Multiple intelligence
Howard Gardner, a psychologist at Harvard University, has become famous for his research on multiple intelligence for children.
Gardner discovered eight separated intelligence in education which according to the researchers only three of them has been tested. Before explaining each of them, let’s see what Gardner has to say about his children:
“I want my children from everywhere to understand the world, not because it’s fascinating and human mind is curious but because they want to change it to a better place.”
It’s a different kind of intelligence, and with no doubt, it’s hard to change it to a question with multiple answers because there is not one solution for changing the world into a better place.
Also, Gardner believes that children have different kinds of intelligence which make them do all these ambitious stuff.
Read “teaching methods” for more.
What is verbal intelligence?
The shortest version is the ability to use mother tongue and sometimes other languages effectively verbally and to write.
Verbal intelligence deals with words, and it doesn’t matter who is using it: a speaker, a columnist, a storyteller or lawyers!
This intelligence is based on the ability to convey messages, persuasion, disputes, teaching, and amusement.
People who have verbal intelligence speak attractively, they have manners and use the right words. They have the art of satire and are very good at telling some funny stories.
They enjoy listening to the sound of words, and they will be readers or good writers.
People have multiple intelligence but only some of them are stronger.
what abilities and skills they have?
people who have verbal intelligence (or want to have) must be good at:
1- Listening
2- Talking
3- Telling stories
4- Explaining
5- Teaching
6- The art of satire
7- Understanding the concept of the words
8- Memorizing and remembering information
9- Convincing people by using the words
The interesting thing to know is that all these skills are teachable and you can learn them by practicing.
Even parents can teach some lessons to their children when they know about multiple intelligence
Some teachers paid a lot of attention to their teaching methods. They like to be updated, so they read several hours a day to know about the best methods of teaching.
Sometimes they come across with the Gardner’s theory which says there are eight bits of intelligence which some are stronger than the others and teaching must be done based on the stronger parts.
Gardner multiple intelligence
1- Verbal-linguistic: Children who like to talk, read and write.
2- Logical-mathematical: Children and students who like math and science. They have abstract thoughts, and they are not very good at imaginations.
3- Visual-spatial: it’s the opposite of mathematical intelligence — students who need images and have to imagine things to learn better. So we have to picture the things we explain to them.
Picturing things is one of the multiple intelligence parts
4- bodily-kinesthetic: Children who are good at making things, creating stuff and regular works. Sadly, in some countries they consider these children to have hyperactivity disorder.
5- musical-rhythmic: Children who like to sing and dance. So teachers must teach them with rhythmic poems and stories.
Some children like to be active and dance and sing because humans have multiple intelligence
6- Naturalistic: children who relate their thoughts and ideas to the outside world. One of the things teachers can do is letting them have a collection of scientific objects, rocks, etc.
7- Intrapersonal: Students who enjoy philosophy and history. They like to ask “why?”. These kinds of children are beneficial for the class because they open other students’ eyes as well.
8- Interpersonal: these children take precautions, and they prefer to be alone. Teachers should know that they are not introverts and don’t deal with depression.
Teachers must know how to teach students using these eight forms of intelligence because with the help of this information, teaching will be more effective.
Children have all these eight bits of intelligence. Some of them are stronger, and some of them are weaker.
