Multiple IntelligencesAn Overview

Background

The Multiple Intelligence (MI) theory is based on the belief that we all possess several unique intelligences through which we are able to learn/teach new information.  Although we each have all of the intelligences, no two individuals have them in the same exact amounts.

Verbal / Linguistic

These learners have highly developed auditory skills, enjoy reading and writing, like to play word games, and have a good memory for names, dates, and places. They like to tell stories, and get their point across. You learn best by saying and hearing words. Poets, writers, and people who speak a great deal in their jobs (like teachers) probably have a high degree of verbal-linguistic intelligence.

Verbal / Linguistic (cont)

Thinks:  In words Loves:  Reading; writing; telling stories;

playing word games Needs:  Books; tapes; writing tools;

paper; diaries; dialogue; discussion; debates; stories

Displays:  Sensitivity to the meaning of words

Learns Best By:  Writing; speaking; reading; listening

Musical / Rhythmic

These learners are sensitive to the sounds in their environment, including the inflections in the human voice. They enjoy music, and may listen to music when they study or read. They are skilled at pitch and rhythm. Learning through melody and music works well for people with high musical-rhythmic intelligence. Singers, conductors, and composers obviously have a high musical-rhythmic intelligence. Anyone who enjoys, understands, and uses various elements of music probably has a high degree of musical-rhythmic intelligence.

Musical / Rhythmic

Thinks:  Via rhythms and melodies Loves:  Music to be on key; singing, whistling,

humming, tapping feet and hands; listening to music

Needs:  Music playing; musical instruments; composing music; performing and conducting music

Displays:  Sensitivity to rhythm, pitch, and environmental noises; has a rhythmical way of speaking and/or moving.

Learns Best By:  mood background music; putting concepts to song, chants, or raps; music software; listening to songs that teach.

Logical / Mathematical

intelligence is often linked with the term "scientific thinking." Logical-mathematical people like to explore patterns and relationships, like to experiment with things you don't understand, ask questions, and enjoy well-ordered tasks. They like to work with numbers and relish opportunities to solve problems via logical reasoning. They learn best by classifying information, using abstract thought, and looking for common basic principles and patterns. Many scientists have a high degree of logical-mathematical intelligence.

Logical / Mathematical (cont)

Thinks:  By reasoning Loves:  Experimenting; questioning; calculating;

figuring out logical puzzles Needs:  Things to explore and think about; science

materials; manipulative; trips to the planetarium and science museum

Displays:  Ability to discern logical or numerical patterns; ability to prosecute long chains of reasoning; ability to handle increasingly abstract tiers of analysis

Activity to Begin a Lesson:  Pose a logical paradox; look for a pattern or trend; create a hypotheses

Visual / Spatial

people work well maps, charts, diagrams, and visual arts in general. They are able to visualize clear mental images. They like to design and create things. They learn best by looking at pictures and watching videos. Sculptors, painters, architects, surgeons, and engineers are a few professions that require people with well-developed visual-spatial abilities.

Visual / Spatial

Thinks:  In images and pictures Loves:   Designing; drawing; visualizing; doodling;

decorating; beauty Needs:  To see it, draw it, color it, visualize it, and mind-

map it Displays:  capacity to perceive forms and objects

accurately; capacity to conjure mental imagery and transform it; capacity to produce a graphic likeness of spatial information; sensitivity to the feelings of balance and composition of spatial or visual displays

Learns Best By:  painting; drawing; sculpting; appreciating visual art products; map making and reading; orienteering; activities that require visual memory and imagination

Bodily / Kinesthetic

learners use bodily sensations to gather information. They have good balance and coordination and are good with their hands. Learning activities that provide physical activities and hands-on learning experiences work well for them. People with highly developed bodily-kinesthetic abilities include carpenters, mechanics, dancers, gymnasts, swimmers, and jugglers.

Bodily / Kinesthetic

Thinks:  Through somatic sensations Loves:  Movement - Touching; jumping;

running; building; gesturing Needs:  Hands-on learning; role playing;

drama; movement; things to build; sports and physical games; tactile experiences

Displays:  Skill in one or more sports and/or crafts; moves, twitches, taps, or fidgets while seated in one spot; loves to take things apart and put them back together again

Learns Best By: Building it; acting it out; touching it

Intrapersonal

These learners are aware of their own strengths, weaknesses, and feelings. They are aware of self, being a creative and independent, and reflective thinker. They usually possess independence, self-confidence, determination, and high motivation. They may respond with strong opinions when controversial topics are discussed. They learn best by engaging in independent study projects rather than working on group projects. Pacing their own instruction is important to them. Entrepreneurs, philosophers, and psychologists are a few professions where strong intrapersonal skills are a benefit.

Intrapersonal (cont)

Thinks:  Deeply inside of themselves Loves:  Setting goals; meditating, dreaming, being

quiet, planning Needs: Secret places, time alone, self-paced

projects, choices, etc. Displays: Good sense of self-direction; sense of

independence or strong will; high self-esteem; ability to learn from failures and successes in life

Learns Best By: individualized instruction; options in course of study; self-checking materials; journals; projects that connect to personal life; bringing feeling into a presentation

Interpersonal

These learners are "people-persons." They enjoy being around people, like talking to people, have many friends, and engage in social activities. They can develop genuine empathy for the feelings of others. They learn best by relating, sharing, and participating in cooperative group environments. The best salespeople, consultants, community organizers, counselors, and teachers have a high interpersonal intelligence.

Interpersonal (cont.) Thinks:  By bouncing ideas off other people Loves:  Leading; organizing; relating;

manipulating; mediating; partying Needs:  Friends; group games; social

gatherings; community events; clubs; apprenticeships

Displays: Ability to "read" other people--their moods, motives, temperaments, and act on this knowledge

Learns Best By:  Cooperative learning or somehow interacting with others; sharing what they learned

Naturalistic

These learners are in touch with nature - the outdoors in terms of geography, animals, conservation, etc. They sense patterns and are good a categorization. They are also good planners and organizers of living areas. Naturalistic learners learn best studying natural phenomenon in natural settings, learning about how things work. They may express interest in biology, zoology, botany, geology, meteorology, paleontology, or astronomy - fields directly connected to some aspect of nature.

Naturalistic

Thinks: With a strong connection to nature Loves: Relating things to their natural environment

and collecting items from nature Needs:  To be able to touch nature and to be

surrounded by it as much as possible Displays:  Ability to notice patterns and

characteristics of natural objects and environments; Ability to notice subtleties in appearances, texture, and sounds that those weaker in this intelligence may not grasp

Learns Best By:  Observing, classifying, grouping; Conducting science experiments; Being surrounded by nature