According to Howard Gardner, they all live inside your child along with a
composer, an artist, a mathematician, a philosopher, a sculptor, and a chess player! That's what he proposes in his theory of multiple intelligences.Who is Howard Gardner?
Howard Gardner is, among many titles, a Professor of Education at Harvard University. He has written 15 books and many articles. His work with Project Zero led him to propose the
theory of multiple intelligences, described very thoroughly in his 1983 book entitled Frames of Mind. Project Zero is the umbrella project under which Howard Gardner and his colleagues have performed their research into the nature and realization of human potential.What is the Theory of Multiple Intelligences?
In layman's terms, it is the belief that intelligence can not be measured by a singular IQ score. Intelligence is, in fact, a group of intelligences which Howard Gardner has identified through biological, evolutionary, and cultural research. In 1983, he identified seven:
linguistic intelligence, musical intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, and the personal intelligences (intra- and inter- personal). Since that time, he has expressed the belief that other intelligences may exist.
LINGUISTIC INTELLIGENCE
The linguistic intelligence reflects the world of words.
I am a poet. I know how to spell words, pronounce them, place them in order to make sense, and I know how to use them to evoke intense emotion and vivid sensory experiences in myself and others.
Children with a strong linguistic intelligence love to talk, read, and write. They love to play word games and do word puzzles. Language is fascinating to them. Word play is fun!
Work and play for them should include:
many
selections from a wide-range of books;
a variety
of writing tools and paper;
many
opportunities for discussion;
a variety
of word games and puzzles; and
many
chances to playfully work with language.
To reach a child whose interest and intellectual strength may not lie in this area is a challenge many of us must accept as parents and teachers. By encouraging exploration and success with these and similar activities while removing the stress often associated with them, we may be moving in the right direction. Using other intelligences to funnel interest into the linguistic intelligence may also prove to be a suitable strategy.
The musical intelligence is the first to emerge.
I am a composer. I use pitch, rhythm, and timbre to invoke in myself and others images of movement and emotion. Words may get in my way.
Work and play for them should include:
background
musical selections from a wide-range of composers;
listening
to a performing a variety of musical forms and styles;
many
opportunities for music making with a variety of instruments;
plenty of
opportunities to play rhythm and melody games; and
many
chances to informally compose musical pieces.
Because our society does not place as much value on this intelligence as it does on others, it often falls to the parent to provide an adequate education in music. By encouraging exposure and exploration with these and similar activities, we can increase our children's use of this valuable intelligence.
LOGICAL-MATHEMATICAL INTELLIGENCE
The logical-mathematical intelligence is a world of patterns, logic, and analysis.
I am a mathematician, scientist, philosopher. I can search out and find patterns where other people can't find them. I gain immense pleasure in proving and disproving arguments through logic. I feel more comfortable when my world is orderly and organized
.Children with a strong logical-mathematical intelligence love to solve problems and test theories. They see patterns where others may not. They may need to handle objects when first learning a new concept or explaining a physical reality. They rely on reason, intuition, experimentation, and orderliness to solve problems and find "the answer." They tend to make lists, organize information, and gather much data before coming to conclusions.
Work and play for them should include:
organizational
systems and structured environments;
challenging
questions that require reasoning, logic, and intuition to solve;
experimentation
with physical reality;
plenty of
opportunities to play number, pattern, and logic games; and
opportunities
to argue productively.
To encourage children whose strength may not lie in this area, we must model ways to structure and organize information. Children can be encouraged to find patterns while relying on other intelligences.
SPATIAL INTELLIGENCE
The spatial intelligence encompasses the world of pictures.
I am an artist, a scientist, a sculptor. I see the world in pictures. I am rarely lost. I love to daydream. I am an expert at chess, jigsaw puzzles, and art.
Children with a strong spatial intelligence love to draw, paint, and sculpt. They choose art activities over all others. They enjoy watching movies and looking at photographs. They are very good at reading maps, interpreting charts, and following diagrams. They see pictures in their minds when they think so they may appear to be "staring off into space" when thinking. They love to daydream.
Work and play for them should include:
strong
visual images;
opportunities
to present their ideas in a visual form;
experiences
with maps and jigsaw puzzles;
many
opportunities to experiment with a wide variety of artistic media;
time to
play games that require an ability to visualize or think ahead;
movies,
photographs, pictures, and drawings; and
time to
daydream.
Children and adults who struggle with their spatial intelligence would benefit from art classes that rely on other intelligences for instruction. They can strengthen this intelligence through experimentation without the pressure of expectations and perfection. By taking a closer look at the environment and describing what they see, children can begin to use their spatial intelligence more actively. Playing with puzzles, maps, and math tools can develop an understanding of the visual world.
BODILY-KINESTHETIC
The bodily-kinesthetic intelligence relies on the body to communicate.
I am a mime, a dancer, an athlete. I rely on my body to express feelings and movements. I use my sense of touch as my connection to the world and the people in it. I need to move.
Children with a strong bodily-kinesthetic intelligence may seem to be always on the move. They may find it hard to sit for periods of time without fidgeting, tapping, or getting up and moving around. They enjoy physical contact and activity as well as doing work with their hands. They touch people when they talk.
Work and play for them should include:
opportunities
to act out new information or stories;
permission
to twitch, tap, fidget, or get up and move when sitting;
participation
in a multitude of physical activities and sports;
action-packed
stories;
exploration
of a variety of media through the hands and skin; and
acceptance
of touching while talking.
As a nation we tend to be weak in this intelligence. We have become numb to the information we gather through our sense of touch. We have forgotten the thrill of using muscles and hands to express ourselves. We need to use the ideas above to strengthen this intelligence in order to take full advantage of all the other intelligences we possess.
THE PERSONAL INTELLIGENCES
INTRAPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE
The intrapersonal intelligence seeks to understand self: feelings, strengths, and weaknesses.
I am independent, opinionated, and intuitive. I march to the beat of my own drummer. I prefer to complete projects on my own. I am self-confident and self-motivated. I want to be alone!
Children with a strong intrapersonal intelligence may seem to be always alone. They may be less willing to participate in group games and activities. They may feel very strongly about personal beliefs and ideas. They need time alone to think about and solve problems before talking with others. Groups of people seem to draw energy from them, leaving them tired and drained.
Work and play for them should include:
opportunities
to work independently;
time to
think, reflect, ponder, meditate;
participation
in individual sports and endeavors;
stories
that reflect personal achievement;
opportunities
to express opinions within a nonjudgmental setting; and
acceptance
of individuality.
As babies we spend most of our time reflecting on ourselves and how the world relates to us. Then we move out into the world and sometimes lose touch with our inner selves. By working to increase our time alone, we can strengthen this intelligence which in turn will make more self-confident and self-motivated people. It is often the intrapersonal intelligence that provides the foundation on which artists, musicians, mathematicians, and scientists build their discoveries.
INTERPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE
The interpersonal intelligence seeks knowledge of others: their feelings, strengths, weaknesses
I like people. I love to socialize and have many friends. I am often in the center of things, organizing, talking, and participating. Friends turn to me with their problems, and I seek others when I need help.
Children with a strong interpersonal intelligence may need to have people around all the time. They flourish in cooperative learning groups. They are often socializing and may not appear to be learning. They are empathetic and are often embroiled in the dilemmas of their friends. When they have problems, they want to talk them out. They can also use their knowledge of others to be manipulative. People with strong interpersonal intelligence are the ones surrounded by groups at parties and family gatherings. They appear to have an innate ability to say just the right thing at the right time. They seem to get energy from the people around them.
Work and play for them should include:
opportunities
for cooperative learning;
time to
talk and listen in small and large groups;
participation
in team sports and group activites;
plenty of
opportunities for interaction with others;
time to
"talk things through" with friends or family; and
acceptance
of the need for others.
It is the highly developed interpersonal intelligence that drives most successful organizations. By finetuning our knowledge of others, we are better able to understand moods and motivations. In order for society to survive, me must use our interpersonal intelligence every day in many situations.
The ideal personal intelligence is one that balances both intra- and interpersonal intelligences. It is one that includes both introspection and interaction with the world. It is one where we seek to understand not only our own reactions and choices but also those of others. Highly effective people provide daily opportunities in their lives to use both intelligences.
The naturalist intelligence responds to living things and is sensitive to the natural world.
I like observing, discovering, and uncovering mysteries around me. I enjoy digging in the dirt and watching seeds I plant grow. I like organizing and displaying artifacts collected from the outdoors. I respond through my senses to the world around me.
Children with a strong naturalist intelligence want to spend most of their time outdoors. They want to examine and classify plants, animals, rocks, clouds, etc. They see patterns in nature intuitively. They have "green thumbs." They are the explorers.
Work and play for them should include:
daily
opportunities for outdoor activities;
trips
to the zoo, beach, observatory, farm, etc. ;
participation
in outdoor activities, such as birdwatching, stargazing, nature walks;
plenty
of opportunities to collect, organize, and display artifacts from nature;
time
to "commune with nature;"
books
about birds, rocks, lizards, plants, other natural phenomena; and
digging,
planting, and weeding.
As nature moves further and further away from us, we lose the chance to use our naturalist intelligence. By going out into the woods, walking along a stream, or planting flowers, we invite nature back into our lives. Our brains need to feel the earth and the wind. We need to smell the flowers and the animals. We need to touch the bark and the shells. We need to hear the waves and the birds. We need to see the buds and the worms. We need to taste the apple from the tree and the carrot from the dirt. In order to use our naturalist intelligence, we need to explore our world.
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