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Multiple IntelligenceThe theory of multiple-intelligence was proposed by Howard Garner in 1983. It is a model of intelligence that seeks to separate intelligence into several modalities. Gardner had felt that traditional understanding of intelligence was ambiguous and its methods were unreliable in measuring an individual?s intellect. He suggested that our varying cognitive abilities should not be generalized together and measured within the same category. He gave an example regarding two children, one who was able to solve a multiplication question quickly and one who needed more time to solve it. Gardner argued that just because one child was able to solve the equation quickly, does not make that child more intelligent than the other. There could be several reasons why the other child was taking more time with the equation, 1) he could have been trying to approach the problem differently 2) he may have benefited more from a different method of teaching, 3) his conceptualization of the multiplication equation could have been at a deeper level. All these possibilities, suggests Gardner, could mean that the slower child could be as intelligent if not more so than the faster child. Gardner theorizes that the child, who solved the multiplication question the fastest, could have memorized the multiplication table without really understanding the concept of multiplication. Gardner proposed that intelligence should be divided into several different fields, each representing one form of human intelligence. The fields he proposed are as follows: Logical-mathematical - required for tasks such as solving math problems, computer programming, and abstract reasoning. Spatial ? required for memorizing shapes, reading maps, and interpret visual information. Linguistics ? required for recalling words, comprehending readings, and learning a new language. Bodily-kinesthetic ? required for playing sports, controlling body motions, and using hand-eye coordination. Musical ? required for playing an instrument, identify sounds, and production of sounds. Interpersonal ? required for identifying other individual?s mood or temperament, building rapport, and engaging in social interactions. Intrapersonal ? required for understanding the self, engage in introspection, and reflect on past events. Naturalistic ? required for identifying plants or ore, growing plants, and understanding the natural environment. Existential ? required for contemplating phenomenon beyond our sensory capabilities. This type of intelligence is usually displayed in people such as philosophers, physicists, or cosmologists. The multiple-intelligence theory has also come under criticisms from others in the field. Some accuse Gardner of attempting to redefine the meaning of intelligence, while others suggest that Gardner has came up with an un-falsifiable claim. Regardless of the current controversy regarding multiple-intelligence theory, there are some notable concepts that we may be able to apply towards TESOL. First of all, being able to memorize and recall vocabularies does not mean a student has mastered that section of the lesson. Just like memorizing the multiplication table, being able to memorize a bunch of words does not mean that the student has become an expert in english. There has been an incredible phenomenon lately, where a great deal of students has spent all their efforts on test taking. However, no matter how well they perform on tests, they were still unable to hold a basic conversation in english. This gives us much to think about in terms of how we evaluate our students and what they expect to receive from the course. Another take away message from this article is that different students may benefit from different methods of teaching. Some students may excel in ?linguistic? intelligence; as such they benefit more from reading and writing english. However, other students who may excel in ?spatial? or ?musical? intelligence will benefit more from visual aids or a lecture styled lesson. It is up to the teacher to understand the students? need, and implement the lesson so that the majority of the class can benefit from it.
