Module 2.1 Multiple Intelligences. Learning Styles and Differentiated Instruction

 

 

The Animal School: The Administration of the School Curriculum
with Reference to Individual Differences
By: Dr. G. H. Reavis, Former Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Cincinnati OH

Once upon a time, the animals decided they must do something heroic to meet the problems of “a new world.” So they organized a school.

They adopted an activity curriculum consisting of running, climbing, swimming, and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all subjects.

 
The duck was excellent in swimming, in fact better than the instructor; but he made only passing grades in flying and was very poor in running. Since he was slow in running, he had to stay after school and also drop swimming in order to practice running. This was kept up until his web feet were badly worn and he was only average in swimming. But, average was acceptable in school, so nobody worried about that except the duck.

 

The rabbit started at the top of the class in running, but had a nervous breakdown because of so much make-up work in swimming.

 

The squirrel was excellent in climbing until he developed frustration in the flying class where his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of from the treetop down. He also developed “charlie horses” from overexertion and then got C in climbing and D in running.

 

The eagle was a problem child and was disciplined severely. In the climbing class he beat all the others to the top of the tree, but insisted in using his own way to get there.

 

At the end of the year, an abnormal eel that could swim exceedingly well, and also run, climb and fly a little had the highest average and was valedictorian.

The prairie dogs stayed out of school and fought the tax levy because the administration would not add digging and burrowing to the curriculum. They apprenticed their child out to a badger and later joined the groundhogs and gophers to start a successful private school.

 

Task: Video - The Key Learning Community:
Cultivating "Multiple Intelligences"
http://www.glef.org/video/frame.php

Take a few minutes to think about how this K-12 Indianapolis school emphasizes exploration and deep understanding over rote memorization. (Run-time 8 minutes)

 

Multiple Intelligences Explored

1. Who are these people? Can you name eleven by yourself?
 
Check with a partner and see how many you both can name together. Now join with another set of partners and see how many you can name. What happens when you collaborate with others?

2. Which one of these people is the most intelligent? Defend your answer. What criteria did you use to decide this?

Picture Resources

 

Multiple Intellegences Defined

 

Howard Gardner (Harvard University) has identified nine areas of intelligence. They are:
 
Interpersonal- relates well with others, discerns others’ moods, motivation tempermnets, intentions. Likes to persuade, influence, manipulate, mediate and counsel others.
 
Intrapersonal- assesses one’s own emotions, moods, intentions, motivations potentials.
 
Linguistic- understands phonology, syntax, semantics of language and uses language to communicate, explain and remember.
 
Logical-Mathematical-understands logical structures such as patterns, relationships and propositions. Likes to quantify, experiment, conceptualize and classify.
 
Visual-Spatial – perceives the visual world accurately
 
Musical – understands and expresses musical components such as melody and rhythm
 
Bodily-Kinesthetic – is able to control one’s bodily motions and handle objects skillfully
 
Existential/Philosophical – enjoys reflecting on the meaning of things
 
Naturalist –has the ability to recognize and classify the flora and fauna in one’s environment. Enjoys caring for living creatures or whole ecosystems.

3. Take a look at this chart. What kind of intelligence does each section represent?
What is each person best known for? Could any of these people excelled in the other’s profession?


4. Is it justifiable to say that one person is more intelligent than another?

Task: Your Multiple Intelligences

Take the Rogers Indicator of Multiple Intelligences [PDF] inventory.

Directions:
For each statement, mark the appropriate box. Think carefully about your knowledge, beliefs, preferences, behavior, and experience. Decide quickly and move on. There is no right or wrong, good or bad, no expected or desirable responses. Use your heart as well as your head. Focus on the way you really are, not on the way you “ought to be” for someone else.

1. What is are your areas of strength?
2. What did you learn about yourself that surprised you?
3. Return to the above URL and select an article on Multiple Intelligences to read.
4. Go back and think about question #4 above: Is it justifiable to say that one person is more intelligent than another? Has your perspective change? If so, in what ways?

Share with a partner something you have learned about multiple intelligences that will help you to better meet your student’s needs.

 

 

Learning Styles

Learning Styles are different approaches or ways of learning. They are the composite of characteristic cognitive, affective, and physiologiacal factors that serve as indacators of how a learner percieves, interacts with, and responds to the learning environment. (Keefe 1979)

Three traditionally accepted learning styles are:
 
Visual Learners - They learn best through visual displays, pictures, digrams, illustrated textbooks, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts, and handouts.
 
Auditory Learners - They learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things throughand listeneing to what others have to say.
 
Tactile/kinesthetic learners - They learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploringthe physical world around them.

Although the above three learning styles are traditionally accepted, Multiple Intelligence (MI) theory states that there are at least seven different ways of learning. Therefore there are "nine intelligences - (see Gardener's list above). Actually, most people have the ability to develop

skills in each of the intelligences. However, in education we have tended to emphasize three learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.

Learning Styles, Motivation, and eLearning [PDF] is an article that explains how learning styles coupled with multiple intellegence theory can be utilized to develop effective instructional strategies.

Cultural Learning Styles [PDF] is an article that explores how culture impacts learning styles and multiple intelligences, and how we as teachers can utilize cultural understanding to enhance our instruction.

 

 

Differentiated Instruction

 

 

Readings and Resources

Readings:

 Web Resources:

This Multiple Intelligences PDF document includes the following articles:

  • Multiple Intelligences Theory and Teaching
  • Seven Intelligences - A Summary
  • Teacher Checklist
  • Student Inventory Form
  • Student Profile
  • Parent Survey
  • Lesson Plan Guide
  • Project Assessment Form

 

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Up » 2.1 Multiple Intelligences, Learning Styles and Differentiated Instruction » 2.2 Bloom's Taxonomy, Gagne's Events of Instruction & Inquiry Based Learning » 2.3 Understanding by Design  » 2.4 Constructivism and the Role of Reflection » 2.5 Project Based Learning

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