I would like to talk about multiple intelligence theory given by Howard Gardner.
Intelligence is a psychological notion which is connected with learning and which educators base a lot of their professional decisions on. Howard Gardner's MI theory is an important contribution to cognitive science and constitutes a learner-based philosophy which is "an increasingly popular approach to characterizing the ways in which learners are unique and to developing instruction to respond to this uniqueness".
Gardner said that there are many, not just one, different autonomous intelligence capacities that result in many different ways of knowing, understanding, and learning about our world. Gardner defined seven intelligences including verbal-linguistic, mathematical-logical, visual-spatial, bodily-kinaesthetic, musical-rhythmic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. In 1997, Gardner added an eighth intelligence, the naturalist intelligence, and two years later a ninth intelligence, existentialist intelligence.
The nine intelligences Gardner defines are:
1- Logical-Mathematical Intelligence: consists of the ability to detect patterns, reason deductively and think logically. This intelligence is most often associated with scientific and mathematical thinking.
2- Linguistic Intelligence: involves having a mastery of language. This intelligence includes the ability to effectively manipulate language to express oneself rhetorically or poetically. It also allows one to use language as a means to remember information.
3- Spatial Intelligence: gives one the ability to manipulate and create mental images in order to solve problems. This intelligence is not limited to visual domains-- Gardner notes that spatial intelligence is also formed in blind children.
4- Musical Intelligence: encompasses the capability to recognize and compose musical pitches, tones, and rhythms. (Auditory functions are required for a person to develop this intelligence in relation to pitch and tone, but it is not needed for the knowledge of rhythm.)
5- Bodily-Kinaesthetic Intelligence: is the ability to use one's mental abilities to coordinate one's own bodily movements. This intelligence challenges the popular belief that mental and physical activities are unrelated.
6- Interpersonal intelligence: the ability to understand and discern the feelings and intentions of others.
7- Intrapersonal intelligence: the ability to understand one's own feelings and motivations. These two intelligences are separate from each other. Nevertheless, because of their close association in most cultures, they are often linked together.
8- 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.
9- Naturalist Intelligence: Designates the human ability to discriminate among living things (plants, animals) as well as sensitivity to other features of the natural world (clouds, rock configurations). This ability was clearly of value in our evolutionary past as hunters, gatherers, and farmers; it continues to be central in such roles as botanist or chef. It is also speculated that much of our consumer society exploits the naturalist intelligences, which can be mobilized in the discrimination among cars, sneakers, kinds of makeup, and the like.
The four ways in which the MI theory can be used in the classroom as follows:
1- As a tool to help students develop a better understanding and appreciation of their own strengths and their preferred ways of learning.
2- As a tool to develop a better understanding of learners' intelligences.
3- As a guide to provide a greater variety of ways for students to learn and to demonstrate their learning.
4- As a guide to develop lesson plans that address the full range of learners needs.
With regard to the procedures of implementing MI theory in ELT, Christenson suggests the following steps:
1- Identifying the activities frequently used in the class and categorize them to each particular type of intelligence.
2- Making plans by selecting appropriate classroom activities/ tasks.
3- Using ELT Multiple Intelligences weekly/ monthly checklist to keep track of different activities and tasks conducted in the class.
4- Expanding classroom activities for the neglected intelligences by way of examining and analyzing the checklists for a period of time.
Multiple intelligence theory can be implemented in ELT classroom in the following ways-
1. Words Are Not Enough: Do not rely on the spoken word only. Most activities for the younger learners should include movement and involve the senses, colours and sounds.
2. Play with the Language: Let the pupils talk to themselves. Make them play with the language by making up rhymes, singing songs, telling stories, etc. in the classroom.
3. Cooperation not Competition: The ideology of the theory of Multiple Intelligences is based on "cooperation" not on competition. So because of this reason, avoid prizes and awards in the class. In this regard, according to Scott and Ytreberg (1990), make room for shared experiences.
4. Using Storybooks: The educational value of using storybooks and storytelling has always been undisputed throughout the world. EFL teachers are now more familiar with an acquisition-based methodology, and recognise the true value of using storybooks and storytelling as a way to create an acquisition rich environment and ideal learning conditions which provide "comprehensible input" or "language a little beyond student's current level of competence" .
5. Drawing and Colouring: Children can redraw the characters; create maps showing where the story takes place, think of other possible cover illustrations, and so on.
6. Handicrafts: Craft activities are extremely useful as learners can develop their listening and reading skills while following the written or oral instructions. Teachers should always make the craft activity themselves before doing it with their class. The finished work should be shown to the learners to give them a general idea of what is expected from them. Teachers should have the necessary materials with them so that they can do the activity together with their students while also giving the instructions
7. Songs and Rhymes: Very often, the rhymes developed in stories are to be found in various songs and rhymes (Brewster, Ellis and Girard, 2003). Pupils can also compose songs for the storybook(s) they have read and then sing the song they have composed in the classroom.
8. Vocabulary Activities: Pupils can create their own "picture dictionary", based on words from the stories they have read or heard. They can work individually or pool their efforts to illustrate the words, either by drawing pictures or by cutting pictures out of magazines or catalogues. They can choose whether to arrange the words alphabetically or thematically.
9. Drama: Pupils can act out the story in the storybooks or song they have read or listened to. They can organise a place and write, if they want, a different end for the story and then perform the story in the classroom. The pupils can also compose a song for the story and sing it in some parts of the drama if they wish.
10. Games: Games can be used for teaching and learning purposes like word puzzles, running dictation among other games.
Integrating technology to meet the different leaning styles is very important for any teacher. Our students are certainly different in their behavior. So, we need to address and combine various technology tools to enhance the learning environment.
Padlet wall which can help improve individualized learning. For example, doing a project on the danger of smoking can motivate active learners to present their work in class or even have performance. Some could post or draw pictures on this topic while others can give their say by recording themselves and later uploading the recorded material on the padlet wall. Moreover, watching a video posted on the Padlet can engage visual learners. Other learners enjoy collecting data on this topic such as the causes, impact and remedies.
To me, customizing learning activities to address students ' various learning styles is within the reach thanks to the available technology tools the huge online materials and resources . One thing to keep in mind is to diagnose learners' behavior before tackling any activity or opting for any technology device so as to meet their needs.
Here is another exercise I do to engage and help all students with different learning styles I ask them to work on their own for half an hour daily on free internet resources. they read, watch, listen, chat in English. They use whatever online resources they like: those I gave them an idea about and those they stumbled on. They do so for 6 days per week and on the seventh day, they write 6 chunks of sentences on these resources and those who want to present what they learned or enjoyed can. I find this highly productive for many reasons: students chose what is applealing to their learning styles, they are responsible for their own learning and it is so empowering.
