Multiple Intelligences

Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences is a fairly new and surprisingly popular learning theory. Originally, Gardner suggested that there were seven ways that different people learn. An eighth has been added and there could be more. Unfortunately, the way the education system currently functions, only two of those intelligences are easily accommodated. Those who are linguistic (word smart) or mathematical-logical (number/reasoning smart) are usually the best “students” in our school system. However, there are six other learning styles or intelligences that are often ignored or pushed aside in schools. The students who are spatial (picture smart), bodily-kinesthetic (body smart), musical –rhythmic (music smart), interpersonal (people smart), intrapersonal (self smart), or the newest addition naturalistic (nature smart) tend to have a harder time in the traditional learning environment.

I think that the school system is gradually including these other six types of intelligences.  How fast and how much it is incorporated depends upon the teacher and district's ability to recognize how these learners will learn.

Adapting our teaching style to accommodate as many students’ different learning styles as possible will do nothing but benefit the students in the long run. Simple things like: playing soft, appropriate music in the background while students work independently (musical); using charts or graphs to represent data being presented (spatial); using cooperative groups (interpersonal) or journals (intrapersonal); providing students with opportunities for hands on activities (bodily-kinesthetic) or explaining how the concepts fit into the real or natural world (naturalistic) will help all students understand the concepts in the classroom.

Find out what YOUR intelligence is: http://www.ldpride.net/learning-style-test.html