Dr. Natan Ophir (Offenbacher), , tel. 02-563-6093, 052-240-8822
Integrative English & Multiple Intelligence Theory
Pg. 1
Integrative English
Multiple Intelligence Theory
Applying Multiple Intelligence (MI) Theory to Second Language Acquisition
Table of Contents
1)Title Page and Contents ……………………………………………………1
2)The History of MI Theory ……………………………………………….. 2
3)The Development of Intelligence Testing and Theory ………………….. 3
4)Consensus on IQ …………………….………………………..…………… 4
5)Welcome Your DTDistinguished Thinkers> Classof 8(or is it 9?) …..…….. 5
6)Identifying 8 Intelligences by their Distinctive Core Operations ….……. 6
7)8 Intelligences and Educational Illustrations ………..…………………….. 7
8)MI Inventory & 8 Styles of Learning …..…………………..….…………. 8
9)MI in the Classroom ………………...……………………………....…..…. 9
10)The Educational Implications of Language Acquisition ………………… 10
11)IE & MI Teaching in the Classroom …………………………………...... 11
12)Practical Teaching Ideas Based on IE & MI Theory and Methods ……….. 12
13)Virtual Identity and The College Bowl ..………..………………………… 13
2) The History of MI Theory
The theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) was first proposed by Howard Gardner in 1983[1]. Gardner, professor of cognition and education at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education[2], was trained as a developmental psychologist in the traditions of Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruno. Gardner worked with children at Harvard’s Project Zero, a lab designed to study the cognitive development of children and its educational implications. He was also involved in neurological research at Boston University School of Medicine. There he studied stroke victims suffering from aphasia and observed how despite serious damage to cognitive skills such as speech, other mental abilities remained intact. Gardner tried to devise a map of the impaired cognitive functions based on postmortem examinations of the damaged brain. Was he looking at separate mental skills or perhaps there were actually different forms of intelligence each operating autonomously? When the stroke victim lost the ability to speak but still was proficient in music was this an indication of a separate intelligence? If, after an impairment of linguistic intelligence, was musical intelligence retained and thus reflecting processing abilities such as harmony, pitch and rhythm? If so, said Gardner, this would have profound implications for educational psychology. In 1993, Gardner proposed MI theory and suggested revamping education according to the different intelligences[3].
Gardner’s decision to use the term “intelligences” rather than abilities, talents or skills was momentous. Not only did it stir publicity and evoke interest in his writings, but it also placed Gardner squarely in confrontation with established concepts of what "intelligence" means. Actually, Gardner was countering the dominant view that there is but one general intelligence, a unitary capacity or a “g factor”, best evaluated by IQ tests where a score under 70 indicated mental retardation while above 130 showed exceptional giftedness. Gardner was influenced by the alternative propounded by Chicago University psychology professor L.L. Thurstone (1887-1955), a specialist in psychometrics, who contended that intelligence is composed of seven primary mental abilities and not represented in a single IQ score. Thurstone’s multiple factors theory had identified and tested performance for seven separate mental faculties:Verbal Comprehension, Word Fluency, Number Facility, Spatial Visualization, Associative Memory, Perceptual Speed and Reasoning. For language teachers, Thurstone's theory just by itself is of great value. When advanced by MI theory, it becomes of significant didactic import and a crucial key for student assessment and diagnosis.
3) The Development of Intelligence Theory & Testing
Copied from Jonathan A. Plucker (ed.), “Human intelligence: Historical influences, current controversies, teaching resources”, 2003. Retrieved from
Plucker is assistant Professor, Learning, Cognition, & Instruction at Indiana University.
APA Task Force Examines Intelligence
A task force on intelligence of the American Psychological Association (APA), the world's largest association of psychologists, concluded in 1995: “It is widely agreed that standardized tests do not sample all forms of intelligence. Obvious examples include creativity, wisdom, practical sense, and social sensitivity, among others. Despite the importance of these abilities, very little is known about them, how they develop, what factors influence their development, and how they are related to more traditional measures”.
4) Consensus on IQ
Adapted from This site presents an articulate "consensus" of scholarly conclusions regarded as mainstream at least among researchers on intelligence as to the nature, origins, and practical consequences of individual and group differences.
1) Defining Intelligence: a very general mental capability that, among other things, involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly and learn from experience. It is not merely book learning, a narrow academic skill, or test-taking smarts. Rather, it reflects a broader and deeper capability for comprehending our surroundings--"catching on," "making sense" of things, or "figuring out" what to do.
2) Measuring the IQ bell curve: The spread of people along the IQ continuum, from low to high, can be represented by the bell curve. Most cluster around an IQ of 100. Few are either very bright or very dull: About 3% of Americans score above IQ 130 (often considered the threshold for "giftedness"), with about the same percentage below IQ 70 (IQ 70-75 often being considered the threshold for mental retardation). The bell curves for some groups (Jews and East Asians) are centered somewhat higher than for whites in general. Other groups (blacks and Hispanics) are centered somewhat lower than non-Hispanic whites.
3) The meaning of IQ measurements: IQ is strongly related, probably more so than any other single measurable human trait, to many important educational, occupational, economic, and social outcomes. Its relation to the welfare and performance of individuals is very strong in some arenas in life(education, military training), moderate but robust in others (social competence), and modest but consistent in others (law-abidingness).
4) The Importance of IQ tests: IQ tests are assumed to be of great practical and social importance. Although, certain personality traits, special talents, aptitudes, physical capabilities, experience, and the like are important (sometimes essential) for successful performance in many jobs, but they have narrower (or unknown) applicability or "transferability" across tasks and settings compared with general intelligence. Some scholars choose to refer to these other human traits as other "intelligences."
Supposedly, the best education in the world today could be obtained by attending Kindergarten to 6th grade in Japan;7th -12th grades in Germany; and college in the United States[4].
5) Welcome Your DT <Distinguished Thinkers> Class of 8(or is it 9?[5])
Each with his/her own Intelligence
According to Gardner’s MI theory, individuals perceive the world in eight different and equally important ways - linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, naturalist, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. Each intelligence rests on a separate neurological substrate and a hereditary physiological base. Each can and should be “nurtured and channeled in specific ways”[6]. Gardner stimulated the development of versatile, pluralistic and individually oriented forms of educational thinking and programming and detailed multiple ways of measuring intelligence and predicting success.The next time you have a chance to reflect on your class, imagine your students as individuals who have fully realized and developed their intelligences. Now see who is recognizable from your seating chart. If you didn't get them all right, you have been living in Israel too long. Borrowed and Adapted from the Internet site of "Concept to Classroom"
If your class is not paying full attention, it is because each is so special:
- J.K. is writing the next Harry Potter adventure on scraps of paper.
- Richard is day-dreaming equations that will enable building a quantum computer.
- Lauryn hums tunes for the sequel to "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill."
- Julian paints brilliant fall leaves on each windowpane.
- Mia, outstanding American Woman soccer player, is all set to play ball.
- Colin is passing notes about his school charity drive or a military venture or two.
- Deepak with quantum healing provides in-class spiritual counseling.
- Jane adds a new animal to the class menagerie daily.
- Gary, famous cartoonist, scrawls witty absurdities in his notebook.
The key: J.K. Rowling, Richard Feynmann, Lauryn Hill, Julian Schnabel, Mia Hamm, Colin Powell, Deepak Chopra, Jane Goodall, and Gary Larson. Never know how famous your kids will turn out to be. Just need PN (Proper Nourishing) and ME (Multiple Encouragement).
6) Identifying 8 Intelligences by their Distinctive Core Operations
Gardner defines “intelligence”[7]as “a bio-psychological potential to process information that can be activated in a cultural setting to solve problems or create products that are of value in a culture”[8]. Drawing upon findings from evolutionary biology, anthropology, developmental and cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, and psychometrics, Gardner uses 8 criteria to determine if an ability should be identified as an intelligence:
1. potential isolation by brain damage.
2. existence of savants, prodigies and other exceptional individuals.
3. a core set of operations(information-processing operations or mechanisms to deal with specific input).
4. a distinctive developmental history along with a definite set of "end-state" performances
5. evolutionary history and plausibility
6. support from experimental and psychological tasks
7. psychometric findings
8. susceptibility to encoding from a symbol system
A core set of operations is a basic information processing mechanism such asa neural network in the brain that takes the input or information and processes it.
Each one of the eight intelligences is said to contain a distinct core operation:
Intelligence
/Core Operations
- Linguistic
- Logical-mathematical
- Spatial
- Bodily-kinesthetic
- Interpersonal
- Intrapersonal
- Musical
- Naturalist
Quiz your pupils by asking them to place a one word tag defining each intelligence.
Body Smart / Word Smart
Number Smart / People Smart
Myself Smart / Music Smart
Picture Smart / Nature Smart
Food for Thought: What is the educational value of such distinctions?
Note: One of the criticisms of MI theory says that musical and kinesthetic "intelligences" are better approached as talentsand the two "emotional intelligences", if indeed they "exist", are in a different category altogether.
7) 8 Intelligences and Educational Illustrations[9]
Although MI theory was not readily accepted in academic psychology, it struck a responsive chord for educators with schooling and curricula becoming restructured in accordance with MI insights.
1) Linguistic intelligence allows individuals to communicate and make sense of the world through language. Poets exemplify this intelligence in its mature form. Students who enjoy playing with rhymes, who pun, who always have a story to tell, who quickly acquire other languages exhibit linguistic intelligence.
2) Logical-mathematical intelligence enables individuals to use and appreciate abstract relations. Scientists, mathematicians, and philosophers all rely on this intelligence. So do the students who "live" baseball statistics or who carefully analyze the components of problems either personal or school-related before systematically testing solutions.
3) Spatial intelligence makes it possible for people to perceive visual or spatial information, to transform this information, and to recreate visual images from memory. Well-developed spatial capacities are needed for the work of architects, sculptors, and engineers. The students who turn first to the graphs, charts, and pictures in their textbooks, who like to "web" their ideas before writing a paper, and who fill the blank space around their notes with intricate patterns are also using their spatial intelligence.
4) Naturalist intelligence allows distinguishing, classifying and using features of the environment. Farmers, gardeners, botanists, geologists, florists, and archaeologists exhibit this intelligence, as do students who can name and describe the features of every car around them.
5) Musical intelligence allows people to create, communicate, and understand meanings made out of sound. While composers and instrumentalists clearly exhibit this intelligence, so do the students who seem particularly attracted by the birds singing outside the classroom window or who constantly tap out intricate rhythms on the desk with their pencils.
6) Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence allows individuals to use all or part of the body to create products or solve problems. Athletes, surgeons, dancers, choreographers, and crafts people use this intelligence. The capacity is evident in students who relish gym class and school dances, who carry out class projects by making models rather than writing reports, and who toss crumbled paper with frequency and accuracy into wastebaskets across the room. Gardner sees mental and physical activity as related, i.e. using one's body to solve problems and focusing mental abilities to coordinate bodily movements.
7) Interpersonal intelligence enables individuals to recognize and make distinctions about others' feelings and intentions. Teachers, parents, politicians, psychologists and salespeople rely heavily on interpersonal intelligence. Students exhibit this intelligence when they thrive on small-group work, when they notice and react to the moods of their friends and classmates, and when they tactfully convince the teacher of their need for extra time to complete the homework assignment.
8) Intrapersonal intelligence helps individuals distinguish their own feelings, build accurate mental models of themselves, and draw on these models to make decisions about their lives. This can be reflected on students' uses of other intelligences, how they capitalize on strengths and are cognizant of weaknesses, and how thoughtful they are about decisions and choices.
8) MI Inventory & 8 Styles of Learning
1) Linguistic Learner
likes to read, write and tell stories.
is good at memorizing names, places, dates and trivia.
learns best by saying, hearing and seeing words.
2) Logical/Mathematical Learner
likes to do experiments, figure things out, work with numbers, ask questions and explore patterns and relationships.
is good at math, reasoning, logic and problem solving.
learns best by categorizing, classifying and working with abstract patterns/relationships.
3) Spatial Learner
likes to draw, build, design and create, daydream, look at pictures/slides, watch movies and play with machines.
is good at imagining things, sensing changes, mazes/puzzles and reading maps, charts.
learns best by visualizing, dreaming, using the mind's eye and working with colors/pictures.
4) Musical Learner
likes to sing, hum tunes, listen to music, play an instrument and respond to music.
is good at picking up sounds, remembering melodies, noticing pitches/rhythms and keeping time.
learns best by rhythm, melody and music.
5) Bodily/Kinesthetic Learner
likes to move around, touch and talk and use body language.
is good at physical activities (sports/dance/acting) and crafts.
learns best by touching, moving, interacting with space and processing knowledge through bodily sensations.
6) Naturalistic Learner
likes to be outside, with animals, geography, and weather; interacting with the surroundings .
is good at categorizing, organizing a living area, planning a trip, preservation, and conservation.
learns best by studying natural phenomenon, in a natural setting, learning about how things work.
7) Interpersonal Learner
likes to have lots of friends, talk to people and join groups.
is good at understanding people, leading others, organizing, communicating, manipulating and mediating conflicts.
learns best by sharing, comparing, relating, cooperating and interviewing.
8) Intrapersonal Learner
likes to work alone and pursue own interests.
is good at understanding self, focusing inward on feelings/dreams, following instincts, pursuing interests/goals and being original.
learns best by working alone, individualized projects, self-paced instruction and having own space.
Bonus: What does Gardner do best?
9) MI in the Classroom
Excerpts from a review by Elizabeth G. Cohen[10], Teachers College Record Volume 103 Number 1, 2001, p. 47- 49, Date Accessed: 1/22/2004
Howard Gardner has had a major impact on the way educators think about human intelligence… His thinking and writing … has resulted in a move away from the psychometric view of the mind. Gardner was not the first to attack this view, but it was his work that resulted in hundreds of publications, and thousands of schools, here and abroad, that have attempted to implement in some way the notion of multiple intelligences….
As a result of considerable controversy and public dialogue… Gardner has developed the educational implications of MI theory… He argues that you must examine these other intelligences directly by putting people in life-like situations where they can demonstrate their capacity in real contexts….He has observed a tendency of other writers and thinkers to conflate his ideas with so many other concepts that the original concept loses all meaning. He takes pains to distinguish multiple intelligences from learning style, cognitive style, and creative, moral, and emotional intelligence. Gardner is very careful to distinguish particular values, morality, or recommended behaviors from what he terms "intelligence."
Gardner presents his newest educational thinking: individually configured education. He provides a unique view of the older emphasis on individual differences. Not only are we not all the same, but we cannot be arrayed on any single dimension. Education must take these differences into account rather than denying or ignoring them. However, he does not move into what has been called individualized instruction. Rather, he would have the teacher present central concepts and topics in a variety of ways so that there are different ways that individuals will be attracted to and committed to learning about a topic and different ways that they will reach understanding of the central dimensions of the topic. MI theory is an important tool in conceiving of this broader array of instructional strategies.