Week 12

Today’s lesson is to research information about Multiple Intelligences and Teaching.

TOPIC: MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE AND TEACHING

INTRODUCTION

Multiple intelligences teaching recognizes that each student possesses the multiple intelligence: visual or spatial intelligence, kinesthetic intelligence, musical or rhythmic intelligence, logical or mathematical intelligence, verbal or linguistic intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence and interpersonal intelligence, but that they are not always developed well or effectively. Teachers can activate the less-pronounced intelligences by diversifying the curriculum. Child-centred teaching, open-ended projects, cross-curricular activities, independent study, learning center activities, multimodal work, group projects, discovery learning and authentic assessment are some techniques that embrace Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence teaching.

FINDINGS

The technique can help students and teachers develop a deeper understanding of their abilities. It demonstrates to students how they can use their strengths and address their weaknesses. It boosts self-esteem and encourages risk-taking. It motivates students to learn more and to learn deeply.

You don’t have to teach or learn something in all multiple intelligences ways, just see what the possibilities are, and then decide which particular pathways interest you the most, or seem to be the most effective teaching or learning tools. The theory of multiple intelligences is so intriguing because it explands our horizon of available teaching/learning tools beyond the conventional linguistic and logical methods used in most schools (e.g. lecture, textbooks, writing assignments, formular, etc). To get started, put the topic of whatever you’re interested in teaching or learning about in the center of a blank sheet of paper, and draw eight straight lines or “spokes” radiating out from this topic. Label each line with a different intelligence. Then start brainstorming ideas for teaching and learning that topic and write down ideas next to each intelligence (this is a spatial-linguistic aproach of brainstroming; you might want to do this in other ways as well, using a tape-recorder, having a group brainstorming session, etc).

Writing for understanding activities give students rich experiences, such as role-playing, discussing complex issues, or acting out key events to write about. Students develop ideas and form opinios during the experience, before beginning to write. The experience becomes a springboard for writing, challenging students to clarify ideas, organize information, and express what they have learned. These activities give all learners, even those with lesser linguistic skills, something memorable to write about. In order to design the skills, give students a rich experience to write about a particular topic. Have students record their ideas, thoughts, and feelings in a prewriting activity. Provide students with an authentic writing assignment and guide them through the writing process.

CONCLUSION

Once you’ve discovered your learner’s individual mix of strengths, you can begin tailoring your teaching methods. There are a number of ways to accomplish this, but it helps to begin with an overview of general strategies for engaging each intelligence.