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Whether you’re an educator, trainer, or

instructional designer, you’ve probably asked

yourself, “ How can I make learners learn?”

Well it’s not about making them….

It’s about finding what motivates them so they want to learn.

The Creator gathered all of creation and said, ‘ I want to hide something form the humans until they are READY for it! It is the realization that that create their Own Reality’

The eagle said ,’Give it to me, I will take it to the moon,’ The creator said, ‘NO. One day they will go there and find it.’The salmon said, ‘ I will hide it on the bottom of the ocean.’ the buffalo said, ‘ I will bury it on the great Plains.’ The Creator said, ‘No. They will go there too.’

The Grand-Mother Mole, who lives in the breast of Mother earth, and who has no physical eyes but sees with spiritual eyes, said, ‘Put it Inside them.’ And the creator said, “It is done.’

Sioux Legend

Where to find it?

Find there intelligence

Are your learners as smart as this guy?

How about as smart as this guy?

Who is this guy?

Derek Paravincini is an extraordinary pianist, despite being blind and having severe learning difficulties.

Paravicini was born extremely prematurely, at 25 weeks. His blindness was caused by oxygen therapy given during his time in a neonatal intensive care unit. This also affected his developing brain, resulting in his severe learning disability.He also has autism.

At the age of nine, Paravicini had his first major public concert at the Barbican Hall in London

PRETTY IMPRESSIVE!!!

Being Derek Paravincini………

How about this guy?Alonzo Clemons…

Alonzo Clemons is an American animal sculptor

Clemons suffered a severe brain injury as a child that left him developmentally disabled (with an IQ in the 40-50 range), but able to create very accurate animal sculptures out of clay only by glimpsing it.

He is most well known for his life-size renderings of a horse, but most of his works are smaller, and accomplished in less than an hour.

Being Alonzo Clemons…

Derek and Alonzo are unable to accomplish the simplest reading, writing, or mathematical tasks. But both possess incredible skills that surpass those with the highest IQ’s.

Intelligence is more than just IQ…

Both of these men are savants . Although they both have severe mental disabilities, they also have extraordinary mental abilities not found in most of the people.

To think……

How can we explain something like this?

May be Mr. Howard Gardner may know…

He looks outside the traditional definition of intelligence to see what really makes people tick.

He Studied situations like these to help him develop his “ Theory of Multiple Intelligences”.

A learner who excels in an area is not more intelligent overall than one who struggles.

The second learner may be stronger in another kind of intelligence.

We have probably all heard some one say something like “I’m a math person.” This person is identifying the type of intelligence at which they’re strongest

So are non-math people unable to succeed in mathematical subjects?

Absolutely not!

The beauty of Dr. Gardner’s theory is that it guides us to alternatives in teaching!

The second learner may best learn the material through a different approach .

We all have potential to be intelligent in any type of intelligence.

However, we may be stronger in some more than others.

Our cultures focuses most of its attention on linguistic and logical- mathematical intelligence.

Dr. Gardner suggests we place equal attention on other types of intelligence which give the world…

Musicians

Architects

Naturalists

Artists

Designers

Dancers

Artisans

To name a few……

Ok.. So we know that his theory says there are different intelligences.

And we know that the degree of our intelligences varies between each type of intelligence.

So what are they already!?

Linguistic Logical/ Mathematical Spatial Bodily- Kinesthetic Musical Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalist

Types of intelligences

Whoa….

Now let’s break that down.

Gardner’s Definition What that means

Linguistic Word Smart

Logical/ Mathematical Reasoning/Number Smart

Spatial Picture Smart

Bodily/Kinesthetic Body Smart

Musical Music Smart

Interpersonal People Smart

Intrapersonal Self Smart

Naturalist Nature Smart

Oooohhh OK! That’s better.

But how do you teach to these types of intelligences?

Regardless of the topic, you can appeal to each type of intelligence.

Simply find what matters to them!

But remember, teach to all these styles, not just the dominant style of your classroom!

Let’s see what matters….

Words matter! Spoke or written, words help these learners

think and remember. Poets, lawyers, and speakers are likely to be

word smart.

Linguistic – Word Smart

Todd learns best when he reads about a new subject and has a chance to think about the words he just read. It also helps him to speak about topics and teach others.

Numbers matter! These learners analyze problems logically

and investigate issues scientifically.

Logical-Mathematical- Reasoning / Number Smart

Jason likes to solve problems through using logical processes. He can connect concepts to one another easily and with little guidance. To satisfy his learning needs, all he needs is a process and problem. His analytical thinking will help him do the rest!

Recognizing patterns and relationships in space is easy for these learners.

Sketching, painting and multi-media activities keep them interested and involved.

Spatial- Picture Smart

Rajesh is studying to be a photographer. She connects the dots between most concepts just like she does between spatial relationships!

To challenge her , ask her to map stories or solve visual puzzles. She typically uses organizers and charts to help her accomplish her tasks.

Get these learners moving! They want to use their whole bodies to

solve problems!

Bodily/Kinesthetic- Body Smart

It’s hard for Ravi to sit still for long periods of time. To get him involved in his English class (His least favorite subject ), his professor asked him to act out the most significant act of Hamlet. Ravi read and watched videos of the play to help him select the best act to perform!

These learners excel at performance, composition and appreciation of musical patterns.

Musical- Music Smart

Sapna gets bored easily. Her advisor recommended creating songs to help her internalize concepts! She is using this advice and also links concepts top thought provoking music to help her remember new information. Her boredom has decreased, and her grades have improved!

People matter! Interpersonal intelligence helps people work

well with one another because they have the ability to relate and understand others.

Interpersonal- People Smart

Laila can’t wait to talk to her friends after class. To keep her attention, her professor built more group activities in to class lessons. Most of the class is benefiting; Laila especially!

Intrapersonal learners reflect and relate themselves to the greater state of the world.

Intrapersonal- Self Smart

Raghav is quiet in class and tends to drift off easily. To find out what he is thinking, his professor asked him to write short reflections on class topics. She discovered Raghav’s exceptional skills at theorizing, philosophizing, and evaluating his own thinking patterns.

Some learners naturally recognize, categorize, and draw upon certain features of their environment.

Naturalist- Nature Smart

Tousif notices things in his environment that others tend to miss. To help him learn new concepts, his professor draws connection between the topic and Tousif’s environment. He is now more in tune with his school work just as he’s in tune with nature.

Word Smart Reasoning/Number smart Picture Smart Body Smart Music Smart People Smart Self Smart Nature Smart

Here’s a reminder of the types of intelligences………

So what?

-Mindy L. Kornhaber sums that up for us quite nicely……

“…… the theory validates educators everyday experience: students think and learn in many

different ways….In turn, this reflection has lead many educators to devlope new approaches that

might better meat the needs of the range of learners in their classrooms.”

- Mindy L.K ornhaber- Project Zero research team on arts education.

However, some state that Gardners theories are intuitions rather than the result of empirical

research.

True. Tests to measure these intelligences do not currently exist.

This could be accomalished with several measures or tests for each intelligence.

Gardener himself has not explored this approach to prevent labeling and stigmatization.

However , research around the functioning of the brain generally continues to support the

notion of multiple intelligences.

Derek Paravicini and Alonzo Clemons are prime examples.

Both suffered damage to the brain but still exhibit extra ordinary intelligences: Derek in

musical intelligence and Alonzo in kinesthetic and naturalist intelligences.

In fact, Schools using multiple intelligences theory (SUMIT) have reported higher academic

achievements, parental participation, and discipline.

There may be still questions about the theory of multiple intelligences.

But it has encouraged a singnificant number of educators to look beyond the narrow confines of

the traditional system.

Dr. Gardner may use fair objective judgment but this theory helps us broaden our focus and help

people live their lives well.

Traditional methods restrict creativity and don’t reach all learners.

Remember, it’s a bout finding what motivates learners so they want to learn.

We are all different…..

And that’s ok ………

But we need to recognize and account for that

There are more than just a few types of learners. We must appeal to all learners.

The multiple intelligences theory motivates educators, trainers and instructional designers to

improve curriculum and education.

It gives us a broad vision of education.

All intelligences are needed to live .

All intelligences are needed to learn well.

Give them to your learners.

This theory gives learners more opportunities to learn about a topic.

Traditional curriculum with a single form of assessment does not accommodate exploration and creativity.

But YOU can !

Ultimately, the theory of multiple intelligences is a useful addition if used to promote high quality learning , rather than as an end in and of itself.

Instead of onw way to teach, think, dream, and live…we now have atleast EIGHT!

“I want my children to understand the world but not just because the world is facinating and the human mind is curious. I want them to understand it so that they will be positioned to make it a better place”By Howard Gardner