Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences and Teaching Methods

This report discusses Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences and the teaching methods that can be used to enhance different intelligences in students. It covers the different intelligences outlined by the theory, teaching methods for each intelligence, and their importance in higher education.

Study Skills for Higher
Education

Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
TASK ..............................................................................................................................................3
Discuss the different intelligences outlined by this theory..........................................................3
Based on Gardner’s theory what teaching methods can teachers use to help students learn.......6
CONCLUSION
.........................................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Skills, knowledge and understanding plays important role in the development of human
being. In higher education, skills and competencies enable an individual to lead towards the
direction of growth and development. In classrooms, teachers concentrate on developing skills
and capabilities of students that enable them to attain their personal and professional goals with
greater efficiency and effectiveness. Skills enables an individual to attain various career
development opportunities and gain good marks in examination. It is not important that every
student have similar ability and they learn things in similar manner (Armida, Hia and Junaidi,
2019)). This report covers different intelligence theories of Howard Gardner’s Theory of
Multiple Intelligences that reflects that people have different intelligence that impacts on their
ability regarding how they learn and achieve their determined objectives. Along with that,
different teaching methods that are used by the teachers to enable students to learn in efficient
manner.
TASK
Discuss the different intelligences outlined by this theory
Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences states that people are not born with all
the intelligence they will ever have. There are various theories are included in this theory that are
related to the sense that not everyone has all intelligence to perform determined task properly.
Howard Gardner introduced eight different type of intelligence such as Linguistic,
Logical/Mathematical, Spatial, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, and
Naturalist that helps to evaluate each candidate intelligence that is depend on variety of scientific
disciplines. Gardner also states that an individually have all intelligence but their profile of these
intelligence may differ from others on the bases of their genetics or experiences. Some theories
of intelligence are explained below:
Linguistic verbal intelligence is the Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences
that is related the sensitivity to the spoken and written language and they have capability of learn
different language and use them to accomplish certain goals and objectives in efficient manner
(Aslan, 2021). These types of individuals are good in story writing, reading, informing and
memorizing and there strengthen areas are word, language and writing that enable them
communicate their ideas, thoughts and information to others in best possible manner. There are

certain characteristics of linguistic verbal intelligence people such as they enjoy writing and
reading, able to explains things in appropriate manner to others and able to deliver persuasive
speech. There is various career for the people who have this intelligence such as writer or
journalist, teacher and layer because they can deliver their ideas and concepts to others in
persuasive manner.
Visual spatial intelligence are the people who are good in visualising things in suitable
manner to create mutual understanding among people. These people are efficient in direction,
videos, maps, charts and pictures. Visual as well as spatial intelligence are the strengthen area of
these people. These people possess various characteristics such as they can interpret charts,
graphs and pictures, recognise different patterns easily, able to put puzzles together and enjoys
painting, drawing and visual arts (Boye and Grönlund, 2018). People who are good in visual
spatial intelligence can build their career in engineer, architect and Artist.
Logical mathematical intelligence who are good in logical mathematics such as reasoning,
logically analysing problems and recognising patterns. All these abilities enhanced conceptual
understanding of conceptual members, patterns and relationship. Strength of these people are
they can analyse problems as well as mathematical problems. There are some characteristics of
these type of people are that they have excellent problem solving, like conducting scientific
experiments, enjoy thinking about abstract ideas as well as they are able to resolve complex
computations with efficiency. These types of people can make their career in scientist, computer
programmer, accountant and mathematician.
Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence is the ability of an individual who are good in body
movement, physical control and performing actions. People who are good in these areas tend to
have excellent eye-coordination as well as dexterity. These people are excellent in physical
movement and monitoring control. There are various characteristics that are possessed by these
people that they are skilled at dancing and sports, having excellent physical coordination as well
as remember things through doing rather than hearing or seeing. Potential career choices for
these people who possess these intelligences dancer, actor and builder.
Musical intelligence are the people who are good at thinking or understanding of patterns,
sound and rhythms (Davidson and Shaw, 2019). This is the specific intelligence that helps an
individual to gain strong appreciation for music and their composition as well as performance.
Strength of these people is music and rhythm as well as they have characteristic of enjoying

singing and playing musical instrument, remember songs and melodies, have a rich
understanding of musical structure and rhythm. People with these intelligences can make their
career as a musician, singer and music teacher.
Interpersonal intelligence makes people good at understanding as well as interacting with
other people. These people are skilled in the art of assessing emotions, desire, motivations and
intentions of people who are around them. Understanding as well as relating with other people
are the strength and they have various characteristics of these people such as they can
communicate properly with others and have nonverbal communication skills, ability of analysing
situation from different perspective, they can resolve problem and maintain positive relationship
with others that differentiate them from others (Eisazadeh, Naziri and Naeini, 2018). People
who have this intelligence can make their career in the field of salesperson, politician and
philosopher.
People who have intrapersonal intelligence are good at being aware regarding their own
state of mind, feelings, emotional state and motivation. It is tending that, these people enjoy self-
reflection and analysis such as exploring relationship with others, daydreaming as well as
assessing their personal strengths. Characteristics of these people are that they have analysation
of their strengths, weaknesses, have excellent self-awareness and understand his or her own
motivations and feelings. People having these intelligences can make their career in the area of
scientist, writer and other that help them to utilise their knowledge and understanding in best
possible manner.
Naturalistic intelligence is considered as the most recent addition of Gardner’s theory as
well as faces more resistance than his previous seven intelligences. Gardner states that, people
who have this type of intelligence have more relationship with nature as well as often interested
in nurturing, learning about other species and exploring the environment. They are highly aware
of even subtle change to their environment. These people have various characteristics such as
they are interested in some subject like botany, zoology and biology as well as enjoying hiking,
gardening and exploring outdoors (McKay, and Park, 2019). These people can make their career
in the specific area such as gardener, farmer and biologist.
All these are the various intelligences that are included in Gardner’s theory. It is not
possible that everyone has all these characteristic or intelligences but these skills can be learnt
through taking training and sessions. Everyone has specific skills, competencies and

intelligences that help them to perform their operations in best possible manner and attain
determined goals and objectives with efficiency and effectiveness.
Based on Gardner’s theory what teaching methods can teachers use to help students learn
As Gardner’s theory includes various intelligences that are important for making career in
specific field or perform operations with greater efficiency and effectiveness. It is important for
the teachers to adopt suitable teaching method that enable students to learn different skills and
capabilities that lead them in right direction (Mostafapour, 2020). Teachers need to analyse
these actions and planning in appropriate manner than apply them in class with the objective of
improving students skilsl and competencies that enable them to attain their determined goals and
objectives in best possible manner. Techers adopt different method for different intelligence.
Some actions or teaching methods that are used by the teachers are mentioned below:
To improve linguistic intelligences in students, teachers uses creative writing activities
like pottery and script writing, instruct to students to use formal language in class as well as
provide reading and writing opportunities. It enables students to competencies regarding reading,
writing and memorizing things for longer period of time. Through learning this intelligence,
student can express themselves to others and crates mutual understanding.
Teachers need to provide problem-solving opportunities to students through analysing
mathematical problems in proper manner, use patterns and logic games as well as guide students
to organise their information in defined format. Through learning these skills, students can
enhance their learning and understanding regarding the recognising patterns as well as maintain
connection between separate piece of information.
For improving visual-spatial intelligence, teachers use different tools and techniques such
as mind mapping techniques, guided visualisation or verbal imagery, instruct students to create
effective visual representation. Through implementing these techniques, allow students to
visualise objectives from their own perspective and take efficient actions that help them to
perform with efficiency and effectiveness.
For improving students’ knowledge and learning regarding the badly-Kinesthetic
intelligence, teachers use body sculpture, create opportunity for dramatic art like skits, use
human graphs as well as use role-playing (Sotiriadou, Logan, Daly and Guest, 2020). All these
activities help students to use their body for expressing their emotions to others.

Musical intelligence is being enhanced by the teachers in students through using different
instruments and instruments sounds, allow for musical composition and performance in class and
motivated students to create song about specific topic that enhances senses of students regarding
music and express their feeling to others in efficient manner.
To improve interpersonal intelligence among student’s teachers uses various activities
and techniques such as they can teach collaborative skills to students, provide group work
opportunities, in-personal communication and others (Suleman, 2018). Learning of this
intelligence helps students to work with others and maintain strong communication with them
through using verbal and non-verbal methods of communication. With the objective of
improving intrapersonal intelligence, teachers need to adopt effective strategy and planning such
as practice meditation, use mindfulness and self-reflection. It enables students to express their
feeling and emotional to others in effective manner. Along with that, teachers use various
methods and techniques to enhance students learning regarding practice conservation, conduct
outing that provide opportunity to observe nature and make them understand to classify species
as well as provide labs to students of natural material (Yuan and Du, 2021).
All these actions and strategies enhances all these intelligences in students to improve
their skills, capabilities and competencies that enable them to perform their defined operations in
best possible manner and attain determined objectives on time.
CONCLUSION
As per above report, it can be concluded that skills and competencies are important for the
students to perform their defined tasks with great efficient and effective manner. there is various
intelligence that plays important role in development of a person which is very much necessary
for a person. In higher education, these intelligence or skills are considered as most important
skills which are effective in providing career opportunity to a person. Skill development is also
one of the important factor which is essential for development of the personality of a candidate.
This report also concludes that it is essential to analyse different intelligence and their
importance for their academic career than develop effective strategies that lead their efforts and
actions in right direction to attain determined goals and objective.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Armida, A., Hia, Y.D. and Junaidi, N., 2019, April. Mapping the Attributes of Soft Skill on
Students Graduating from Faculty of Economics, Universitas Negeri Padang about the
Readiness of Entering the World of Work. In 2nd Padang International Conference on
Education, Economics, Business and Accounting (PICEEBA-2 2018) (pp. 784-792).
Atlantis Press.
Aslan, A., 2021. Problem-based learning in live online classes: Learning achievement, problem-
solving skill, communication skill, and interaction. Computers & Education, 171,
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Boye, K. and Grönlund, A., 2018. Workplace skill investments–an early career glass ceiling? Job
complexity and wages among young professionals in Sweden. Work, Employment and
Society, 32(2), pp.368-386.
Davidson, D.E. and Shaw, J.R., 2019. A cross-linguistic and cross-skill perspective on L2
development in study abroad. In Foreign language proficiency in higher education (pp.
217-242). Springer, Cham.
Eisazadeh, S., Naziri, M.K. and Naeini, H., 2018. The Effect of Skill Mismatch on
Unemployment Rate in Iran. Journal of economic modeling research, 8(30), pp.79-107.
McKay, C. and Park, J.Y., 2019. The impact of paralympic skill lab on college student cognitive
attitudes toward inclusive lifetime sport and fitness. International Journal of
Kinesiology in Higher Education, 3(3), pp.67-76.
Mostafapour, Z., 2020. Planning Skills Training Indicators In Higher Education, A Gateway To
Reducing Educational Quality Inequalities In Universities.(Qualitative Study).
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preserve academic integrity and promote skill development and employability. Studies
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Suleman, F., 2018. The employability skills of higher education graduates: insights into
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278.
Yuan, Y. and Du, Y., 2021. The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Skill Demands and Its
Implications for Education Supply: An Empirical Study Based on the Routinization
Hypothesis. In Educational Research in China (pp. 243-260). Springer, Singapore.