The Concept of Multiple Intelligence Stipulated by Gardner - Essay Example

Implementation of Howard Gardner’s Intelligence Theory Introduction Learning is an inherent process that each individual goes through in life. With the emphasis put into classroom learning, other forms of learning have been ignored. However, it is important to take note that learning is a process that encompasses many facets of our daily life. And this postulation is enhanced better by the theory of multiple intelligence brought forth by a scholar, Howard Gardner. According to Gardner (1991), the concept of learning is a wide one and each person has different capabilities when it comes to learning. For example, in a normal classroom environment different pupils have different capacities of understanding what they are taught by their teachers. Mostly, this diversity occurs in the area of mathematics. You find that some students comprehend mathematics faster and effortlessly as compared to other students. But does this slow understanding make them failures? Gardner (1991) does not believe so. The approach that the teachers use in teaching these different students is the one that determines what and how they shall comprehend the materials taught. To this regard, it becomes the prerogative of the teachers to ensure that they employ teaching methods and strategies that are bound to bring positive results. Through the application of some of the concept of multiple intelligence stipulated by Gardner (1991), the teachers could foster an amicable and indulging learning environment.Gardner (1991), argues out that it is necessary to make a shift in the already in existence educational strategies if at all the needs of the students in the present classrooms have to be satisfactorily met. In line with this, this paper expounds on Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligence (MI) as one of the leading theory that has offered tutors and educators a considerably all-inclusive framework within which profoundly different classroom solutions can be applied. Link between Gardner’s theory and its application in classroom learning One of the key tenets of the multiple intelligence theory is that individuals learn, make a representation of and make good use of knowledge in diverse ways. These differences do challenge the educational system- which has been founded on the assumption that each and every person is in a position to learn in the same manner and that a universal uniformed measure can suffice in testing the learning ability of students. In the view of Gardner (1991), students’ broad spectrum would be better served in the event that disciplines are presented in various different ways as well as if learning can be assessed through various means. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence theory does identify seven distinct intelligences that come from the students being in possession of different minds and as a result learn in very exceptional ways. In the seven intelligences, each one of them has a distinct combination of learning styles. In Gardner’s view point however, majority of the students seem to favour one or more types over others. These seven intelligences include linguistic, logical, bodily, musical, interpersonal, spatial and intrapersonal intelligences (Hayes 2003). All human beings are in possession and usually exhibit one or more of the above mentioned types of intelligences at varying amounts. These humans o combine these levels and utilise them in idiosyncratic and personal ways. These differences continue to put forth weighty effects upon children, which has in turn been embarked on in the determination of the entry point which is seemingly effective for a particular students coming across different materials or is unhappy, plunging this student into confusion. Falvey and Chistine (1996) note that, students have variant entry points when it comes to their appropriateness and the most comfortable routes these students ought to follow in the event that they have gained the very initial access into the classroom. Cognisance of the various entry points among the students can help tutors present new-fashioned materials in ways which a great percentage of students can grasp with ease. Gardner, (1991), pinpoints that the students can be better equipped to explore other entry points, thus presenting them with a chance of developing multiple perspectives that are the best solution to stereotypical thinking. With the increasing interest among scholars in Gardner’s MI theory, interest in testing for the different types of intelligence among students is too developing. This is geared towards testing whether this theory can be implemented so as to have the needs of the students to be satisfactorily met. However, it has been found that creating a valid test is too difficult. Nonetheless, this study adopts the inclusion of a number of performance measures (Perkins 1995). In the present school systems there is hardly any specific method through which teachers can make assessment of the knowledge of the student. As thus, a great percentage of the students who may seemingly display capability of significant understand appear deficient since they cannot enthusiastically replicate their knowledge via the traditional measurement means. Despite the fact that a measurable population is deficient of a facility with formal examinations, Gardner (1991) points out that the same population is in a position of exhibiting relevant understanding in the event that such problem are borne in natural contexts. In some cases, students who can hardly pass muster on the customary competence measures, thus revealing weighty understanding and mastery in the event that these have been elicited in a more appropriate way. It is undeniable that the present educational system, according to Cashden and Overall (2002), is worryingly prejudiced towards linguistic modes of instruction and assessment as well as (but to a lesser degree) towards logic-quantitative modes. Teachers have compelled students to avail answers to problems, which have already been pre-set, master long lists of terms and memorise and thereafter give feedback definition in the event that these students are so requested. By curtailing the importance of other intelligences both within and outside schools, teachers and other stakeholders do condemn a vast number of students who are seemingly failures of exhibiting the anticipated or proper assortment to the sweeping belief that they are stupid (Guignon 2010). Gardner (1991) adds that these teachers hardly take advantage of the others ways in which MI can be more effective that the tutors embark on only few selected intelligences. In so doing, a broader range of talents among students can be built, thus making a standard curriculum, which is accessible to greater numbers of students. He further states that in ensuring that students cover the curriculum in good time and resultantly be better prepared for the different tests and milestones, teachers may unconsciously be disheartening more critical educational goals, one of them being the fact that schools ought to relay to a productive life in the community (Gardner 1991). As a teacher therefore, there is a need to accept it might not be quite possible to reach the each and every student in exactly the same way that the student needs since all of them are different. What the teacher ought to do is working to employ a number of lesson tools and tactics so as to avail the students with options. For instance, the teacher can avail an alternative assessment that permits the students to make expression of their knowledge or build a portfolio of the subject via a non-traditional format (Guignon 2010). This may take the form of a spoken examination. Additionally, Smith (2002) claims that learning ought to be personalised since such an approach vests the student to want to take control of his/her education. Personalising learning also appreciates the importance of creating a learning environment in which each and every student will be presented with an opportunity to thrive. Gardner’s theory aims at improving the effectiveness of the learning of the children as well as realise a good classroom teaching practice. This is in reference to all public education system sectors. The application of this theory is a classroom setting is both curricular and pedagogical. The pedagogical implication of the MI theory comprise of the organisation of learning in a way that will permit multimodal delivery and engagement in ways of assessment which are considerably more authentic as contrasted to traditional educational testing. In curricular terms, on the other hand, this theory is geared towards modelling the educational curriculum so as see through the development of each of the intelligences (Gardner 1991). Moreover, a critical analysis of the MI theory as concerns school failure greatly helps in the development of a realistic understanding of the world of a great percentage of the learners. This theory necessitates scholars to do a little about a lot and the end result of this is superficiality. True comprehension of anything may take time and call for patience, and these are things which curriculum programmes hardly provided for. For true interdisciplinary work to be successfully carried out, the beginnings of mastery of disciplinary understanding and knowledge and the disciplines themselves have to be given the first priority. It is only through the application to the MI theory that this is realisable. The traditional school curricula had opted for the logical-mathematical and verbal-linguistic intelligences. However, Gardner (1991) disputes that there is need to adopt a more balanced school curriculum, which slots in self-awareness, art, physical education and communication so as to leverage the intelligences in some of the learners. In an effort to realise a change in the educational curriculum, teachers can adopt a number of curriculum change approaches. These approaches such as lesson design, student projects, interdisciplinary units, apprenticeships and assessments. There are some schools whose principal focus is the lesson design. This might be entailing team teaching, where teachers do concentrate on their personal intelligence strengths, using all or a number of the intelligences in their lessons. They may also engage the students by asking them of their opinions as regards to the most preferable way to teach and learn some of the topics (Gardner 1991). On the other hand, the students can be in a position to learn initiating and managing sophisticated projects in the event that the teachers make use of school projects. In addition, assessments may also be devised to allow the students display what they have been learning. This may go the way of allowing the students themselves formulate the way they will be assessed, while at the same time meeting the quality criteria of the teacher. In apprenticeships, students are allowed to gain mastery of a skill which I valued gradually, with discipline and effort over time. According to Gardner, apprenticeships ought to be taken up by approximately a third of a students’ schooling experience. In educating students, a teacher makes efforts to include each and every of the above mentioned intelligences within the lesson. This is aimed at arriving at the strengths of each of the students in the class. In realising this, the teachers can make an introduction of the content of the subject with a poem or even a song so as to reach those learners who gain knowledge best via the musical intelligence. In Hayes (2003) argument, the teacher’s obligation is to motivate and ascertain that each of his/her students sings along and/or repeats the song or the poem and not those who profit from this type of intelligence. Moreover, teachers ought to verbally explain the subject’s concept to the entire class. Verbal descriptions ought to be integrated into the subject content since they make the students reflect on the past experiences and/or real-world scenarios. This applicability is so fashioned for the students accustomed to linguistic intelligence (Armstrong 1994). It is also important permitting the students to work in groups as well as make use of communicative skills in performance. This may include the use of a visual project. A combination of these two ideas of lesson reinforcement guarantees that the students, who learning through spatial or interpersonal intelligences, are well reached. Learners can be grouped into groups of two or three and thereafter instructed to create artistic representations. The students can also be instructed to make reflections on the taught lessons by themselves about a landscape or a natural part of the subject concept, where applicable. This helps nurture naturalistic and intrapersonal intelligences (Guignon 2010). Lastly, the teacher may involve movements into the lesson or even make the students play a game. This reinforcement strategy propels the students into kinesthetic intelligence. With an understanding of these intelligences, school administrators, teachers and parents can be better positioned to understand the learners. These stakeholders can be better equipped to permit the students to safely make further explorations and learn in diverse ways, thus seeing the students themselves direct their own learning. In Guignon’s viewpoint (2010), the adults can thus assist the students in understanding and appreciating their individual strengths as well as be in a position to identify real-world activities that will act as stimulants for further learning. Conclusion From the discussion above, it has been observed that the teacher plays a very fundamental role in how the pupils comprehend the ideologies that they teach them in the classroom. It is the duty of the teacher to know what kind of strategy he or she should employ to make sure that the students that they teach completely understand what they are taught. The way these teachers plan their schedules and timetables is reflexive of the teaching approaches that they use. The strengths of different students should be understood and the teaching methods adjusted to fit them. The teachers should be able to employ the different strategies that have been formulated by the Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence so as to enable them reach the same understanding level as their other peers.in conclusion, the above discussion has shown that the creation of well- structured teaching plan that follow logical progression is vital for the achievement of the goal of learning in the classroom. References Armstrong, T (1994) Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Briggs, M (2008) Assessment for Learning and Teaching in Primary Schools, Exeter: Learning Matters. Cashden, A. and Overall, L (2002) Teaching in Primary Schools, London: Continuum Falvey, M. and Christine, C.G (1996) Facilitating Learning in Heterogeneous Classrooms Impact, 9 (2), Minnesota: University of Minnesota. Gardner, H (1991) The Unschooled Mind: How Children Think and How Schools Should Teach, New York: Basic Books. Guignon, A (2010) Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences: A Theory for Everyone, Accessed 18.10.2012 from http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr054.shtml. Hayes, D (2003) Planning, Teaching & Class Management in Primary Schools, London: David Fulton. Kornhaber, M (2001) Fifty Modern Thinkers on Education. From Piaget to the Present, Howard Gardner in J.A Palmer, Edition. London: Routledge. Perkins, D (1995), The Thinking Classroom: Learning and Teaching in a Culture of Thinking, Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Pollard, A (2002) Reflective Teaching in the Primary School, 2nd ed .New York: Continuum. Prashing, B (2006) Learning Style in Action, Stafford: Network Continuum Educational. Smith, M (2002) Howard Gardner and Multiple Practical Intelligence, The Encyclopaedia of Informal Education. Accessed on 18.10.2012 from http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm. Read More