Every working mind in existence is different and unique.

Each one has their own

way of processing information, forming arguments based on different outlooks and

opinions on a topic that interest them but may not interest the person sitting opposite

them. The diversity of the human mind is one of the greatest advantages we will ever

have as a species. Along with such diverse interests and opinions, each person has a

different way of learning new things. In a classroom filled with individual and unique

minds, learning by writing notes and doing maths sums from the board only appeals to

the learning styles of a fraction of the class. For this reason, Howard Gardner (1983)

presented the theory of multiple intelligences that shows that there are 8 or more

intelligences which categorises preferred learning styles, activities and environments

that will help all students achieve their greatest potential.

The Multiple Intelligences theory explains the eight different types of intelligence

that are determined through favoured thought processes, activities of interest and

preferred environmental situation. People who strive in verbal linguistic intelligence,

which is the capacity to use language to express what is on your mind (Marsh, 2014),

are more engaged with activities such as debates, lectures, writing diaries, stories or

poems. Logical-mathematical intelligence, which is the capacity to manipulate numbers,

quantities and operations and to understand principles (Marsh, 2014), links with

activities mathematical questions, science experiments, and logical games and

puzzles. People strong in bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, which is the capacity to use

your whole body or parts of your body to solve a problem (Marsh, 2014), are generally

very active and make connections by physically moving whether through role playing,

physical activity games, and tactile experiments. Musical intelligence, which is the

capacity to think in music, to hear patterns, to recognise them and to remember them

(Marsh, 2014), requires a music-infused environment or creating songs and rhymes for
memorizing things. People with strong naturalistic intelligence, which is the ability to

recognise patterns among living things (Marsh, 2014), enjoy being in a natural

environment and spending time exploring outdoors. Spatial intelligence, which is the

ability to represent the spatial world internally in your mind (Marsh, 2014), requires

designing, drawing, rearranging concrete objects in order to visually see connections.

Interpersonal intelligence which is the ability to understand other people (Marsh, 2014),

is primarily working with other people in clubs, teams, or group activities. People with

strong intrapersonal intelligence, which is the capacity to have an understanding of

yourself, of knowing what you can do (Marsh, 2014), prefer to work alone, reflecting on

work and setting personal goals to achieve at their own pace. People can possess any

combination of these intelligences but are generally stronger in one or two which directs

their preferred learning style.

Learning styles are composites of various learning preferences relating to

psychological, physiological, sociological, emotional and environmental preferences

(Marsh, 2014). The consideration of the multiple intelligences in a classroom gives the

diversity of the students a chance to shine bringing together a range of people from

different backgrounds, bringing new ideas to the table. With activities based on the

multiple intelligences the chance of all students succeeding in learning is co much

greater because each student is doing something that appeals to them and that they

understand. Students with learning difficulties such as dyslexia who struggle with verbal

linguistic and logical mathematical activities can strive in activities based on spatial and

bodily-kinesthetic based activities which involve moving around and manipulating

objects. Introverts can work on their own in natural surrounding that comfort them and

allow them to think clearly while extroverts of the class can perform group theatrical

presentations. An approach to planning lessons with the multiple intelligences in mind

will make learning more interactive, entertaining and accessible for all students.

It can be argued that classrooms typically rely far too much on one or two

intelligences (linguistic and logical-mathematical) and largely ignore the others (Marsh,

2014). If the classroom teacher is only giving work appealing to two of the eight

intelligences, then there is a large majority of the class being underestimated in their

potential. Not only does the teacher not see what they are capable of doing but the

student themselves is made to feel like they are incapable and stupid hence the need

to introduce more activities based on the Multiple Intelligences theory. Catering for all

eight intelligences in every lesson for every subject is impossible due to the extreme

amount of planning and preparation needed for a majority of those lessons, however if

there is a few classes throughout the week spread over varying subjects that a few of

the intelligences other than linguistic and logical can be integrated into it would be a

start towards showing students that education and learning is not all about maths sums

and written work. Projects where they have a choice of how to present it will be better

suited to those students who struggle to write reports and prefer to build concrete

models or write a song. An in-school experiment of learning literature using the multiple

intelligence theory was carried out and documented by Monica and Florin Opresco

(2012) who stated that students completed their tasks successfully and considered

them appropriate for their type of intelligence and appreciated the qualities of their

activities as imaginative [and] creative. These approaches will make the assignments

more appealing to the student, who therefore does not enlist the help of a parent, and

will be easier and more enjoyable to assess as a teacher.

The Multiple Intelligence theory of Howard Gardner (1983) is a highly effective

and innovative way to ensure that no child is unable to reach their full potential.
Integrating the theory into a few classroom lessons per week will enable students,

particularly those that struggle with the traditional linguistic and logical based lessons,

to feel like they are a part of the class and have as much possibility of receiving good

grades and effectively learning content than every other student in the class.

References

Marsh, C., Clarke, M., & Pittaway, S. (2014). Marshs Becoming a teacher (6th ed.).

Frenchs Forest, NSW.: Pearsons Australia.

Oprescu, M., & Oprescu, F. (2012). Multiple intelligences in teaching

literature. Romanian Journal of English Studies, 9(1) doi:10.2478/v10319-012-

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