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Multiple Intelligences Howard Gardner revolutionised the way educators approach their teaching practice when he released his first book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences (Basic Books, 1983). Since then, multiple intelligence theory (MI) has been implemented in schools and classrooms across the globe despite criticism from some cognitive psychologists and academics. This approach to pedagogy can and should be easily be implemented into the English as an additional language classroom to improve student performance. Gardner?s theory claims that each individual has nine intelligences: Verbal-Linguistic, Mathematical-Logical, Visual-Spatial, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalist and Existential intelligence. These nine intelligences are present, in varying amounts, in everyone and can either be nurtured and strengthened or ignored and weakened. The multiple intelligence theory essentially means that everyone learns, remembers, understands and performs in unique and different ways. Everyone is different. For the English teacher, the multiple intelligences theory can be used to guide curriculum and lesson planning for the increased performance of their students. Content needs to be taught in a variety of ways through a spectrum of differing classroom activities and projects in order to access the nine intelligences. These different intelligences can be accessed in the following ways. This is by no means an exhaustive list, simply a short summary. Verbal-linguistic intelligence is focused upon using words effectively, both through production and reception skills. Educational activities involving reading, writing, listening, speaking, word games and audio media (lectures, CD?s, tapes or videos) will access this intelligence. Mathematical-logical intelligence is the ability to think conceptually and abstractly and see logical patterns related to numbers. This means integrating activities such as logic games, investigations or mysteries (role play), games involving counting and puzzles. Visual-spatial people are very aware of their environments and think visually through images/pictures. Any activity involving drawing, imagery, models, realia, illustrations, multimedia or creative thinking will encourage this form of intelligence. To support the bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, activities related to movement or making things are effective. Hands-on learning, role plays, acting, sports, dance, realia, body language and gesture are some ways teachers integrate this intelligence into the tesol classroom. Musical intelligence can be integrated through any activity using music excerpts such as looking at song lyrics for a grammar lesson or playing a word game based on rhythm. Collaborative and individual work supports both the interpersonal (understanding and interacting with others) and intrapersonal (understanding one?s own goals and interests) intelligences. Almost all tesol lessons based on the ESA (Engage, Study, Activate) model incorporate both of these intelligences. Naturalist intelligence (an understanding of objects in nature) is accessed when teaching vocabulary related to animals, plants and the natural world. While existential intelligence (interest in the ?big? questions such as the meaning of life) can be used for more advanced students as a subject for debate or discussion. students are better served when the broad spectrum of intelligences is integrated into the curriculum. Teachers need to have an understanding that each of their student?s minds is different. We can?t assume that everyone will learn the materials in the same way, at the same rate and to the same level of achievement. We need to be careful that we don?t bias our lessons to incorporate any one intelligence over all of the others and to be sensitive to the unique needs and requirements of our students. On the surface, teaching English seems to mainly fall into only one of Gardner?s multiple intelligences: verbal-linguistic. This paper has demonstrated however that all nine intelligences are (or should be) accessed in the tesol classroom. Doing so not only provides an interesting and varied curriculum, but also provides each individual students opportunity to flourish. Bibliography Concept To Classroom ? Tapping into Multiple Intelligences. http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/mi/index.html (2004) Accessed 04.04.2012 Multiple Intelligences, Lane, C. The Distance Learning technology Resource Guide, http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html Accessed 04.04.2012 Guignon, A. Implementing Gardner?s Theory In The Classroom, http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr054.shtml (06.06.2011). Accessed 04/04/12.
