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THEORIES OF INTELLIGENCES:

A TOOL IN BECOMING AN

EFFECTIVE TEACHER
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Abstraction

We learn problem-solving skills using puzzles, building blocks, board games, and

outdoor games from an early age. From taking that first step to riding a bike and eventually

driving a car or creating a PowerPoint presentation, there is an essential factor that comes into

play: intelligence! This paper focuses on the four different theories of intelligences. Intelligence

involves mental abilities such as logic, reasoning, problem-solving, and planning. Specifically,

current definitions tend to suggest that intelligence is the ability to: Learn from experience: The

acquisition, retention, and use of knowledge is an important component of intelligence.

Recognize problems: To use knowledge, people first must identify the problems it might

address. Solve problems: People must then use what they have learned to come up with

solutions to problems (Cherry, 2022). As we go on with our paper, you will know the difference

theories of intelligence. The Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligence, Spearman’s Two-

Factor Theory Intelligence, Thurstone’s Theory: Primary Mental/Group Factor Theory and

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence. Each of the said theories suggest that we all have

different kinds of intelligence which makes each and every one of us unique.
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There are many theories about the different intelligences. The first theory is the concept

of multiple intelligences who was proposed by Howard Gardner. The theory claims that human

beings have different ways in which they process data, each being independent. The eight types

of intelligence described by Gardner include: musical-rhythmic, visual-spatial, verbal-

linguistic, logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal and

naturalistic. Multiple intelligences enable people to take different roles, such as to be a plumber,

farmer, physicist or teacher. Gardner points out that intelligence is “a potential, the presence of

which allow an individual access to forms of thinking appropriate to specific kinds of content”

(Kornhaber & Gardner, 1991). Gardner’s theory differentiated intelligence in modalities and

was proposed in his book published in 1983 ‘Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple

Intelligences’. He suggested that his theory meant to ’empower learners’ and not limit them to

a single learning modality. He has also emphasized the need to reform the way educational

curriculums are created to help students focus on their true capabilities rather than going

through a curriculum that is a mile wide and an inch deep.

The second theory is the Spearman’s Two Factor Theory Intelligence. Charles Edward

Spearman proposed his two-factor theory of intelligence in 1904. He was the first who

introduced the concept of general intelligence called the” g” factor. To develop his theory, he

analyzed different mental aptitude and cognitive tests given by the participants. He noticed that

the scores of the same participants were almost similar in every test. He proposed that

intelligence consists of two factors, i.e., the” g” factor (general ability) and the” s” factor

(specific ability), where the” g” factor is involved in every general mental ability task of the

person, and the” s” factor is responsible for only the specific intellectual abilities of the person.

According to Spearman, every individual is born with a different level of the” g” factor, and

the greater the” g” factor, the greater are the chances that the person will succeed in various
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aspects of life, whereas the” s” factor is not inborn, people acquire this factor through

experiences and from their surrounding environment. According to Spearman, there exists a

general factor called the g-factor that is common to all the intellectual abilities of the person.

However, Thurstone stated that human intellectual abilities are diverse, and he established his

multi-factor theory of intelligence (1935) that focuses on the seven different primary mental

abilities. He stated that every individual possesses different levels of these seven factors, and

these levels do not depend on each other, and each of these abilities can be evaluated separately.

The third theory states that Louis Leon Thurstone proposed his multiple-factor theory

of intelligence in 1938. Before this theory was introduced, the notion of the g-factor, i.e.,

general intelligence, which had been proposed by a British Psychologist, Charles Spearman,

was more prevalent. Thurstone brings the concept of multiple factors associated with human

intelligence instead of a single factor, i.e., general intelligence. He stated that every individual

possesses different levels of seven primary mental abilities, i.e., word fluency, verbal factor,

numerical factor, inductive reasoning, memory, spatial visualization, and perceptual speed.

Thurstone stated that there exist seven different mental abilities factors, and he called them the

primary mental abilities (P.M.A.).

Lastly, the Triarchic Theory of Intellegence. According to Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory

of Intelligence, intelligence results from information processing components being applied to

experience for the purposes of adaptation to, shaping of, and selection of environments.

According to this theory, intelligence and the intellectual skills that constitute it and form the

basis of intellectual achievements are forms of developing expertise-they can be developed just

like any other forms of expertise. Abilities are not fixed, but rather, flexible. The triarchic

theory of intelligence proposes that there are three distinct types of intelligence. It was

formulated by Robert J. Sternberg, a well-known psychologist whose research often focuses

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on human intelligence and creativity. The triarchic theory is comprised of three sub theories,

each of which relates to a specific kind of intelligence: the contextual sub theory, which

corresponds to practical intelligence, or the ability to successfully function in one’s

environment; the experiential sub theory, which corresponds to creative intelligence, or the

ability to deal with novel situations or issues; and the componential sub theory, which

corresponds to analytical intelligence, or the ability to solve problems. The triarchic theory of

intelligence originated as an alternative to the concept of general intelligence factor, or g.

Therefore, I conclude that although there are many different theories of intelligence, it

all boils down to the fact that everyone of us has its own intelligence which makes us all unique

and different from each other. All the theories have thoroughly explained their ideas about the

different intelligences that people have. According to the dictionary.com. Intelligence is the

“Capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and similar forms of mental activity; aptitude

in grasping truths, relationships, facts, meanings, etc.”. As a future educator someday, it is very

important for me to know the different intelligences in order for me to communicate well with

my students, I will have my idea on how to deal with my student’s property so that I can create

a diverse classroom wherein I can, accommodate each of my student’s personalities and

behaviors with the help of those theories stated above. The stated theories above will help me

become a good teacher because it will serve as my guide in making a good plan and design

meaningful learning activities to accommodate different types of learners inside the classroom.
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