In a world of high stakes achievement testing, I would like to see children assessed using Gardner’s Nine Multiple Intelligences Theory (Guignon, 2010). A search produces various tools that have been developed based on his work. If every teacher were trained in the theory, how to recognize children’s learning styles and how to teach in a way that provides opportunity for engagement within the 9 domains, our classrooms would be transformed. The 9 intelligences are:
- Linguistic intelligence: Sensitivity to the meaning and order of words.
- Logical/Mathematical intelligence: Ability in mathematics and other complex logical systems.
- Musical Rhythmic intelligence: Ability to understand and create music. The capacity to think in music; to be able to hear patterns, recognize them and manipulate them (PBS Educational Resources).
- Spatial intelligence: Ability to "think in pictures," to perceive the visual world accurately, and recreate (or alter) it in the mind or on paper. Spatial intelligence is highly developed in artists, architects, designers and sculptors.
- Bodily/Kinesthetic intelligence: Ability to use one's body in a skilled way, for self-expression or toward a goal. Mimes, dancers, basketball players, and actors are among those who display bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.
- Interpersonal intelligence: Ability to perceive and understand other individuals -- their moods, desires, and motivations. Political and religious leaders, skilled parents and teachers, and therapists use this intelligence.
- Intrapersonal intelligence: An understanding of one's own emotions. Some novelists and or counselors use their own experience to guide others.
- Existential intelligence: “Ability and proclivity to pose (and ponder) questions about life, death, and ultimate realities”(PBS Educational Resources).
- The naturalist intelligence: Ability to recognize and classify plants, minerals, and animals, including rocks and grass and all variety of flora and fauna (Guignon, 2010).
Gardner suggests teachers can make changes in several ways in order to accommodate children who learn within the different intelligences. The design of the lesson can be changed to include various intelligence areas or team teaching can match teachers with different strengths and learning styles. Interdisciplinary units can be used to collaborate within subject areas. Student projects create a forum for students to shine in their own areas of strength. Assessments can be designed to allow children to show what they know in other than the typical fill in the blank, multiple choice or essay formats. Apprenticeships are where a student gains mastery in a certain subject or skill over time (Guignon, 2010)
In a multiple intelligence classroom, a child may choose to express his or her knowledge in a content area by creating/acting out a puppet show or play, making a 3-D model, doing a demonstration, composing or performing a song, creating a painting or a computerized design or presentation (PBS, Educational Resources). Working in groups, thinking outside the box and having lots of materials on hand is key in this type of classroom.
Guignon, A. (2010). Howard gardner’s multiple intelligences: A theory for everyone. Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr054.shtml
PBS Educational Resources. Howard gardner’s multiple intelligences theory. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/education/ed_mi_overview.html
China
No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”
- Confucius
- Confucius
In China, children are typically assessed by achievement tests for the purpose of placement. That single test score is important as it indicates the child’s level of intellectual functioning and determines what program the child will attend. Developmental history and current life circumstance is not a consideration (LaVoie, 1990). General classrooms do not have the capacity to teach students other than those on a college trajectory and teachers are evaluated based on the number of students to pass their college entrance exams. To their credit, China was one of the first to use assessment to measure children’s performance. 2000 years ago, intelligence was measured by the speed of speaking and writing (LaVoie, 1990). LaVoie’s study of child assessment in China was written over 20 years ago. It is unclear as to what assessment practices have changed in China. We do know that schools are highly competitive and that the goal is still to set your child apart from the rest through high scores in order to attend the best schools. ITS Tutorial School (http://www.tuition.com.hk/education-consultants.htm) offers school placement consultation. One of their blog posts was on how to apply for admission to several prestigious U.S. universities. The pressure to perform is intense and a primary goal of all Chinese students is to be fluent in the English language. Does this concern anyone?
Tammra,
ReplyDeleteAt the agency where I work we use the Dial 3 and the Galileo as assessment tools. I really like the Galileo because it is more indepth and based on observations of the children. The Dial 3 is divided into three domains; motor, language, and gross motor skills. I don't think the Dial 3 is appropriate for all children. Children develop in different ways and different rates. I am not familiar with the Gardner. Thank you for the resource. I am going to research it.
Children learn in many different ways, but they are usually all assessed the same way not considering the style which they learn best. In my Head Start center one of the 4 year old teachers has started to introduce sight words to her students, but what she has figured out is some can verbally spell the words, but write the words wrong and the other children do better by writing the words and not spelling them out loud.
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