When designing an educational experience, Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory can be employed by making a conscious effort to include activities that incorporate various abilities or "ways of knowing". Traditionally, instuctional methods tend to favor verbal-linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences, and don't focus on the arts, self-awareness, communication and physical education. By employing roleplaying, musical performance, cooperative learning, reflection, visualization, story telling, etc. as well as assessment methods that account for the diversity of intelligences, the learning experience can be richer for all students.
| Type of Learner |
Likes to |
Is Good At |
Is Best At |
Verbal/
Linguistic
-- the ability to use words and language
Word Player |
Read
Write
Tell Stories |
Memorizing
Names,
places, trivia, dates |
Saying, hearing and seeing words |
Logical/
Mathematical
--The capacity for inductive and deductive thinking and reasoning, as well as the use of numbers and the recognition of abstract patterns
Questioner |
Experiments
Works with numbers
Explores patterns |
Math, logic, reasoning,
& problem
solving |
Categorizing, classifying, & working with abstract patterns |
Visual/Spatial
--the ability to visualize objects and spatial dimensions and create internal images and pictures
Visualizer |
Draw, build, design
Create
Watch Movies
Play with machines |
Imagination
Sensing Changes
Mazes & Puzzles
Map reading |
Visualizing
Dreaming
Working with pictures |
Musical/Rhythmic
--The ability to recognize tonal patterns and sounds, as well as a sensitivity to rhythms and beats
Music Lover |
Sing, hum
Play instruments
Listen to music
Respond to music |
Picking up sounds
Noticing rhythms
Keeping time
Melodies |
Rhythm
Melody
Music |
Body/Kinesthetic
--The wisdom of the body and the ability to control physical motion
Mover |
Move around
Touch and talk
Use body language |
Physical activities |
Moving
around
Interacting
with space
Touching |
Interpersonal
--The capacity for person-to-person communications and relationships
Socializer |
Lots of friends
Talk to people
Join groups |
Understanding people
Leading others
Organizing
Communicating |
Sharing
Comparing
Cooperating
Interviewing |
Intrapersonal
--The spiritual, inner states of being, self-reflection, and awareness
Individual |
Work along
Pursue own interests |
Understanding self
Following instincts
Originality
Pursuing goals |
Working
alone
Self-paced instruction
Individual projects
Having
own space |
