“I want my children to understand the world, but not just because the world is fascinating and the human mind is curious. I want them to understand it so that they will be positioned to make it a better place. Knowledge is not the same as morality, but we need to understand if we are to avoid past mistakes and move in productive directions. An important part of that understanding is knowing who we are and what we can do... Ultimately, we must synthesize our understandings for ourselves. The performance of understanding that try matters are the ones we carry out as human beings in an imperfect world which we can affect for good or for ill.” (Gardner, 1999.)
Because of that, this essay is based on the research made by Howard Gardner about multiple intelligences and education, so we teachers can discover which are the most effective ways our students learn English.
Let me start by talking a little more about this important Psychologist.
ﭪ Howard Gardner´s Life
Howard Gardner was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1943. Howard Gardner's interest in psychology and the social sciences grew (his senior thesis was on a new California retirement community) and he graduated summa cum laude in 1965 (Smith, 2008).
Howard Gardner then went to work for a brief period with Jerome Bruneron the famous MACOS Project ('Man: A course of study'). Bruner's work, especially in The Process of Education (1960) made a profound impact on Gardner . (Smith, 2008).
Howard Gardner beg in to get interested in human cognition. He proceeded in a very different direction to the dominant discourses associated with Piaget and with psychometric testing. (Smith, 2008).
ﭪ About his theory
ﺱ The Intelligence
Howard Gardner defines intelligence as “the capacity to solve problems or to fashion products that are valued in one or more cultural setting” (Smith, 2008).
He develops the existence of the following 7 intelligences:
© Linguistic intelligence involves the ability to learn languages, and the capacity to use language to accomplish certain goals. This intelligence includes the ability to effectively use language to express oneself rhetorically or poetically; and language as a means to remember information (Smith, 2008).
© Logical-mathematical intelligence is the capacity to analyze problems logically, carry out mathematical operations, and investigate issues scientifically (Smith, 2008).
© Musical intelligence involves skill in the performance, composition, and appreciation of musical patterns. It encompasses the capacity to recognize and compose musical pitches, tones, and rhythms (Smith, 2008).
© Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence entails the potential of using one's whole body or parts of the body to solve problems. It is the ability to use mental abilities to coordinate bodily movements (Smith, 2008).
© Spatial intelligence involves the potential to recognize and use the patterns of wide space and more confined areas (Smith, 2008).
© Interpersonal intelligence is concerned with the capacity to understand the intentions, motivations and desires of other people. It allows people to work effectively with others (Smith, 2008).
© Intrapersonal intelligence entails the capacity to understand oneself, to appreciate one's feelings, fears and motivations (Smith, 2008).
ﭪ The application of the Theory to education
According to the approach and methodology of Mexican basic education, nowadays Howard Gardner´s theory can be completely useful. In first place because nowadays education is about develop in students the capacity to be successful, independent and competitive in their lives, not just their academic lives, but also their social and personal lives. This means that today intelligence is not just about a wide and deep knowledge of science, is about the ability of searching the right information for achieving our own purposes.
Besides, if we talk about our specific subject: English, the Multiple Intelligences theory of Howard Gardner is pretty useful and maybe some of the intelligences he talks about s even more useful for our purpose as English teachers.
In first place we must notice that English students develop Linguistic Intelligence, because it is used when people are learning a new language. And according to our methodology, students will develop this intelligence when they practice the foreign language, when they read original and authentic texts and listen to authentic conversations. Every time they can be practicing the new language into the right context they will be developing the linguistic intelligence.
In second place students develop the interpersonal intelligence too, because we teachers must apply the constructivist methodology. And according to Piaget and Vygotsky theories, the child can develop real knowledge and learning just by interacting with the world around him (“Desarrollo Cognoscitivo,” n.d.). Vygotsky is the one who refers to the construction of knowledge by interacting with classmates and adults, but also he refers to the interaction between the child and the elements of culture, such as society, values, family, history, traditions, etc. (“Desarrollo Cognoscitivo,” n.d.). So, if we connect the principles of the methodology we teachers must apply with Howard Garner´s theory, we conclude that students develop their interpersonal intelligence too.
ﭪ The Research
According to the survey applied to the students and the observations made during the lessons, the results are:
Intelligences | Bodily-kinesthetic | Linguistic | Interpersonal | Logical-mathematical | Intrapersonal | Musical | Naturalist | Spatial |
Percent | 70% | 41% | 41% | 40% | 35% | 31% | 31% | 27% |
*These are the percents that most of the students obtained in each one of the intelligence tests.
So according to the results we can notice that the most developed intelligence is the kinesthetic one, with 70%; then is located the linguistic and interpersonal ones, both of them with 41%. But on the other side, we notice that the less developed intelligences are the spatial, the naturalist and the musical ones.
This research is pretty important because it can help us to take advantage of the most developed intelligences in students and to help them to develop the ones with a lower level of development. For example, in English it is very useful that they have a linguistic and interpersonal intelligence highly developed, because they will help with the construction of knowledge and the acquisition of a second language. But also, when we know about their kinesthetic intelligence we can take advantage of it too, we teachers can create more activities in which students use their body and their movements, and that will help them and us to reach a better learning.
At the end of the day is pretty important that teachers make this kind of research with their students, because that will help them to create new strategies in order to improve their English learning.
ﭪ Information Sources
- Lane Carla. Multiple Intelligences. Available on: http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html
-Multiple Intelligences. Available on: http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.php
- Teoría del Desarrollo Cognoscitivo de Piaget y Vygotsky.
Essay
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