Applying Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences in the classroom:
Teachers should regard intellectual
ability in a broader sense. Drawing a picture, composing or listening to music
and watching a performance are as important as mathematics and writing.
Students who perform poorly on a traditional test are more inclined to learn
better with activities that incorporate artistic, athletic and music elements
to a learning experience (WNET Education, 2004).
Linguistic Intelligence is the theory of an individual’s sensitivity to language; sounds, rhythms and meanings of words. In the classroom the teacher can encourage linguistic intelligence through oral language and discussion, reading and seeing words, and reading books. In the classroom a great way to strengthen linguistic intelligence can be achieved through:
- Engaging in oral language activities before writing; storytelling, discussing, interviewing.
- Reading a variety of resources to gather inspiration
- Connecting reading tasks with daily writing
- Completing crossword puzzles with vocabulary words (extension learning)
- Playing games with a literacy focus
- Organize and analyze information in a written form
(Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014, p. 3)
Mathematics Intelligence has strong links with understanding numeracy and numerical patterns. Children who have mathematics intelligence will enjoy solving puzzles and experimentation particularly in a science context. In the classroom teachers can strengthen this intelligence by encouraging the use of technology (computers), extension critical thinking activities, logical thinking activities, science experiments, mathematics problem solving and also encouraging presentation or thinking through oral language discussion with the teacher and essentially with their class (Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014, p.3).
Visual and Spatial Intelligence refers to the way a child may perceive the spatial world. These children enjoy drawing, jigsaw puzzles, reading maps and have the potential to daydream. In the classroom teachers can encourage spatial intelligence through drawing and imagery using multiple tools; charts, photographs, 3-D imagery, videos, television (anything that has a multimedia context) etc.
Teachers can encourage spatial intelligence through:
- Using diagrams to teach writing concepts
- Using pictures (and visual imagery) to prompt writing
- Encouraging drawing to occur when a child is writing- draw what you can see
- Encouraging “keys” and colour coding
- Imagination exercises
(Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014, p. 4)
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence links with a child’s ability to control the way they move their bodies and the way they handle objects. These children are very skillful in their movement, the way the touch things and also the way they make things. Teachers in the classroom can enhance this type of intelligence through plenty of physical activity and hands on learning. This intelligence refers to a child using their body a lot to help them engage in learning; a teacher should plan for plenty of practical learning experiences like acting out, role playing, relaxation exercise, fitness and also encourage the involvement of using objects while learning (equipment)
Teachers can encourage more bodily kinesthetic learning through:
- Acting out stories during reading and writing
- Writing plays that have stage directions
- Engaging in drama activities that encourage the use of your body- charades
- Building objects using different equipment (blocks, cubes, lego etc)
- Physical activity that encourages hand-eye coordination.
(Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014, p. 4)
Musical Intelligence refers to a child ability to recognise and appreciate rhythm and pitch, as well as appreciate music and the many forms of musical expression. Sometimes these children may enjoy the sounds of music when they study and achieve better results with music in the background. Teachers can encourage musical intelligence in the classroom through listening to music, using musical instruments, listening to the radio, using multimedia resources, and looking at/listening to the lyrics of a song.
Classroom activities may also include:
- Writing poetry and reciting it aloud to the class
- Chorus and Cannon of voice during presentation
- Singing songs as a class/in groups
- Writing songs and encourage the children to come up with lyrics
- Listening to audio recordings that can be related to classroom activity
- Listening to the way people speak/present and discuss speaking patterns and sentence structure.
(Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014, p. 5)
Interpersonal Intelligence requires a child to be able to respond appropriately to the moods, motivations and desires of other people. Children with interpersonal intelligence learn from others and through group/social interaction. Children with interpersonal intelligence are able to get along with others easier and this is recognised through their friend groups and the number of friends they have. In the classroom a teacher can encourage interpersonal intelligence through plenty of group activities where the children can engage with each other through language and discussion.
Some other classroom activities that can encourage interpersonal intelligence:
- Designing and complete classroom activities/projects in groups
- Peer, group and class brainstorming
- Peer share activities- writing and reading etc where the children are encouraged to share their work with others
- Community initiatives
- Inviting guests into the classroom to tell stories related to the classroom learning
- Encouraging “Tuakana/Teina” relationships where the older children can tutor the younger children.
(Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014 p. 5)
Intrapersonal Intelligence requires the child to access one’s own feelings and have the ability to draw upon the knowledge of their individual strengths, weaknesses, desires and intelligences. Teachers can encourage intrapersonal intelligence in the classroom by using self-reflective classroom activities like mediation, classroom journals and independent reading and study.
These children learn well during their independence and some more examples of classroom reincorporation can be:
- Independent choice writing/keeping a journal
- Encouraging the children to think about their best writing and which pieces they wish to publish
- Allowing time to set goals for areas of learning that may need extra work
- Learning about topics that can be considered relevant and more personal to a child
- Encouraging the children to use technology software that allows the children to work alone
(Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014, p. 5)
Naturalist Intelligence is the ability to understand and begin to explain the things that the children may encounter in their natural world and nature. In the classroom teachers can encourage naturalist intelligence through discussing the life of people, animals and plants, understanding more about the environment and how creation is formed, and begin to discuss the connections to real life issues and science.
Teachers can also expand in naturalist behavior in the classroom through:
- Caring for plants inside and outside the classroom (and beginning to understand the life cycle of a plant)
- Discussing geography of the place in which they may be living (making the learning relevant)
- Sorting and classifying natural objects like plants and rocks
- Researching animals and their habitats
- Writing essays around plants/animal life
- Observing natural surroundings (EOTC)
- Community initiatives like recycling, “clean-ups”, tree planting (DOC)
(Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014, p. 6)
Linguistic Intelligence is the theory of an individual’s sensitivity to language; sounds, rhythms and meanings of words. In the classroom the teacher can encourage linguistic intelligence through oral language and discussion, reading and seeing words, and reading books. In the classroom a great way to strengthen linguistic intelligence can be achieved through:
- Engaging in oral language activities before writing; storytelling, discussing, interviewing.
- Reading a variety of resources to gather inspiration
- Connecting reading tasks with daily writing
- Completing crossword puzzles with vocabulary words (extension learning)
- Playing games with a literacy focus
- Organize and analyze information in a written form
(Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014, p. 3)
Mathematics Intelligence has strong links with understanding numeracy and numerical patterns. Children who have mathematics intelligence will enjoy solving puzzles and experimentation particularly in a science context. In the classroom teachers can strengthen this intelligence by encouraging the use of technology (computers), extension critical thinking activities, logical thinking activities, science experiments, mathematics problem solving and also encouraging presentation or thinking through oral language discussion with the teacher and essentially with their class (Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014, p.3).
Visual and Spatial Intelligence refers to the way a child may perceive the spatial world. These children enjoy drawing, jigsaw puzzles, reading maps and have the potential to daydream. In the classroom teachers can encourage spatial intelligence through drawing and imagery using multiple tools; charts, photographs, 3-D imagery, videos, television (anything that has a multimedia context) etc.
Teachers can encourage spatial intelligence through:
- Using diagrams to teach writing concepts
- Using pictures (and visual imagery) to prompt writing
- Encouraging drawing to occur when a child is writing- draw what you can see
- Encouraging “keys” and colour coding
- Imagination exercises
(Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014, p. 4)
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence links with a child’s ability to control the way they move their bodies and the way they handle objects. These children are very skillful in their movement, the way the touch things and also the way they make things. Teachers in the classroom can enhance this type of intelligence through plenty of physical activity and hands on learning. This intelligence refers to a child using their body a lot to help them engage in learning; a teacher should plan for plenty of practical learning experiences like acting out, role playing, relaxation exercise, fitness and also encourage the involvement of using objects while learning (equipment)
Teachers can encourage more bodily kinesthetic learning through:
- Acting out stories during reading and writing
- Writing plays that have stage directions
- Engaging in drama activities that encourage the use of your body- charades
- Building objects using different equipment (blocks, cubes, lego etc)
- Physical activity that encourages hand-eye coordination.
(Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014, p. 4)
Musical Intelligence refers to a child ability to recognise and appreciate rhythm and pitch, as well as appreciate music and the many forms of musical expression. Sometimes these children may enjoy the sounds of music when they study and achieve better results with music in the background. Teachers can encourage musical intelligence in the classroom through listening to music, using musical instruments, listening to the radio, using multimedia resources, and looking at/listening to the lyrics of a song.
Classroom activities may also include:
- Writing poetry and reciting it aloud to the class
- Chorus and Cannon of voice during presentation
- Singing songs as a class/in groups
- Writing songs and encourage the children to come up with lyrics
- Listening to audio recordings that can be related to classroom activity
- Listening to the way people speak/present and discuss speaking patterns and sentence structure.
(Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014, p. 5)
Interpersonal Intelligence requires a child to be able to respond appropriately to the moods, motivations and desires of other people. Children with interpersonal intelligence learn from others and through group/social interaction. Children with interpersonal intelligence are able to get along with others easier and this is recognised through their friend groups and the number of friends they have. In the classroom a teacher can encourage interpersonal intelligence through plenty of group activities where the children can engage with each other through language and discussion.
Some other classroom activities that can encourage interpersonal intelligence:
- Designing and complete classroom activities/projects in groups
- Peer, group and class brainstorming
- Peer share activities- writing and reading etc where the children are encouraged to share their work with others
- Community initiatives
- Inviting guests into the classroom to tell stories related to the classroom learning
- Encouraging “Tuakana/Teina” relationships where the older children can tutor the younger children.
(Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014 p. 5)
Intrapersonal Intelligence requires the child to access one’s own feelings and have the ability to draw upon the knowledge of their individual strengths, weaknesses, desires and intelligences. Teachers can encourage intrapersonal intelligence in the classroom by using self-reflective classroom activities like mediation, classroom journals and independent reading and study.
These children learn well during their independence and some more examples of classroom reincorporation can be:
- Independent choice writing/keeping a journal
- Encouraging the children to think about their best writing and which pieces they wish to publish
- Allowing time to set goals for areas of learning that may need extra work
- Learning about topics that can be considered relevant and more personal to a child
- Encouraging the children to use technology software that allows the children to work alone
(Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014, p. 5)
Naturalist Intelligence is the ability to understand and begin to explain the things that the children may encounter in their natural world and nature. In the classroom teachers can encourage naturalist intelligence through discussing the life of people, animals and plants, understanding more about the environment and how creation is formed, and begin to discuss the connections to real life issues and science.
Teachers can also expand in naturalist behavior in the classroom through:
- Caring for plants inside and outside the classroom (and beginning to understand the life cycle of a plant)
- Discussing geography of the place in which they may be living (making the learning relevant)
- Sorting and classifying natural objects like plants and rocks
- Researching animals and their habitats
- Writing essays around plants/animal life
- Observing natural surroundings (EOTC)
- Community initiatives like recycling, “clean-ups”, tree planting (DOC)
(Bratcher, 2012 cited in Lunenburg & Lunenburg, 2014, p. 6)
