Student Diversity

How will understanding my cognitive style

increase my ability to learn?
What is intelligence?

Intelligence:
-the ability to comprehend; to understand and
profit from experience
-the ability to learn, reason, and solve problem.
Multiple Intelligence
 Intelligence is often considered how well you
score on tests or what your grades are in
school
 Howard Gardner
 Recognized many discrete (separate) facets of
cognition (The mental process of knowing, including
aspects such as awareness, perception, reasoning, and
judgment).
 People have different cognitive strengths and
styles
How many are there? 7-8-9?
 Multiple Intelligence (MI) theory states that there are at least
different ways of learning anything

1- bodily/kinesthetic (body smart)

2- interpersonal (people smart)
3- intrapersonal (self smart)
4- logical/mathematical (number/logic smart)
5- musical/rhythmic (music smart)
6- verbal/linguistic (word smart)
7- visual/spatial (picture smart)
8- naturalist (nature smart) (newly added)
9- existential? (spirit smart) (newly added but many do not
agree)
Where does your true intelligence lie?

 Please pull out a piece of paper. You will now take a

quiz that will tell you where you stand and what to
do about it.

 Read each statement. If it expresses some

characteristic of yours and sounds true for the most
part, jot down a "T." If it doesn't, mark an "F." If the
statement is sometimes true, sometimes false, leave it
blank.
MI Test (Part 1)
1. _____I'd rather draw a map than give someone verbal directions.
2. _____I can play (or used to play) a musical instrument.
3. _____I can associate music with my moods.
4. _____I can add or multiply in my head.
5. _____I like to work with calculators and computers.
6. _____I pick up new dance steps fast.
7. _____It's easy for me to say what I think in an argument or debate.
8. _____I enjoy a good lecture, speech or sermon.
9. _____I always know north from south no matter where I am.
10. _____Life seems empty without music.
11. _____I always understand the directions that come with new
gadgets or appliances.
12. _____ I like to work puzzles and play games.
13. _____ Learning to ride a bike (or skates) was easy.
14. _____ I am irritated when I hear an argument or statement that
sounds illogical.
15. _____ My sense of balance and coordination is good.
MI Test (Part 2)
16. _____ I often see patterns and relationships between numbers faster
and easier than others.
17. _____ I enjoy building models (or sculpting).
18. _____ I'm good at finding the fine points of word meanings.
19. _____ I can look at an object one way and see it sideways or
backwards just as easily.
20. _____ I often connect a piece of music with some event in my life.
21. _____ I like to work with numbers and figures.
22. _____ Just looking at shapes of buildings and structures is
pleasurable to me.
23. _____ I like to hum, whistle and sing in the shower or when I'm alone.
24. _____ I'm good at athletics.
25. _____ I'd like to study the structure and logic of languages.
26. _____ I'm usually aware of the expression on my face.
27. _____ I'm sensitive to the expressions on other people's faces.
28. _____ I stay "in touch" with my moods. I have no trouble identifying
them.
29. _____ I am sensitive to the moods of others.
30. _____ I have a good sense of what others think of me.
 MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE SCORING SHEET
Place a check mark by each item you marked as "true.” Add your totals. A total of four in any of the
categories A through E indicates strong ability. In categories F and G a score of one or more means you
have abilities as well.

A B C D E F G
Linguistic Logical/ Musical Visual/Spatial Bodily- Intrapersonal Interpersonal
Mathematical Kinesthetic

7 __ 4 __ 2 __ 1 __ 6 __ 26__ 27__
8 __ 5 __ 3 __ 9 __ 13__ 28__ 29__
14__ 12__ 10__ 11__ 15__ 30__
18__ 16__ 20__ 19__ 17__
25__ 21__ 23__ 22__ 24__
__ __ __ __ __ __ __
Total
s:
 Is this you?
Person who Think Love Need
are strongly:
Verbal/ in words reading, writing, telling books, tapes, writing tools paper diaries,
Linguistic stories, playing word dialogues, discussion, debate stories
games, etc.
Logical- by reasoning experimenting, things to explore and think about, science
Mathematical questioning, figuring out materials, manipulatives, trips to the
puzzles, calculating, etc. planetarium and science museum

Visual/Spatial in images and designing, drawing, art, LEGOs, video, movies, slides,
pictures visualizing, doodling, etc. imagination games, mazes, puzzles,
illustrated books, trips to art museums
Bodily- through dancing, running, jumping, role play, drama, movement, things to
Kinesthetic somatic building, touching, build, sports and physical games, tactile
sensations gesturing, etc. experiences, hands-on learning
Musical/ via rhythms singing, whistling, sing-along time, trips to concerts, music
Rhythmic and melodies humming, tapping feet and playing at home and school, musical
hands, listening, etc. instruments
Interpersonal by bouncing leading, organizing, friends, group games, social gatherings,
ideas off other relating, manipulating, community events, clubs,
people mediating, partying, etc. mentors/apprenticeships

Intrapersonal deeply inside setting goals, meditating, being quiet, secret places, time alone,
themselves dreaming, self-paced projects, choices
Why is it important that we understand multiple
intelligences?
Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence

 ability to use words and language. These learners have highly developed
auditory skills and are generally elegant speakers. They think in words
rather than pictures.

 Their skills include:

-listening, speaking, writing, story telling, explaining, teaching, using humor,
understanding the syntax and meaning of words, remembering information,
convincing someone of their point of view, analyzing language usage

 Possible career interests:

-Poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, translator
Logical/Mathematical Intelligence

 ability to use reason, logic and numbers. These learners think

conceptually in logical and numerical patterns making connections
between pieces of information. Always curious about the world
around them, these learner ask lots of questions and like to do
experiments.
 Their skills include:

-problem solving, classifying and categorizing information, working with

abstract concepts to figure out the relationship of each to the other,
handling long chains of reason to make local progressions, doing controlled
experiments, questioning and wondering about natural events, performing
complex mathematical calculations, working with geometric shapes
 Possible career paths:
-Scientists, engineers, computer programmers, researchers, accountants,
mathematicians
Visual/Spatial Intelligence

 ability to perceive the visual. These learners tend to think in pictures

and need to create vivid mental images to retain information. They
enjoy looking at maps, charts, pictures, videos, and movies.
 Their skills include:
-puzzle building, reading, writing, understanding charts and graphs, a good
sense of direction, sketching, painting, creating visual metaphors and
analogies (perhaps through the visual arts), manipulating images,
constructing, fixing, designing practical objects, interpreting visual images.
 Possible career interests:
-navigators, sculptors, visual artists, inventors, architects, interior designers,
mechanics, engineers
Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence

 ability to control body movements and handle objects skillfully.

These learners express themselves through movement. They have
a good sense of balance and eye-hand co-ordination. (e.g. ball
play, balancing beams). Through interacting with the space around
them, they are able to remember and process information.
 Their skills include:
-dancing, physical co-ordination, sports, hands on experimentation, using
body language, crafts, acting, miming, using their hands to create or build,
expressing emotions through the body
 Possible career paths:
-Athletes, physical education teachers, dancers, actors, firefighters,
artisans
 Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence

 ability to produce and appreciate music. These musically inclined

learners think in sounds, rhythms and patterns. They immediately
respond to music either appreciating or criticizing what they hear.
Many of these learners are extremely sensitive to environmental
sounds (e.g. crickets, bells, dripping taps).
 Their skills include:
-singing, whistling, playing musical instruments, recognizing tonal patterns,
composing music, remembering melodies, understanding the structure and
rhythm of music
 Possible career paths:
- musician, disc jockey, singer, composer
Interpersonal Intelligence

 ability to relate and understand others. These learners try to see things
from other people's point of view in order to understand how they think and
feel. They often have an uncanny ability to sense feelings, intentions and
motivations. They are great organizers, although they sometimes resort to
manipulation. Generally they try to maintain peace in group settings and
encourage co-operation. They use both verbal (e.g. speaking) and non-
verbal language (e.g. eye contact, body language) to open communication
channels with others.

 Their skills include:

-seeing things from other perspectives (dual-perspective), listening, using
empathy, understanding other people's moods and feelings, counseling,
co-operating with groups, noticing people's moods, motivations and
intentions, communicating both verbally and non-verbally, building trust,
peaceful conflict resolution, establishing positive relations with other
people.

 Possible Career Paths:

-Counselor, salesperson, politician, business person, coach
Intrapersonal Intelligence

 ability to self-reflect and be aware of one's inner state of being.

These learners try to understand their inner feelings, dreams,
relationships with others, and strengths and weaknesses.
 Their Skills include:
-Recognizing their own strengths and weaknesses, reflecting and
analyzing themselves, awareness of their inner feelings, desires and
dreams, evaluating their thinking patterns, reasoning with
themselves, understanding their role in relationship to others
 Possible Career Paths:
-Researchers, theorists, philosophers
Naturalist Intelligence

 How we relate to our surroundings and where we fit into it. These
learners enjoy gardening, scenic places, and having pets.
Conscious of changes in weather and like to camp, hike and fish.
 Their skills include:
 ability to recognize and categorize plants, animals and other
objects in nature
 gifted at nurturing and growing things
 Interacting and caring for animals
 Possible careers
 conservationist, farmer, zookeeper, animal trainer, veterinarian
Existential Intelligence

 Sensitivity and capacity to tackle deep questions about human

existence, such as the meaning of life, why do we die, and how did
we get here.
 Their skills include:
Reflective and deep thinking, design abstract theories
 Possible careers
 Scientist, philosopher, theologian