Howard Gardner

Running Head: HOWARD GARDNERS THEORY OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

Reflective Essay on Howard Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Caroline OBannon ETC 547 Fall 2001 Dr.Becky Willis Northern Arizona University

Howard Gardner Abstract

This is a reflective essay on Howard Gardners theory of multiple intelligences, commonly known as MI. This theory, first introduced in the early 80s, was not intended to spark

educational reform. However that has been the case as many schools have integrated the principals of this theory into teaching practices and hundreds of books have been written on the subject. In this essay, the Theory of Multiple Intelligences will be explored as well as its Additionally, the influence of Gardners theory on teaching

originator, Howard Gardner.

practices and my own points of agreement and disagreement with Gardners views will be presented.

Howard Gardner Reflective Essay on Howard Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences

The purpose of this paper is three-fold. First, it is to explore the theory and the developer of multiple intelligences. Second, to become acquainted with the effects this theory has had on teaching practices. The third purpose is to express my own points of agreement and disagreement with this theory. The Theorist Howard Gardner is a Professor of Education at Harvard University where he has received all of his post-secondary education. He is trained both as a developmental and neuropsychologist. Gardner has authored numerous books and articles in professional journals, most notably the theory of multiple intelligences. The theory came about as a fusion of his cognitive capacities research with normal and gifted children and with adults with brain damage. Since the release of his book he began teaching in the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has become actively involved in school reform, and in developing means of performance-based assessments in relation to the multiple intelligences and improving curriculum and instruction (Harvard Project Zero: Howard Gardner, 2001). Intelligence Defined A girl of twelve is given a set of paints, a brush, and a canvas and very accurately replicates Van Goghs A Starry Night. This same young girl, however, is considered mentally retarded according to intelligence and other standardized tests. Another child, who is only six, can quickly solve mathematical problems that most children twice his age struggle to unravel. Both of these children exhibit different types of intelligence. The girl exhibits Spatial Intelligence and the boy Logical-Mathematical according to Howard Gardners theory of

Howard Gardner multiple intelligences that was first introduced in his book, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences in 1983. Before looking specifically at Gardners theory, the meaning of intelligence needs to be established. What then is intelligence? Gardner defines an intelligence as, the ability to solve problems, or to create products, that are valued within one or more cultural settings (Gardner, 1993, p. x). He strongly rejects the belief held by many that intelligence is something that you have from the beginning and it is a set amount, a ratable quantity and quality that can be judged

and measured by means of standardized tests. Instead, he offers a set of eight criteria with which he has identified seven and, most recently, the eighth intelligence that makes up his theory. Eight Criteria of an Intelligence IQ tests, such as those created by Binet and Simon at the beginning of the twentieth century, were not used to identify the intelligences that encompass Gardners theory. In its place are eight criteria created from findings gathered from studies of many different types of people as well as from biological and various psychological findings. Gardner precedes the introduction of these criteria with a cautionary note by saying, once and for all, that there is not, and there never can be, a single irrefutable and universally accepted list of intelligences(Gardner, p. 60). These criteria, as written by Walter McKenzie (McKenzie, 1999) are: Isolation as a Brain Function - as medicine studies isolated brain functions through cases of brain injury and degenerative disease, we are able to identify actual physiological locations for specific brain functions. A true intelligence will have its function identified in a specific location in the human brain Prodigies, Idiot Savantes and Exceptional Individuals - human record of genius such as Mozart being able to perform on the piano at the age of four and Dustin Hoffman's "Rainman" character being able to calculate dates accurately down to the day of the week indicate that there are specific human abilities which can demonstrate themselves to high

Howard Gardner degrees in unique cases. Highly developed examples of a true intelligence are recorded in rare occurrences. Set of Core Operations - there is an identifiable set of procedures and practices which are unique to each true intelligence.

Developmental History with an Expert End Performance - as clinical psychologists continue to study the developmental stages of human growth and learning, a clear pattern of developmental history is being documented of the human mind. A true intelligence has an identifiable set of stages of growth with a Mastery Level which exists as an end state in human development. We can see examples of people who have reached the Mastery level for each intelligence. Evolutionary History - as cultural anthropologists continue to study the history of human evolution, there is adequate evidence that our species has developed intelligence over time through human experience. A true intelligence can have its development traced through the evolution of homo sapiens. Supported Psychological Tasks - clinical psychologists can identify sets of tasks for different domains of human behavior. A true intelligence can be identified by specific tasks which can be carried out, observed and measured. Supported Psychometric Tasks - the use of psychometric instruments to measure intelligence (such as I.Q. tests) have traditionally been used to measure only specific types of ability. However, these tests can be designed and used to identify and quantify true unique intelligences. The Multiple Intelligence theory does not reject psychometric testing for specific scientific study. Encoded into a Symbol System - humans have developed many kinds of symbol systems over time for varied disciplines. A true intelligence has its own set of images it uses which are unique to itself and are important in completing its identified set of tasks. The Multiple Intelligences Explored

Gardner originally identified seven intelligences and has recently added an eighth that has met his criteria. These intelligences are musical, logical-mathematical, linguistic, spatial, bodily intrapersonal, interpersonal, and naturalist. According to the theory, everyone possesses all of these intelligences: however, the extent to which each is developed in an individual varies from person to person.

Howard Gardner

Musical Intelligence Those who have a finely developed musical intelligence have a strong sense of musical rhythm, pitch, and have the ability to easily remember, replicate, and originate musical patterns. This type of person receives great enjoyment from music and their learning is greatly facilitated whenever music or rhythm is involved. Students who have the tendency to tap out rhythms on their desk could have a high musical intelligence. Examples of careers for this intelligence are singers, composers, and directors. Logical-Mathematical Intelligence Scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and computer programmers are careers that lend themselves to this intelligence. This intelligence is characterized by a developed ability to work with and make sense of patterns and complex calculations. A person who favors this intelligence enjoys scientific experimentation, making connections between given information, and usually asks many questions. Linguistic Intelligence According to the Cook Primary School website, Linguistic intelligence is the ability to use language to excite, please, convince, stimulate or convey information (Perry, 1996). A poet is a sublime example of a person who favors this intelligence. A very good command of vocabulary, the function of language and grammar are but a few signposts of this intelligence. Spatial Intelligence Artists, designers in many areas, architects, navigators, and photographers, among other careers where an eye for images, shapes, details, colors, and textures is needed fall into this

Howard Gardner intelligence category. Students who have the tendency to sketch or doodle on their papers (or desk) may be demonstrating this intelligence. Bodily Intelligence

Everyone shares this intelligence. At its most basic level, it is seen in a child working on their fine and gross motor skills and at its ultimate level, in a professional athlete such as Micheal Jordan, soaring gracefully in the air to dunk the ball or a ballerina dancing her way across the stage. Students who exhibit an affinity for sports, excellent hand-eye coordination, an enjoyment from creating with their hands craft, art and model items exhibit this intelligence. Intrapersonal Intelligence Intrapersonal intelligence is the ability to gain access to understand one's inner feelings, dreams and ideas (Perry, 1996). This particular intelligence is difficult to evaluate in students. Some traits of this intelligence can be found in students who have clear goals, a good sense of self and who are aware of their own strengths and weaknesses. Careers matches for this intelligence are philosophers, counselors, psychologists, theorists, and writers to name a few. Interpersonal Intelligence Where intrapersonal focuses on self-introspection, interpersonal intelligence focuses on the ability to relate with others. An aspect of this is the ability to understand the feelings, thoughts, and opinions of others in order to create a favorable atmosphere for working and problem solving. Students who demonstrate this intelligence are typically very social, they have well-developed verbal and non-verbal communication skills, and they can use these skills to manipulate others. This intelligence is found in careers like politicians, teachers, counselors, salespeople, clergy, and tour guides. Naturalist Intelligence

Howard Gardner The latest intelligence to be identified is the naturalist intelligence. This intelligence is, directly related to our ability to our recognition, appreciation, and understanding of the natural world around us (Lazear). From people who adore gardening and can name every flower in their yard to a biologist who has a mastery of taxonomy are those who exhibit this intelligence. Influences of Theory on Teaching Practices Although the aim of the publication of Frames of Mind was not to begin a wave of change in teaching methods, the book has exerted considerable influence in educational

quarters (Gardner, p. ix). Teaching practices have changed in the respect that in lieu of students performing only written and oral activities to master objectives, more diverse methods are now favored to address the intelligences, which in the past, have been neglected. The use of learning centers, one for each of the original seven intelligences, is one process by which the theory has been incorporated into teaching practices (Campbell, 1990). Bruce Campbell, a teacher and consultant on teaching through the multiple intelligences, conducted a study with his students to determine the effects of the use of MI. His students were practicing content through the use of these centers. His research findings indicated increased multimodal skills, improved attitudes and behavior (Campbell, 1990) in his students and that he discovered a change in how he began to view his students as well. Campbell is one of many who preach and practice the theory. This becomes abundantly clear when searches on the Internet produce well over twenty-three thousand hits. Not only are websites dedicated to it, schools, such as The Gardner School in Washington, have based their whole philosophy of teaching on it, and there have been numerous books published on the subject of incorporating multiple intelligences into classroom practices.

Howard Gardner One last area of influence has been on how student performance in the classroom is

assessed. The paper and pencil tests, which limit the potential for success for those intelligences that do not perform well on these types of assessments, are encouraged to be put aside in favor of assessments such as portfolio building that would allow for a student to demonstrate in a way that suited them best, their mastery of the objectives. Personal Reflections On MI Theory While in college and taking my foreign language methods classes, I was taught to utilize as many different types of activities and assessments as possible. These ideas were stressed so that the different learning styles of students could be accommodated and to encourage students to use their foreign language skills in various ways. Although this is not the same as the MI theory, I found many similarities between it, what I was taught, and how I teach. This theory is far more expansive in nature but I do agree that students are smart in different ways. Not everyone is linguistically smart and as a teacher it is my responsibility to find ways for those, as an example, logical-mathematical students to show me what they know in their own way. Although this has not been possible in every situation, I address many of these intelligences by using learning centers. My own centers do not cater to each intelligence, rather they each have their own purpose, and students develop preferences for their favorites. Usually these preferences are aligned with their own personal learning styles and intelligences and they typically perform better when they do work at their favorite station. Gardners theory is very interesting and I do agree that people are all kinds of smart. In going through the eight intelligences, I found that I overlapped in many of the categories but I could not exclude myself totally from any of them which for me verified what Gardner says about that everyone has all of these intelligences, some being more developed than others and that they work together.

Howard Gardner The weakest part of the MI theory, which leads me to my point of disagreement, is the

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lack of proof that by teaching to the multiple intelligences a real gain in student achievement will be realized. I was very surprised and a bit dismayed to see that many schools have based their practices on MI without proven research. The field of education is ever-evolving and trends will come and go, which leads me to wonder if educators are not always riding one wave while waiting for the next big one to come their way. Conclusion Although I never performed well in my math classes, I tend to believe in research if it is done well. In this case, even though I believe the theory has great merit and could very well facilitate learning for those students with intelligences that have been overlooked, the verdict is still pending due to insufficient evidence. In writing this paper, I have become more aware of the intelligences and how learners best learn through each of them. Many people and Howard Gardner have written hundreds of books about MI since the release of Frames of Mind and Gardner continues with his research through Project Zero. I will continue my own research to keep informed about any new developments concerning MI. Furthermore, as a teacher, I will strive to consider the multiple intelligences of all my students.

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Howard Gardner References Campbell, Bruce. (1990). The Research Results of a Multiple Intelligences Classroom. On The Beam. Vol.XI No.1 Fall, 1990 p. 7 :254. Retrieved October 23, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.newhorizons.org/art_mireserch.html Gardner, Howard. (1993). Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences (10th Anniversary Edition). NY: Basic Books. (Original work published 1983). Harvard Project Zero. (2001). Howard Gardner. Retrieved October 22, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://pzweb.harvard.edu/PIs/HG.htm Lazear, David G.(n.d.). Naturalist Intelligence. Retrieved October 24, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.multi-intell.com/

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McKenzie, Walter. (1999). Gardners Eight Criteria for Identifying an Intelligence. Retrieved October 22, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://surfaquarium.com/micrit.htm Perry, Judy. (1996). The Multiple Intelligences Theory. Retrieved October 22, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.cookps.act.edu.au/mi.htm

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