Multiple Intelligences
Howard Gardner
Adjunct Professor of Psychology
at Harvard
University and Senior Director of
Harvard Project Zero
Howard Gardner
Recipient of the MacArthur Prize Fellowship in
1981
1990 was the first American to receive the
University of Louisville’s Grawemeyer Award in
Education
In 2000 received a Fellowship from the John S.
Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
He has received honorary degrees from twentyone colleges and universities, including institutions
in Ireland, Italy and Israel
In 2004 he was named an Honorary Professor
at East China Normal University in Shanghai
In 2005 he was selected by Foreign Policy and
Prospect
magazines as one of 100 most influential public
intellectuals in the world.
What is Multiple Intelligence?
But he is best known in educational circles
for his theory of multiple intelligences
MI is basically the idea that there is more
than just one type of intelligence
In fact he contends that there are actually
seven to ten main types of intelligence
Historically speaking….
It has been assumed that people
possess two kinds of intelligence:
mathematical and verbal.
As a results education and curriculum
has been fashioned around this idea
Gardner realized that there had to be
much more to what people knew
about the world than just their
knowledge of numbers and words.
Varied Human Abiltiies
With so many talented people out
there in fields other than science and
literature, he believed other kinds of
knowledge had to exist.
The multiple intelligences theory
helped to explain the varied nature of
human ability.
Project Zero
So Gardner (1983) developed his theory
after working with Jerome Bruner on the
nature of human cognition and through his
work at Harvard’s Project Zero
Gardner saw the importance of traditional
standards of math and language in
intellect, so the first two categories were
Logical-Mathematical Intelligence --the
ability to think logically and find patterns;
and Linguistic Intelligence: the mastery of
language (Brualdi, 1996; Gardner, 1983).
Logical-Math & Linguistic
People who are high in logical
intelligence are great problem solvers
and include engineers,
mathematicians, and scientists.
People who are high in linguistic
intelligence have a firm grasp on the
intricacies of written and spoken
word, which includes writers and
public speakers.
Artistic and Bodily-Kinesthetic
Gardner added more:
Musical Intelligence: skill in
creating and recognizing music
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence:
using your body to solve
problems; and Spatial
Intelligence: ability to recreate the
visual world
Final Categories
Interpersonal Intelligence, or
the capacity to understand
feelings of other people
Intrapersonal Intelligence, or
the ability to understand your
own feelings
Emotional Intelligence
Inter and intra intelligences address
how some people are extremely
capable in dealing with sensitive
personal issues within themselves
and with others.
Social workers, teachers, and
psychologists would probably
measure high on these categories
Newer Intelligences
Other intelligences that have been
considered:
Naturalist Intelligence, or the capability to
work with and understand certain features
of your environment
*Existential Intelligence, or the knowledge
for spiritual and divine issues
*Moral Intelligence, or the concern with
the rules, behaviors and attitudes that
govern the sanctity of life (Smith, 2002)
**The last two are not as solid as the others and are still under
investigation..
Gardner’s Affects on School
Gardner's theory changed educational
practices in a large number of school
districts.
Little has been mentioned, however, about
how his teachings can be appropriately
implemented
Some people question its educational
value.
Others wonder if the intelligences that he
describes are actually just skills or talents
and not separate content areas of
knowledge (Neisser, 1996)
Still in use and considered valid
Despite critics who question its use,
the continued success of multiple
intelligences in a variety of settings
attests to its value.
Seven Types
1. Linguistic
Children with this kind of intelligence enjoy writing,
reading, telling stories or doing crossword puzzles.
2. Logical-Mathematical
Children with lots of logical intelligence are interested in
patterns, categories and relationships. They are drawn to
arithmetic problems, strategy games and experiments.
3. Bodily-Kinesthetic
These kids process knowledge through bodily
sensations. They are often athletic, dancers or good at
crafts such as sewing or woodworking.
4. Spatial
These children think in images and pictures. They may
be fascinated with mazes or jigsaw puzzles, or spend
free time drawing, building with Leggos or daydreaming.
(text from Bill Allen)
5. Musical
Musical children are always singing or drumming to
themselves. They are usually quite aware of sounds
others may miss. These kids are often discriminating
listeners.
6. Interpersonal
Children who are leaders among their peers, who are
good at communicating and who seem to understand
others' feelings and motives possess interpersonal
intelligence.
7. Intrapersonal
These children may be shy. They are very aware of their
own feelings and are self-motivated.
(text from Bill Allen)
What does this mean to you?
To learn effectively, you need to know
how you learn
This ability is much more than a
college skill
Being a learner for life, means that
you can keep pace with the rapid
pace of change
The Human Brain
Your mind is the most powerful tool
you will ever possess
When you have problems, however,
you may convince yourself you are
flawed
Every individual is highly developed in
some areas and flawed in others
Famous examples
Winston Churchill failed sixth grade
Abraham Lincoln was demoted to a
private in the war
Louis Pasteur was a poor student in
chemistry
Walt Disney was fired and told he had
no good ideas
*What some considered deficiencies
may have just been differences in
learning preference
Utilizing Learning Preference
There is no best way to learn
If you know your strengths and
limitations, you can develop
techniques
For instance, if you know you do
better with small, group discussion,
you might choose a prof that uses this
style of teaching
Other Strategies
If you know you are more verbal and
end up in a logical-math class
You can increase your focus and
concentration in class
You can spend extra study time on
material (go to the IC for help!)
You can ask for help from peers
You can look for supplemental
materials to help you
Career Benefits
Your learning style is basically your
working style
You will perform at the top of your
ability if you work at a job you like
You will open your choices and
opportunities
The more aware you are of your
learning abilities, the better you work
in teams
Overall….
Self-Perception is Important
Feeling inadequate from time to time
is normal
But it is important to see yourself in a
broad capacity, not limited by
immediate circumstances or others
view of you
Negative self-perception can be selffulfilling
Fight Negative Images
Believe in yourself –otherwise others may
not either
Talk to other people whom you trust-people
who know you well, can remind you of your
positives
Take personal time if needed—stress
warps perspective, so sometimes time is
needed to recollect yourself
Look at all of the evidence –Remember to
look at all of your good points along with
occasional stumbling blocks.
Let’s Figure it out!
What’s your learning style?