Unit 1: Gardner's Multiple Intelligences

Objective:By the end of this lesson students will be able to...

- Identify Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences

- Understand the use of multiple intelligences in the classroom.

The theory of multiple intelligences was created by psychologist Howard Gardner who is based out of Harvard University. According to Howard Gardner IQ Tests do not capture the full potential of all human abilities. The paper and pencil method of testing limits humans intelligence to strictly recall (Frames of Mind). People have many different "intelligences" that are used in order to understand information. The way one person acquires knowledge may be different from another person. The basis of Gardner's theory is that not every person learns exactly the same and therefore education has limited those people who do not learn best from reading or listening.

Question: Have you ever felt like your education was limited because of how you were being taught?

Through a evaluation criteria which Gardner made himself to determine what was considered an intelligence, he discovered that there are eight original intelligences every person could potentially have. They are:Verbal, Spatial, Musical, Linguistic, Logical and Mathematical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and bodily/kinesthetic. After years of study Gardner did determine three more intelligences people could have: Existential, Natural, and Spiritual. As of today there are eleven intelligences every person has and should utilize to determine what their potential will be. Click on the internal link in order to see a chart on the original seven multiple intelligences and the natural intelligence:Chart on Intelligences.

Question: What intelligence do you think defines you as a learner and why?

Below are two links to show the differences between the different intelligences:

Multiple Intelligences 1: [1]

Multiple Intelligences 2: [2]

Assignment:Click on the external link below to read an excerpt from a speech given by Howard Gardner about multiple intelligneces and write a response in your learning journal about what you thought about it. Does it make sense? How does his theory stack up against other theories by psychologists in regards to learning?

Gardner's speech:[3]

Learning Journal: In your learning journal write responses to the questions asked in the lesson and the assignment. Also answer this question: Had the theory of multiple intelligences been developed 30 years earlier, would it have been as accepted as it is now? Could the theory have changed the way education was conducted?

Resources

Mutiple Intelligences:[4]

Gardner, Howard. Frames of Mind. Basic Books, New York: 1983.

Once you are done move on to the next unit: Unit 2: Identifying Learning Preferences