It’s been 30 years since I developed the notion of “multiple intelligences”. I have been gratified by the interest shown in this idea and the ways it’s been used in schools, museums, and businesses around the world. But one unanticipated consequence has driven me to distraction- and that’s the tendency of many people, including persons whom I cherish, to credit me with the notion of ‘learning styles’ or to collapse ‘multiple intelligences’ with ‘learning styles’.
-HOWARD GARDNER
Reading and writing visuals appear in our mind when we talk about learning. It’s a common notion that learning is possible only through reading a lot and writing down the same numerous times in a paper. Reading and writing off course form an important part of the learning process. However, what people mostly fail to understand is that there are various other means of learning which makes the process easier. Also, the method which works best for one may not be the best for another. This is because the kind of intelligence dominant in one may be the weaker in other. However, through practise we can see that every kind of intelligence is present in every kid.
Dr. Howard Gardner is a pioneer in understanding the multiple intelligences and his works on this topic is very popular and useful. He suggested that every individual possesses nine different kinds of intelligence and they are:
Linguistic-Verbal Intelligence:The kid who easily learns concepts through reading and articulates well the vocabulary and also is keen to learning words essentially has this intelligence strong in them.
Logical- Mathematical Intelligence:Kids who are found to be good in problem solving and enthusiastic about arithmetic have logical-mathematical intelligence strong in them.
Visual-Spatial Intelligence:Some kids easily learn concepts through visual explanations and videos. They have strong visual-spatial intelligence.
Bodily-Kinaesthetic Intelligence:
Kids who excel in sports and dance well etc are found to have bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence and so do they be keen in learning through touch.:
Musical Intelligence:Rhythm, tone, composition, sounds and music itself excites them and they will automatically responds and recognize the sounds especially off beat are kids who have musical intelligence.
Interpersonal Intelligence:Kids, who empathize with people and care about others’ emotions and respond to it; who can easily sense what’s the state of mind of a person sitting next to them and try to act accordingly have in them strong interpersonal skills.
Intrapersonal Intelligence:Being independent and does things oneself, be proud of oneself and in nutshell stand on own foot are said to have immense intrapersonal skill.
Naturalistic intelligence:Keen interest in nature, animals etc and energetic in taking care of plants and loves having pets are signs of strong naturalistic intelligence.
Existential Intelligence:Inquisitive about the existence of things, nature and several phenomenon and curious to find its’ answers are those who have strong existential intelligence.
Howard Gardner’s theory emanated from “cognitive research” and it documents the different kinds of minds possessed by kids and that it necessitates the need to learn, remember, perform and understand in different ways. He argues that “A contrasting set of assumptions is more likely to be educationally effective” and that students learn in ways that are recognizably different.
Multiple Intelligences explains that all of us learn things holistically however we hold distinct capacities and intelligences which calls for customized instruction. Schooling which nurtures in every individual the seeds of every kind of intelligence enhances the naturally possessed intelligences while simultaneously plant in them the new.
Stimulations through the five sensory organs boosts in an extensive growth of brain nervous fibres and children are quick learners through this stimulation method. Parents and teachers at preschools can help in the same.
The American Institute for Learning & Human Development also mentions about eight different pathways of learning for a single topic which is in line with the already mentioned multiple intelligences.
Hani Morgan supported Gardner’s theory and his research also highlighted that differentiated education or instruction benefits every child. But he also said that it works provided, kids are handled by experienced and wise teachers with timely updation and preparation.
Multimedia is a widely used method by teachers around globe to instill and impart multiple intelligences to kids as multimedia beholds every nuances of intelligence. Visuals, printed words, sound, motion, realia etc are the different specific methods of multimedia instruction possible to impart multiple intelligences in kids.
Hello Kids Preschool Chain has been keen since its beginning till date in imparting multiple skills to their students by carrying out activities and lessons ensuring that every child gets chance to kindle every kind of intelligence in them. Pritam Agarwal, the founder of preschool himself use to monitor at times whether the use of multimedia and classroom activities are up to level so as to ensure that the development of kids and their learning is done through differentiated methods and the multiple intelligences are given. This makes the Hello Kids standout among the numerous preschool chains present in the country.
To help make kids all rounder in learning; for holistic learning and understanding a material completely through all possible means among which each method works on a different scale for different individual, multiple intelligences should be implemented. As Hani Morgan said about the diverse learning as prescribed by Gardner, “challenge an educational system that assumes that everyone can learn the same materials in the same way and that a uniform, universal measure suffices to test student learning.”
See Also: Screen Timing for Preschoolers
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