"An intelligence is the ability to solve problems,
or to create products, that are valued within
one or more cultural settings."
- Howard Gardner
Frames Of Mind (1983)

Howard Gardner defined the first seven intelligences in FRAMES OF MIND (1983). He added the last two in INTELLIGENCE REFRAMED (1999). Gardner is a psychologist and Professor at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education. Based on his study of many people from many different walks of life in everyday circumstances and professions, Gardner developed the theory of multiple intelligences. He performed interviews with and brain research on hundreds of people, including stroke victims, prodigies, autistic individuals, and so-called "idiot savants." According to Gardner,

• All human beings possess all nine intelligences in varying amounts.
• Each person has a different intellectual composition.
• We can improve education by addressing the multiple intelligences of our students.
• These intelligences are located in different areas of the brain and can either work independently or together.
• These intelligences may define the human species.

He believes each individual has nine intelligences:

Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence -- well-developed verbal skills and sensitivity to the sounds, meanings and rhythms of words

Mathematical-Logical Intelligence -- ability to think conceptually and abstractly, and capacity to discern logical or numerical patterns

Musical Intelligence -- ability to produce and appreciate rhythm, pitch and timber

Visual-Spatial Intelligence -- capacity to think in images and pictures, to visualize accurately and abstractly

Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence -- ability to control one's body movements and to handle objects skillfully

Interpersonal Intelligence -- capacity to detect and respond appropriately to the moods, motivations and desires of others.

Intrapersonal Intelligence -- capacity to be self-aware and in tune with inner feelings, values, beliefs and thinking processes

Naturalist Intelligence -- ability to recognize and categorize plants, animals and other objects in nature

Existential Intelligence -- sensitivity and capacity to tackle deep questions about human existence, such as the meaning of life, why do we die, and how did we get here.

It is undeniable that our schools and culture focus most of their attention on linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligence. We esteem the highly articulate or logical people of our culture. However, according to Dr. Gardner, equal attention should be placed on individuals who show gifts in the other intelligences: the artists, architects, musicians, naturalists, designers, dancers, therapists, entrepreneurs, and others who enrich the world in which we live. Unfortunately, many children who have these gifts do not receive much reinforcement for them in school. Many of these kids, in fact, end up being labeled "learning disabled, "ADD" (attention deficit disorder), or simply underachievers, when a heavily linguistic or logical-mathematical classroom does not address their unique ways of thinking and learning. The theory of multiple intelligences proposes a major transformation in the way our schools are run. It suggests that teachers should be trained to present their lessons in a wide variety of ways using music, cooperative learning, art activities, role-play, multimedia, field trips or inner reflection. There are still thousands of schools that teach in the same old dull way, through dry lectures, and boring worksheets and textbooks. Thus the challenge is to get this information out to many more teachers, school administrators, and others who work with children, so that each child has the opportunity to learn in ways harmonious with their unique minds. The theory of multiple intelligences also has strong implications for adult learning and development. Many adults find themselves in jobs that do not make optimal use of their most highly developed intelligences (for example, the highly bodily-kinesthetic individual who is stuck in a linguistic or logical desk-job when he or she would be much happier in a job where they could move around, such as a forest ranger, or physical therapist). The theory of multiple intelligences gives adults a whole new way to look at their lives, examining potentials that they left behind in their childhood (such as a love for art or drama) but now have the opportunity to develop through courses, hobbies, or other programs of self-development. How to Teach or Learn Anything Different Ways One of the most remarkable features of the theory of multiple intelligences is how it provides different potential pathways to learning. If a teacher is having difficulty reaching a student in the more traditional linguistic or logical ways of instruction, the theory of multiple intelligences suggests several other ways in which the material might be presented to facilitate effective learning. Whether you are a kindergarten teacher, a graduate school instructor, or an adult learner seeking better ways of pursuing self-study on any subject of interest, the same basic guidelines apply. Whatever you are teaching or learning, see how you might connect it with

• words (linguistic intelligence)
• numbers or logic (logical-mathematical intelligence)
• pictures (spatial intelligence)
• music (musical intelligence)
• self-reflection (intrapersonal intelligence)
• a physical experience (bodily-kinesthetic intelligence)
• a social experience (interpersonal intelligence), and/or
• an experience in the natural world. (naturalist intelligence)

For example, if you're teaching or learning about one of the tenses, you might read about it (linguistic), try to form "mathematical formulas" that express it (logical-mathematical), examine a graphic chart that illustrates its principle (spatial), observe it in the human world e.g. conversation (interpersonal), and/or find a song that demonstrates it (musical). Of course, not everything has to be taught or learned in many different ways, just examine the possibilities, and then decide which particular pathways are the most interesting, or seem to be the most effective teaching or learning tools. The theory of multiple intelligences is so intriguing because it expands our horizon of available teaching/learning tools beyond the conventional linguistic and logical methods used in most schools (e.g. lecture, textbooks, writing assignments, formulas, etc.). What are some benefits of using the multiple intelligences approach in the classroom?

• The teacher may come to regard intellectual ability more broadly. Drawing a picture, composing, or listening to music, watching a performance -- these activities can be a vital door to learning -- as important as writing and mathematics. Studies show that many students who perform poorly on traditional tests are turned on to learning when classroom experiences incorporate artistic, athletic, and musical activities.
• The teacher will provide opportunities for authentic learning based on the students' needs, interests and talents. The multiple intelligence classrooms act like the "real" world: the author and the illustrator of a book are equally valuable creators. Students become more active, involved learners.
• Parent and community involvement in the school may increase. This happens as students demonstrate work before panels and audiences.
• Students will be able to demonstrate and share their strengths. Building strengths gives a student the motivation to be a "specialist." This can in turn lead to increased self-esteem.
• When students understand the balance of their own multiple intelligences they begin to manage their own learning and to value their individual strengths.

Resources

Gardner, Howard. Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: 1983
Gardner, Howard. Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. New York: 1993.
Gardner, Howard. Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. New York: 1999.

Opracowanie: Beata Nytko

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