IT'S NOT HOW SMART YOU IT'S NOT HOW SMART YOU ARE -ARE -

IT'S IT'S HOWHOW YOU ARE SMART! YOU ARE SMART!

Howard Gardner's Theory of Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple IntelligencesMultiple Intelligences

What parent can not see gleaming What parent can not see gleaming rays of genius in their child? And yet, rays of genius in their child? And yet, how many children come to school how many children come to school and demonstrate their own unique and demonstrate their own unique genius? genius?

There was a time when it might have There was a time when it might have been a joke to suggest been a joke to suggest "Every parent "Every parent thinks their kid's a genius."thinks their kid's a genius." But But research on human intelligence is research on human intelligence is suggesting that the joke may be on suggesting that the joke may be on educators! There is a constant flow of educators! There is a constant flow of new information on how the human new information on how the human brain operates, how it differs in function brain operates, how it differs in function between genders, how emotions impact between genders, how emotions impact on intellectual acuity, even on how on intellectual acuity, even on how genetics and environment each impact genetics and environment each impact our children’s cognitive abilities. our children’s cognitive abilities.

While each area of study has its While each area of study has its merits, Howard Gardner of Harvard merits, Howard Gardner of Harvard University has identified different University has identified different KINDS of intelligence we possess. This KINDS of intelligence we possess. This has particularly strong ramifications in has particularly strong ramifications in the classroom, because if we can the classroom, because if we can identify children's different strengths identify children's different strengths among these intelligences, we can among these intelligences, we can accommodate different children more accommodate different children more successfully according to their successfully according to their orientation to learning. orientation to learning.

Thus far Gardner has identified nine Thus far Gardner has identified nine intelligences. He speculates that intelligences. He speculates that there may be many more yet to be there may be many more yet to be identified. identified.

Nine Intelligences Nine Intelligences 1.1. VISUAL/SPATIALVISUAL/SPATIAL 2.2. VERBAL/LINGUISTICVERBAL/LINGUISTIC 3.3. MATHEMATICL/LOGICALMATHEMATICL/LOGICAL 4.4. BODILY/KINESTHETICBODILY/KINESTHETIC 5.5. MUSICAL/RHYTHMICMUSICAL/RHYTHMIC 6.6. INTRAPERSONALINTRAPERSONAL 7.7. INTERPERSONALINTERPERSONAL 8.8. NATURALISTNATURALIST 9.9. EXISTENTIALISTEXISTENTIALIST

VISUAL/SPATIAL VISUAL/SPATIAL

Those who learn best visually and Those who learn best visually and organizing things spatially. You organizing things spatially. You like to see what you are talking like to see what you are talking about in order to understand. You about in order to understand. You enjoy charts, graphs, maps, enjoy charts, graphs, maps, tables, illustrations, art, puzzles, tables, illustrations, art, puzzles, costumes - anything eye catching.costumes - anything eye catching.

VERBAL/LINGUISTICVERBAL/LINGUISTIC

Those who demonstrate Those who demonstrate strength in the language arts: strength in the language arts: speaking, writing, reading, speaking, writing, reading, listening. Generally successful in listening. Generally successful in traditional classrooms because traditional classrooms because their intelligence lends itself to their intelligence lends itself to traditional teaching.traditional teaching.

MATHEMATICL/LOGICALMATHEMATICL/LOGICAL

Display an aptitude for numbers, Display an aptitude for numbers, reasoning and problem solving. reasoning and problem solving. This is the other half of those who This is the other half of those who typically do well in traditional typically do well in traditional classrooms where teaching is classrooms where teaching is logically sequenced and students logically sequenced and students are asked to conform.are asked to conform.

BODILY/KINESTHETICBODILY/KINESTHETIC

Experience learning best Experience learning best through activity: games, through activity: games, movement, hands-on tasks, movement, hands-on tasks, building. Often labeled "overly building. Often labeled "overly active" in traditional classrooms active" in traditional classrooms where they were told to sit and where they were told to sit and be still!be still!

MUSICAL/RHYTHMICMUSICAL/RHYTHMIC

Learn well through songs, Learn well through songs, patterns, rhythms, instruments patterns, rhythms, instruments and musical expressionand musical expression..

INTRAPERSONALINTRAPERSONAL

Especially in touch with their Especially in touch with their own feelings, values and ideas. own feelings, values and ideas. Tend to be more reserved, but Tend to be more reserved, but they are actually quite intuitive they are actually quite intuitive about what they learn and how it about what they learn and how it relates to themselves.relates to themselves.

INTERPERSONALINTERPERSONAL

Noticeably people oriented and Noticeably people oriented and outgoing, and do their learning outgoing, and do their learning cooperatively in groups or with a cooperatively in groups or with a partner. May have typically been partner. May have typically been identified as "talkative" or " too identified as "talkative" or " too concerned about being social" in concerned about being social" in a traditional setting.a traditional setting.

NATURALISTNATURALIST

Love the outdoors, animals, Love the outdoors, animals, field trips. More than this, field trips. More than this, though, they love to pick up on though, they love to pick up on subtle differences in meanings.subtle differences in meanings.

EXISTENTIALISTEXISTENTIALIST

Learn in the context of where Learn in the context of where humankind stands in the "big humankind stands in the "big picture" of existence. They ask picture" of existence. They ask "Why are we here?" and "What "Why are we here?" and "What is our role in the world?" This is our role in the world?" This intelligence is seen in the intelligence is seen in the disciplines of philosophy and disciplines of philosophy and theology.theology.

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