April

2
4 ARTICLE
HEALTH PROMOTION PRACTICE / MONTH YEAR

Tools of the Trade

MIT: “Multiple Intelligences Tips”

for Tailored Teaching
Karen Denard Goldman, PhD, CHES
Kathleen Jahn Schmalz, RN, EdD, CHES

> SEVEN TYPES OF SMART

I
magine you’re giving a presenta- theory of multiple intelligences (MI)
tion and in spite of how knowl- challenges traditional ideas about AUTHOR: OR EIGHT?
edgeable, clever, and creative what it is to be smart. Our culture, he
you are, everyone does not under- insisted, focuses too much on verbal
1. Linguistic Intelligence
stand what you’re talking about. As and logical thinking—the abilities
educators, we know that communi- typically assessed on an intelligence The intelligence of words; the
cation problems lie within either test—at the expense of other ways of intelligence of the journalist, story-
the message, the receiver, the envi- knowing. In fact, Gardner claimed, teller, poet, and lawyer.
ronment, and/or the sender. A rela- “people have all of these intelli- People who are particularly smart
tively new consideration is that we, gences” to different degrees, and we in this area can argue, persuade,
the senders, may be using presenta- can develop all of them to reasonable entertain, or instruct effectively
tion methods that are not consistent levels of mastery. However, Gardner through the spoken word. They love
with our audience’s intelligence is very clear that a type of intelli- to play around with the sounds of
types. gence is not the same as a learning language through puns, word games,
Intelligence has been defined by style: “MI claims that we respond, and tongue twisters. Sometimes
Armstrong (1993) as “the ability to individually, in different ways to they’re also trivia experts because of
respond successfully to new situa- different kinds of content, such as their ability to retain facts. Or, alter-
tions and the capacity to learn from language or music or other people. natively, they’re masters of literacy.
one’s past experiences.” Therefore, This is very different from the notion They read voraciously, write clearly,
the most intelligent person to call on of learning style.” and can gain meaning in other ways
to solve a problem depends on who As you read this tool, think about from the medium of print.
has the intelligence that matches the the degree to which you possess
situation. If your car breaks down on each of the intelligence types and
2. Logical-Mathematical
the highway, do you want someone how that might be influencing/
Intelligence
with a Ph.D. from a major university limiting your choice of teaching
or a car mechanic with a junior high methods. Then think about the fact The intelligence of numbers and
school education? “Intelligence,” that your audience will always in- logic; the intelligence of the scien-
said Armstrong, “depends on the clude people with different degrees tist, accountant, and computer pro-
context, the tasks, and the demands of each of these types of intelli- grammer.
that life presents to us and not on an gence. Think about the value of learn- Traits of the logical-mathematically
IQ score, a college degree, or a presti- ing to recognize MI and the advan- inclined individual include the abil-
gious reputation.” tages of teaching with them in ity to reason, sequence, think in
Developed by Harvard University mind. terms of cause and effect, create
psychologist Howard Gardner, the We can’t cover every teaching hypotheses, look for conceptual reg-
method available, but this tool is a ularities or numerical patterns, and
start! For more information, you’ll enjoy a generally rational outlook on
Keywords: intelligence, teaching,
want to read books such as 7 Kinds of life.
learning
Smart and Teaching & Learning
Health Promotion Practice Through Multiple Intelligences
3. Spatial Intelligence
April 2003 Vol. 4, No. 2, 87-90 (Campbell, Campbell, & Dickinson,
DOI: 10.1177/1524839902250747 1998), which explains each method Involves thinking in pictures and
©2003 Society for Public Health Education described. images and the ability to perceive,

87

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transform, and re-create different
aspects of the visual-spatial world.
ate and socially responsible, or
manipulative and cunning, but they
> TEACHING METHODS
FOR DIFFERENT
It’s the playground of architects, all have the ability to get inside the INTELLIGENCES
photographers, artists, pilots, and skin of another person and view the
Health educators can help make
mechanical engineers. world from that individual’s per-
it possible for the human mind to
Highly spatial individuals often spective. As such, they make won-
flour- ish by creating programs that
have an acute sensitivity to visual derful networkers, negotiators, and
use multiple educational methods
details and can visualize vividly, teachers.
to address audiences’ multiple in-
draw or sketch their ideas graphi-
telligences.
cally, and orient themselves in
7. Intrapersonal Intelligence
three-dimensional space with ease.
or Intelligence of the
1. Verbal-Linguistic Learners
Inner-Self
4. Musical Intelligence Verbal-linguistic learners respond
People strong in this kind of smart
when the teacher and/or learners are
Includes the capacity to perceive, can easily access their own feelings,
involved in the following activities.
appreciate, and produce rhythms discriminate among many different
and melodies. kinds of inner emotional states, and
• Speaking and listening activities
Resides in the mind of any indi- use their self-understanding to such as storytelling, interviews,
vidual who has a good ear, can sing enrich and guide their lives. reading aloud (poetry, articles, sto-
in tune, keep time to music, and lis- They are often counselors, theolo- ries, plays), group discussions, reci-
ten to different musical selections gians, and self-employed business tations, audiotapes of readings.
with some degree of discernment. people; can be very introspective • Group discussions including buzz
and enjoy meditation, contempla- groups; think, pair, share; fishbowls.
tion, or other forms of deep soul- • Writing activities such as scripts,
5. Bodily-Kinesthetic slogans, petitions, imaginary dia-
searching. On the other hand they
Intelligence ries, directions, excerpts from one’s
might be fiercely independent,
own experience, writing from
The intelligence of the physical highly goal directed, and intensely
another perspective, songs, graffiti
self. Includes talent in controlling self-disciplined. They prefer to walls, bulletin boards, labels and
one’s body movements and also in work on their own rather than with captions, advertisements, newslet-
handling objects skillfully. others. ters or newsletter articles, poems,
Body-smart individuals can be brochures, posters, checklists, edi-
skilled at sewing, carpentry, or torial essays.
8. Naturalist Intelligence
model-building, or they may enjoy
physical pursuits like hiking, danc- The ability to recognize and clas-
2. Logical-Mathematical
ing, jogging, camping, swimming, or sify plants, minerals, and animals,
Learners
boating. They are hands-on people including rocks and grass and all
who have good tactile sensitivity, variety of flora and fauna. The ability Logical-Mathematical learners re-
need to move their bodies fre- to recognize cultural artifacts like spond when educators teach in the
quently, and get “gut reactions” to cars or sneakers may also depend on following ways.
things. the naturalist intelligence.
These people have the capacity to • Ask learners questions that call on
classify nature and to master taxon- them to recall, compare, identify
6. Interpersonal attributes and components, classify,
omy, understand about different
Intelligence order or rank, identify relationships
species, recognize patterns in
and patterns, identify main ideas, iden-
The ability to understand and nature, and classify objects.
tify errors, infer, predict, elaborate
work with other people. Requires a The trait is evidenced, for exam- on, summarize, establish criteria,
capacity to perceive and be respon- ple, in children aged 3 or 4 who and/or verify or prove something.
sive to the moods, temperaments, can recognize dinosaurs better than • Pose open-ended problems to be
intentions, and desires of others. their parents and accounts for the solved.
An interpersonally intelligent achievements of great biologists, for • Construct models of key concepts
individual may be very compassion- example. and then have learners demonstrate

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 Tools of the Trade

their understanding using concrete • Exercise breaks: quick energizers, • The visual arts: blending visual and
objects. exercise. language arts, integrating art and
• Help learners predict and verify log- numbers.
ical outcomes; use the scientific
method. 4. Visual-Spacial Learners
• Ask learners to discern patterns and 5. Musical Intelligence
People with high visual-spatial Learners
connections.
intelligence respond to the following
• Ask learners to justify their state-
Learners with well-developed mu-
ments or opinions. types of activities.
• Offer authentic learning experi- sical intelligence learn well when
ences; provide learners with oppor- • The use of visual tools, display educational methods include the fol-
tunities for observation and investi- areas, peripheral stimuli, changing lowing activities.
gation. perspective by rotating seating, ap-
• Connect mathematical concepts or propriate and consistent non-verbal • Making up or singing songs about
processes to behavior change. communication by educator. the content area using songs familiar
• Have learners sequence or put behav- • Pictorial representations to repre- to the learner.
ior change steps in logical order. sent information graphically: charts, • Playing appropriate music before,
• Exercise learners’ deductive and diagrams, photographs, flow charts, during, or after presentations to cre-
inductive logic; use syllogisms, Venn visual outlines. ate or maintain a pleasant atmo-
Diagrams, and analogies. • Visual note-taking and brainstorm- sphere and help learners warm up,
• Ask learners to do calculations, ing tools: concept mapping (rank relax, rejuvenate or reinvigorate,
make a graph, describe behavior pat- ordering key concepts on a topic), and/or focus, and to ease transitions
terns, or decipher some sort of code. mind mapping (non-linear global between program segments.
• Use stimulating games and activ- map with tree-like branches of infor- • Asking learners to identify and sing
ities. mation reflecting key concepts and or recite the words of songs that
relationships), clustering (brain- emphasize or contradict the mes-
storming with arrows connecting sage or theme of the presentation.
3. Kinesthetically ideas), mindscaping (note-taking
Intelligent People using pictures).
• Visualization: visual memory tech- 6. Interpersonal
Kinesthetically intelligent people niques, guided imagery. Intelligence
learn through involvement in the • Visual variety in teaching aids: Learners
following activities. highlighting with color, uses of
varying shapes, visual accompani- Individual with strong interper-
• Drama: formal theatre, role-play, ment for lectures, and discussions sonal intelligence respond well to
creative dramatics, simulations. or readings. the following types of activities.
• Creative movement: activities that re- • Board and card games.
quire getting in touch with one’s body • Architecture, design and creative • Collaborative learning experiences.
(bodily-knowing), creative movement problem solving through the built, • Cooperative learning activities: co-
activities, content-specific movement natural and cultural environment. operative out-loud problem solving;
activities.
• Dance: telling a story through dance
sequences. The Authors
• Manipulative activities such as task
cards (cards cut into two in jigsaw Karen Denard Goldman, PhD, CHES, is a health education
puzzle manner with matching con- and social marketing consultant and an adjunct associate
tent written on each piece, mixed professor of health studies at New York University.
with other card pieces and distrib-
uted among learners for matching;
flash cards), task card puzzles (indi-
vidual pieces distributed and assem-
Kathleen Jahn Schmalz, RN, EdD, CHES, is an associate
bled by learners to create picture re-
professor and associate chair of the Health & Human Ser-
flecting major theme), model making.
vices Department, Health Education Program, at the Col-
• Games: scavenger hunts, floor
lege of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, New York.
games (card sorts, flow chart build-
ing), physical response games,
review games.

Goldman, Schmalz / MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES TIPS 89

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 cooperative group discussion of sit- edgment of achievements or from activities that involve the fol-
uations or issues. strengths; compliment circles lowing types of activities.
• Service activities: volunteer work, (round robin of learners compli-
club or co-curricular activities, com- menting each other); peer-led pro- • Recognizing key characteristics,
munity service. grams; pairing with mentor; patterns, and/or trends.
• Activities that appeal to learners’ involvement in peer networks. • Classifying games.
interests in other people’s greetings; • Goal setting and action planning • Differentiation exercises.
talk; meetings; role relationships; activities: realistic goal setting; skill • Sorting activities.
gestures; personal appearance; development; barrier identification; • Matching tasks.
expressions of general attitudes by progress markers; use of short-term
age, sex, and position; languages; contracts; daily affirmations.
religion and philosophy; holidays • Thinking skill development exer- REFERENCES
and holy days; work; diet and food cises: providing insight into how
Armstrong, T. (1993). Seven kinds of smart:
customs; recreation, leisure, sports; they think and attitudes that are Identifying and developing your many
arts; history and government; trans- beneficial or detrimental to their intelligences. New York: Plume.
portation and communication sys- thinking.
Campbell, L., Campbell, B., & Dickinson, D.
tems; health; sanitation and medial • Activities that allow learners to
(1998). Teaching & learning through multi-
facilities; land and climate; cus- identify and express their feelings ple intelligences. Needham Heights, MA:
toms; courtesies, and conditions; on the topic: journal writing; inter- Allyn & Bacon.
with follow-up storytelling and/or views with feedback.
Checkley, K. (1997, September). The first
role playing to demonstrate lessons • Self-directed learning driven by
seven . . . and the eighth: A conversation
learned. learners; guided by educators who with Howard Gardner. Educational Leader-
teach the learning process rather ship, 8-13.
than a topic content.
7. Intrapersonal Intelligence • Exercises that identify resources for Keefe, D., & Dickinson, D. (2002). How tech-
Learners nology enhances Howard Gardner’s eight
personal support. intelligences. Retrieved from http://
• Activities that clarify values. www.america-tomorrow.com/ati/
Learners with strong intraper-
nhl80402.htmn
sonal intelligence learn best from
activities that bring their thoughts 8. Naturalistic Intelligence
and feelings into consciousness. Learners

• Self-esteem enhancement activities: Learners with strong naturalistic

private, individualized acknowl- intelligence tendencies learn best

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