiple Intelligences Help students develop writing and grammar skills by using lessons that are based on each of the multiple intelligences. Activities range from math raps to illustrated essays to puppet shows of autobiographies.

Beyond Curriculum #2: A Research Project that Reaches the
Multiple Intelligences


Multiple intelligences instruction has the potential to reach and teach vast numbers of students, but incorporating it effectively while still meeting curriculum requirements and insuring that students are developing their verbal-linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences is no small feat.

In the first part of this series, I asked the question: How do you effectively incorporate the multiple intelligences, meet the requirements of your school's curriculum, and make sure that your students are developing their verbal-linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences all at the same time?

I also answered the question: you don't - at least not all at the same time. But some assignments can meet all of these requirements, and better yet, they have the potential to reach all of the multiple intelligences (as opposed to two
or three). I use a mini research project as an introductory activity for F. Scott Fitzgerald's <i>The Great Gatsby</i>; however, the assignment would work with any small scale research project. The purpose of the project is for students to gather information about an era (in my case it was the Roaring Twenties), and share that information with each other. Since the goal of the lesson is the communication of knowledge, it doesn't matter how the information is disseminated.

I give students the opportunity to work alone, in pairs, or in groups of three or four. Each student is required to select his or her own topic to research. If students choose to work with classmates, their individual research is to be integrated into one presentation. As preparation for their projects, students brainstorm methods for demonstrating knowledge. The form of the final product is left to the students' discretion. As a result, students can use the combinations of intelligences with which they are most comfortable.

The final products created by my students tells the success story:

One student wrote and presented a first-person narrative of Amelia Earhart's life. Her presentation was accompanied by a freehand drawing of a world map on which Earhart's fatal flight was charted. This student used her verbal-linguistic intelligence to write and speak her narrative and her spatial intelligence to draw the map. She also used her logical-mathematical intelligence to organize her research into a presentation.

Two students wrote a newsletter about sports in the 1920s. They concentrated specifically on Babe Ruth and on the 1919 World Series which was fixed. These boys used their verbal-linguistic intelligence to write their articles, their spatial intelligence to format their newsletter, and their interpersonal intelligence to cooperate. They also used their logical-mathematical intelligence to organize their research into a newsletter.

Two other students wrote and presented a 20-minute dialogue between Bonnie and Clyde. They wore costumes for effect. By selecting this method of presentation, they not only presented the historical and biographical information about the exploits of Bonnie and Clyde, but also managed to examine Bonnie & Clyde's emotional and psychological state. In order to accomplish this, these students needed to draw on their intrapersonal intelligence. These students used their verbal-linguistic intelligence to write and speak their dialogue, their interpersonal intelligence to collaborate together, and their logical-mathematical intelligence to arrange their research into a coherent dialogue.

Three other students found a Benny Goodman radio sketch and acted it out vocally. They also wrote a commercial about fads of the 1920s which was inserted into their sketch. In order to truly communicate the "radio" element of their topic, these students made an audio cassette of their presentation and played it for the class. These girls used their verbal-linguistic intelligence to verbally "act out" their radio sketch, their interpersonal skills to work together, and their logical-mathematical intelligence to organize their research into a presentation.

Another student taught the Charleston to the class, using her bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, while yet another student used his musical intelligence to present the Blues.

Students learn more from this project because they are allowed to express themselves in ways that give them confidence to experiment. Whether they are readers or not, they begin the unit in a positive frame of mind and are more willing to tackle the challenge at hand because of their recent success.

Visithttp://www.thewritingtutor.biz/teachers_resources/Englishlessonplans.php
for more information about this assignment and others. Handouts are available for most lesson plans and writing assignments.

Learn more about the multiple Intelligences --
http://www.TheWritingTutor.biz/articles/MI-intro-prob.php

Michele R. Acosta is a freelance writer, a former English teacher, and the mother of three boys. She spends her time writing and teaching others to write. Visit http://www.TheWritingTutor.biz/articles for more articles, http://www.TheWritingTutor.biz/writing_editing_service for professional writing and editing services, or http://www.TheWritingTutor.biz for writing and educational resources for young authors, teachers, and parents. Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Writing Tutor & Michele R. Acosta. All rights reserved.
 

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Six facts you should know to empower your teaching

Author: Emmanuel SEGUI

As parents and teachers, we need to enhance our abilities to create a relationship of trust with the students or the children we interact with.

The task sometimes seems hard and we often feel discouraged.  Fortunately, there is hope with the vision that both teachers and children can discover the joy of learning.

Empowering children with self confidence and strengthening your capabilities to teach will become second hand as you integrate the following six principles or beliefs. It's a sure deal.

1. The map is not the territory Wherever you travel and whenever you use a map, you know that this map doesn't show exactly the whole territory. Some things are just not included on the map. In the same way, our view of the world doesn't show the complete reality. When children, as well as each one of us, experience the world we give it meaning, which is often distorted. This fact help us understand that we need to listen to better understand children's interpretation of the world and thus help
them grow in their view of the world, not our own, which is also only a map.

2.Every behavior has a positive intention Children sometimes show strange, unexpected behavior but we have to remember that their behavior is totally congruent to them at the present time. It is their best choice available according to their current map of the world. Their behavior always has an intention and this intention serves them, otherwise why would they do it. Although we must remember that the positive
intention does not always manifest itself the way we would like it to. What we need to do is find and understand it, while respecting the child we're teaching or raising.

3.There is no failure only feedback Teachers and parents often don't know how to handle failure. Bad grades should never mean bad child. It only means: "What can I do better as a teacher/parent to help the child realize that his failure is an opportunity to go forward, build his own character and build the one characteristic necessary to become a successful person: persistence."

4.You cannot not communicate You don't only communicate with language but by your behavior, your posture and your voice. Each one of your movements convey a message. Children are more aware of these messages than you think and they give meaning to them. A single look could mean: "you're a bad boy", or "I love you".  Beware of all the messages you convey because you cannot not communicate.

5.Everyone has all the resources to succeed in learning. Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Leonardo de Vinci, Pablo Picasso had two things in common. They had learning disabilities and they were geniuses. In spite of their problems, they used all the resources they need to realize their dreams, to learn and achieve. Being aware that every child has all the resources he needs to succeed will allow us to love him or her so much better. The more you love a child, the more you will help him realize his potential.

6.Actions are not the person

The student or child you're dealing with is unique and the personal worth of the individual is held constant. But naturally, children's behavior is sometimes questionable. This is when we must distinguish between "You're stupid" and "what
you've just done is stupid". Learn how to make the difference between behavior and identity. Let this principle be reflected in your language.

I've made these principles mine and I've seen many changes in my life and in others. Do the same thing with the children you raise or teach. I can promise you that you'll see things that you've never seen before.

About the author:
Emmanuel SEGUI Author of "Moving from Vision to Action"

Sick and tired of raising a child that doesn't care about school? Get our FREE mini-course : "What parents and teachers can do when their child struggles in school ?" Click now and claim our Free course:
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