ENGLISH Presented

L ANGUAGE TEACHING
by : JYOTHIKA A SEM 4 MA ENGLISHSEMINAR
INT
 HOWARD GARDNER

Multiple intelligences is a theory first posited by Harvard developmental psychologist Howard

Gardner in 1983. In contrast to other notions of learning capabilities (for example, the concept of a
single IQ), the idea behind the theory of multiple intelligences is that people learn in a variety
of different ways.

Multiple intelligences refers to a theory describing the different ways students learn and acquire
information. These multiple intelligences range from the use of words, numbers, pictures and music,
to the importance of social interactions, introspection, physical movement and being in tune with
nature. The theory posits that an understanding of which type(s) of intelligence a student may
possess can help teachers adjust learning styles, and suggest certain career paths for learners.

Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory can be used for curriculum development, planning instruction,
selection of course activities, and related assessment strategies. Gardner points out that everyone
has strengths and weaknesses in various intelligences, which is why educators should decide how
best to present course material given the subject-matter and individual class of students. Indeed,
instruction designed to help students learn material in multiple ways can trigger their confidence to
develop areas in which they are not as strong. In the end, students’ learning is enhanced when
instruction includes a range of meaningful and appropriate methods, activities, and assessments.

2
3
4
 1 Reading, writing and putting puzzles together

2 Good at recognizing patterns and interpreting graphs, and

charts

3 Proficient at reading maps and directions, pictures, and charts

4 Think beyond the physical world and understand the human

mind better

Drawn to activities that involve visual or spatial

5 representations, such as pictographic representation of data,
mental mapping

• Engineering
• Art 6 Able to think abstractly and find patterns quickly

• Architecture

5
 1 The ability to use language to communicate effectively and
understand abstract and complex information

2 Involves listening, writing, speaking, reading comprehension,

vocabulary development and organizing thoughts

3 People with high linguistic intelligence possess a thorough

understanding of the power of words and their implications.

4 People with linguistic-verbal intelligence are good at learning

languages, speaking and writing

5 Those with linguistic-verbal intelligence tend to remember

spoken and written information very well

• Writer • Philosophy
• Public speakers • Law 6 They are good at delivering persuasive speeches, debating,
explaining things and telling humorous stories
• Politicians • science
• Comedians

6
 1 Proficient at analysis of problems, identifying numerical
patterns and reasoning

2 Think conceptually about patterns and relationships

3 Work abstractly through problem-solving

4 Excel at finding sophisticated solutions and understanding

complex principles.

5 Good at conducting scientific experiments and analyzing

mathematical operations and problems

• Accounting • Mathematician
• Engineering and scientist
• Computer • Finance or
programming accounting

7
 1 Promising at performing actions, body movements and
physical body control

2 Likely to have outstanding dexterity and hand-eye

coordination.

3 Excel at activities that require intense physical effort, such as

athletics or surgery

4 Possess exceptional physical coordination and enjoy sports,

dancing, and building things with their hands

5 Visualize pictures, hold poses for long periods of time and

understand how their body moves.

• Athlete • Surgeon
• Actor • Builder 6 Prefer hands-on activities such as clay pottery and making
mechanical objects as opposed to more abstract tasks
• Dancer
• Sculptor

8
 1 Individuals with superior levels of musical intelligence are
proficient at thinking in sounds, musical patterns and rhythms

2 Those with a high level of musical intelligence possess strong

mental abilities

Able to recognize pitch and tone beautifully, which makes

3 them incredibly sensitive to the intricacies of melodies and
harmonies

4 They have an exceptional memory for music and are often

capable of playing instruments by ear without much practice

Higher level of musical intelligence can use their ability to

5 create rhythmical patterns that dictate movement or
manipulate moods

• Music teacher • Composer

• Music therapist • Singer 6 They demonstrate a strong appreciation for music and are
mostly good at singing or composing music
• Audiologist
• Sound editor

9
 The ability to understand and empathize with people, make
1 connections, build relationships, and effectively communicate
concepts or solutions

Involves understanding verbal forms of communication, such

2 as body language and tone of voice, as well as non-verbal
forms of communication such as physical gesture

Key for creating healthy relationships with others and can be

3 developed by learning to be more aware of how we come
across to others and by practicing active listening skills

Proficient at building relations with and understanding others

4 and are good at assessing others sentiments, goals, and
objectives

5 More skilled at verbal and non-verbal communication

• Politician
• Salesperson 6 Build positive relationships, resolve conflicts and can view
situations from unique perspectives
• Philosopher
• Counselor

10
 1 Ability to recognize and understand your thoughts, feelings,
and motivation

2 Have an uncanny understanding of their own thoughts,

emotions, and experiences

Great at spotting patterns in their life, connecting current

3 feelings to past events, and understanding why they are the
way they are today

Proficient at building relations with and understanding others

4 and are good at assessing others sentiments, goals, and
objectives

5 More skilled at verbal and non-verbal communication

• Psychologist
• Researcher 6 Build positive relationships, resolve conflicts and can view
situations from unique perspectives
• Author
• Instructor

11
 Naturalistic Intelligence is the eighth intelligence to the
1 theory of Howard Gardner which has received more criticism
as compared to his other seven types of proposed intelligence

2 Are more in touch with nature and are frequently interested in

discovering, and learning about the environment

Those with Naturalist Intelligence like to study subjects like

3 zoology and botany, and do not enjoy learning about subjects
with no connection to nature

4 Naturalist intelligence goes beyond the ordinary human

abilities of taxonomy, comparison and observation

It also includes the more advanced abilities such as analyzing

5 situations, using one's environment to solve problems and
making finer distinctions between objects

• Biologist • Horticulturalist
• Conservationist
• Gardener
• Farmer

12
 Those with existential human intelligence are deep thinkers of
1 things in life and the meaning of life and how actions can
serve larger objectives

Deep thinkers who focus on the larger questions in life such

2 as the meaning of life and how personal actions can serve
larger objectives

Provides individuals with a unique perspective that shapes

3 their understanding of what is important and meaningful in
life

4 Can develop new ideas and approaches to tackling complex

questions or problems

5 Main strengths of those with Existential Intelligence include a

skill to see the big picture

• Pastoral counsellor
• Philosopher 6 Develop new ideas and approaches to tackling complex
questions or problems

13
Lacks Empirical Evidence

Gardner’s definition of intelligence is unnecessarily broad that merely

represent people’s abilities and personality traits.

Many educators complain that Gardner’s perceived 21st-century

learning styles have no advantage with respect to educational
attainment and learning outcomes

One of the strongest criticisms is that Gardner's theory fails to

account for the role a centralized working memory system plays in
intelligent behavior

Research showed that the ability to maintain, organize, and

coordinate information in working memory is essential to problem
solving and other reasoning abilities.

Some researchers disagree that abilities in specific domains, such as

naturalist or musical intelligence, truly qualify as separate forms of
intelligence.
14
Recognize that students have different learning skills and strengths according to Gardner's multiple
intelligences theory

Present content to students in a variety of ways to cater to different intelligences

Make the content visible in different ways

Prepare children for school by recognizing and nurturing their multiple intelligences

Pay attention to students' personal intelligences, such as Emotional Intelligence and interpersonal
intelligence

Recognize the importance of motor skills, particularly for bodily-kinesthetic learners. Incorporate activities
that involve movement, such as dance or sports, into the curriculum to cater to these learners

15
Thank You

16