CHILDREN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
Multiple Intelligence
Written by:
1. Yudi Prabowo
(11002024)
2. Dwi Susanto
(11002033)
3. Dwi Yanuarti
(11002030)
4. Rohmad Firmansyah
(11002005)
The English Language Education Program
Faculty of Teacher Training and Education
Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa University
2014
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A. Introduction
Children language acquisition is the process by which human acquire the capacity to
produce and comprehend language. This paper deals with the approach used in by teacher in
teaching children to acquire their foreign language. The approach discussed in this paper is
multiple intelligences.
Multiple intelligences refers to a learner-based philosophy that characterizes human
intelligence as having multiple dimensions that must be acknowledge and developed in
education. Howard Gardner argues that all children are intelligent, he mentions that there are
eight native intelligences namely linguistic, logical/mathematical, spatial, musical,
bodily/kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. For more in-depth explanation
of eight types of intelligences above, it will be explain in the discussion section.
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B. Discussion
1. Definition
Multiple intelligence or (MI) refers to a learner –based philosophy that characterizes
human intelligence as having multiple dimension that must be acknowledged and developed
in education.
Based on the Gardner there are eight intelligences that described as follows:
1. Linguistic
2. Logical/Mathematical
3. Spatial
4. Musical
5. Bodily/Kinesthetic
6. Interpersonal
7. Intrapersonal
8. Naturalist
In the correlation with the young learners, Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory is a
very useful model for developing a systematic approach to nurturing and teaching children
and honoring their individual needs and strengths within a classroom setting.
The theory of Multiple Intelligences includes the notion that each child is smart in all
eight types of intelligence. Every child is smart in varying degrees of expertise in each of the
intelligences, stronger in some ways and less developed in others. However, the teachers in
teaching using this approach have to understand that they cannot teach those eight
intelligences in one meeting. According to Gardner, “Successful education does not require
covering everything ‘from Plato to Nato.’ In fact, the greatest enemy of understanding is
coverage. If we try to cover everything, by the end of the day people will have learned very
little and will have understood nothing. As a teacher, ask yourself, ‘If I had one hour (per
semester) to teach students, what would I teach them?’”
To know more about the eight intelligences, let’s discuss them. Here they are the
explanation of the eight intelligences:
1. Linguistic
This type of intelligence deals with words, spoken or written. Children with
potentially strong linguistic intelligence display a facility with words and languages. They are
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typically good at reading, writing, telling stories and memorizing words along with dates.
They tend to learn best by reading, taking notes, listening to lectures, spoken activities.
Learning Activities:
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Completing crossword puzzles with vocabulary words.
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Playing games like Scrabble, Scrabble Junior, or Boggle.
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Listening to a storyteller.
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Telling a story to the class.
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Memorizing
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Worksheet
2. Logical-mathematical
This theory has deals with logic, abstraction, reasoning, and numbers. While it is
often assumed that those with this intelligence naturally good at mathematics, and logical or
numerical activities. It correlates strongly with traditional concepts of “intelligence” or IQ.
Learning Activities:
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Playing math games like dominoes, chess, checkers, and Monopoly.
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Calculations
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Story problem
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Logic problem and puzzle
3. Bodily/kinesthetic
In theory, children who have bodily kinesthetic intelligence should learn better by
involving muscular movement such as getting up and moving around into the learning
experience, and are generally good at physical activities such as sports or dance. They may
enjoy acting or performing, and in general they are good at building and making things. They
often learn best by doing something physically, rather than reading or hearing about it.
Learning Activities:
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Creating costumes for role-playing, skits, or simulations.
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Performing skits or acting out scenes from books or key historical events.
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Playing games like Twister and Simon Says.
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Field trip
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Building objects using blocks, cubes, or Legos to represent concepts from contentarea lessons.
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Dancing
4. Musical
This intelligence deals with rhythm, music, and earring. Those who have a strong
level of musical-rhythmic intelligence display greater sensitivity to sounds, rhythms, tones,
and music. They normally have good pitch and may even have absolute pitch, and are able to
sing, play musical instruments, and compose music. Language skills are typically strongly
developed in those whose base intelligence is musical. In addition, children who have
musical intelligence will sometimes use songs or rhythms to learn and memorize information.
Learning Activities:
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Writing their own songs and music about content-area topics.
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Listening to music from different historical periods.
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Listening to CDs that teach concepts like the alphabet, parts of speech, and states and
capitals
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Playing live music (piano, guitar)
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Singing
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Student made instruments
5. Interpersonal
This intelligence deals with interaction with others. Children who have strong
interpersonal intelligence tend to be extrovert, characterized their sensitivity to others’ moods,
feelings, temperaments and motivations, and their ability to cooperate in order to work as part
of a group. They communicate effectively and emphatic easily with others, typically learn
best by working with others.
Learning Activities:
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Working in cooperative groups to complete projects.
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Working in pairs.
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Tutoring younger students or classmates.
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Using puppets to put on a puppet show.
6. Intrapersonal
These learners tend to shy away from others. They're in tune with their inner feelings;
they have wisdom, intuition and motivation, as well as a strong will, confidence and opinions.
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They can be taught through independent study and introspection. Tools include books,
creative materials, diaries, privacy and time. They are the most independent of the learners.
Learning Activities:
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Independent study work
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individual homework
7. Spatial/Visual
This intelligence deals with visualizing things. A person who has spatial intelligence
has sensitivity with form, color, shape, space and line. Children with strong visual
intelligence process information best using visuals stimulus.
Learning Activities:
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Using clay or play dough to make objects or represent concepts from content-area
lessons.
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Using puppets to act out and reinforce concepts learned in class.
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Student drawing.
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Art and other picture.
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Videos, slides, movies.
8. Naturalist
This intelligence deals with the natural world by recognizing, classifying, categorizing
species found in nature such as plants, animals, and minerals.
Learning Activities:
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Caring for classroom plants.
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Sorting and classifying natural objects, such as leaves and rocks.
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Researching animal habitats.
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Observing natural surroundings.
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Organizing or participating in park/playground clean-ups, recycling drives, and
beautification projects.
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Observing natural phenomenon
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Smelling, seeing, touching, and testing.
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Teachers’ and students’ role
The role of the Teachers in MI is the teachers become curriculum developers, lesson
designers and analysts, activity finders or inventors, and, most critically, orchestrators of a
rich array of multisensory activities within the realistic constraints of time, space, and
resources of the classroom.
The role of the Student is students are active learners; they use their particular
intelligences to gain knowledge, or experiment with each until they find to appropriate ones
for them.
C. Conclusion
Multiple intelligence or (MI) refers to a learner –based philosophy that characterizes
human intelligence as having multiple dimension that must be acknowledged and developed
in education. In multiple intelligence there are eight kind of intelligences according to Garner.
They
are
Linguistic,
Logical/Mathematical,
Spatial,
Musical,
Bodily/Kinesthetic,
Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, and Naturalist. In every child has his/her strong own
intelligences form those eight intelligences that may be vary from one and other. There are
many activities that can be done using this approach in order to help children in acquiring the
target language.
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Reference
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Richard, Jack C. (2001). Approach and Methods in Language Teaching. New York:
Cambridge
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http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/clip-save-checklist-learning-activities-connectmultiple-intelligences
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