סגנונות למידה, אינטליגנציות מרובות ורכישת שפה שניה

Multiple Intelligences Theory (Howard Gardner, 1983).

Gardner deals with Emotional and social literacy. He included in his list of multiple intelligences the interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences, which fits Goleman’s "Emotional Intelligence" theory.

We now know, that IQ (Intelligence Quotient) is not the main determiner for one to have a successful and happy life. We now see the three qualities (Emotional, Intelligence Learning, and Social Quality) as bounded, and Gardener's theory allows us as educators to approach our pupils by maximizing their performance potential. We can't approach pupils only through the two well known and common intelligences as we have been approaching for as long as schools have been established. After reading Gardner, one understands that intelligence is not a single entity, it doesn't result from a single factor, and therefore it can't be measured simply via IQ tests.

Gardner suggested a list of seven intelligences:

Linguistic intelligence – "Word smart"- sensitivity to spoken and written language, ability to learn languages and to effectively use language to express oneself verbally. This one is typically valued in schools.

Logical-mathematical intelligence – "Logic smart" - capacity to analyze problems logically, carry out mathematical operations, and investigate issues scientifically, to detect patterns, reason deductively and think logically. This one is typically valued in schools too.

Musical intelligence- "Music smart"- the skill of performance, composition, and appreciation of musical patterns, a capacity to recognize and compose musical pitches, tones, and rhythms. This one is usually associated with the arts.

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence – "Body smart" - the potential of using one's whole body or parts of the body to solve problems, the ability to use mental abilities to coordinate bodily movements. This one is also associated with the arts.

Spatial intelligence – "Picture smart"- the potential to recognize and use the patterns of wide space. This one is also associated with the arts.

Interpersonal intelligence- "Self smart"+ Intrapersonal intelligence -"People smart"- the capacity to understand & appreciate one's feelings, to understand the intentions and desires of other people, to work effectively with others. To these two Gardner called "personal intelligence".

Naturalist intelligence – "Nature smart"- the human ability to discriminate among living things (plants, animals) as well as sensitivity to other features of the natural world (clouds, rocks). This ability was crucial in our evolutionary past as hunters, gatherers, and farmers.

I truly believe and know, that human beings are organisms who have some intelligences, therefore our teaching approach towards pupils should adhere all of the possible intelligences. We should train ourselves to recognize them and use them to the benefit of our pupils. This is a whole greater than its parts. Each pupil can demonstrate one or a few of them.

The learning experience should integrate some elements: practical, artistic and conceptual. It should emphasize the role of the imagination in pupils' lives, and nurture a thinking that includes a creative as well as an analytic component.

As teachers and educators today, we can design classrooms and even whole schools to reflect the understandings that Howard Gardner has developed.

If I can approach a pupil whom can’t write because he's severely LD, but can move, paint, sing, speak aloud his ides, create the idea in an alternative way that will reflect that he has understood the subject- I am approaching him through his unique personal intelligence (and learning style).

Something to remember is not to stick to one instruction method, vary as much as possible and find each child/ group of children's intelligences and access them through the channels they are best apt to.

Nurture all senses, all 7 intelligences of the theory is an art of itself, and demands knowing ones pupils very well, as a whole, identifying his multiple intelligences at any time and approaching them.

References

 Brualdi, A, C. (1996) 'Multiple Intelligences: Gardner's Theory. ERIC Digest', Eric Digests, [ http://www.ericdigests.org/1998-1/multiple.htm. Accessed July 5, 2010].

Howard Gardner, "Multiple intelligences and education" [http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm. Accessed July 5, 2010].

The Nine Types of Intelligence By Howard Gardner, from: Overview of the Multiple Intelligences Theory.  Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and Thomas Armstrong.com http://skyview.vansd.org/lschmidt/Projects/The%20Nine%20Types%20of%20Intelligence.htm. Accesed July 5, 2010].