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Multiple Intelligence for Every Classroom

Pokey Stanford
Intervention in School and Clinic 2003 39: 80
DOI: 10.1177/10534512030390020301

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 Multiple Intelligence for
Every Classroom
P O K E Y S TA N F O R D

This article presents an overview of multiple intelligence (MI)

theory along with practical applications of the model. In par-
ticular, three basic aspects of the theory (teaching strategies,
curricular adaptations, and student assessment) are described
relative to the infusion of MI theory in general education
classrooms to ensure appropriate inclusion for students with
mild to moderate disabilities.

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M
ultiple intelligence (MI) theory has received ability to communicate verbally and nonverbally with
much attention over the past 20 years other people.
(Campbell, 1997; Silver, Strong, & Perini, Intrapersonal intelligence: the internal aspects of
1997). Almost 80 years after the first intel- the self, such as knowledge of feelings, range of emo-
ligence tests were developed, Howard tional responses, thinking processes, self-reflection, and a
Gardner challenged the notion that intelligence is some- sense of intuition about spiritual realities.
thing that can be objectively measured and reduced to a Naturalistic intelligence: the ability to recognize
single quotient or score. Maintaining that our culture patterns in nature and classify objects, the mastery of tax-
has defined intelligence too narrowly, Gardner proposed onomy, sensitivity to other features of the natural world,
in Frames of Mind (1983) the existence of at least seven and an understanding of different species.
basic intelligences; since then an eighth has been added Existential intelligence: the human response to being
(Checkley, 1997; Roper & Davis, 2000). Gardner’s work alive in all ways (Gardner is still not satisfied that he has
has encouraged educators and parents to view children as enough physiological brain evidence to conclusively es-
equals regardless of a quotient produced from an intelli- tablish this as an intelligence).
gence exam or of academic areas for which they develop Beyond the descriptions of the eight intelligences,
competence. Practitioners of MI understand that chil- certain aspects of the theory are important to remember,
dren do not fit a single prototype. especially when working with individuals with disabili-
Gardner sought to broaden the perception of human ties. For example, Armstrong (1994) suggested that four
potential beyond the confines of traditional IQ scores, elements be considered. First, each person possesses all
seriously questioning the validity of determining an indi- eight intelligences. Each person has capacities in all eight
vidual’s intelligence through the practice of taking the intelligences. Of course, the eight intelligences function
person out of his or her natural environment and asking together in ways unique to each person. Some people ap-
him or her to attempt isolated tasks never done before— pear to possess extremely high levels of functioning in all
and probably never to be done again. Thus, Gardner sug- or most of the eight intelligences, yet others appear to
gested educators view intelligence as the capacity for lack all but the most basic aspects of the intelligences.
solving problems and fashioning products in context-rich Most fall somewhere in between highly developed in
and naturalistic settings (Armstrong, 1994) rather than some intelligences, modestly developed in others, and rel-
place the traditional importance on the ability to produce atively underdeveloped in the rest. Students with learn-
a large quotient. ing disabilities often exhibit deficits in verbal/linguistic
or logical/mathematical intelligences but show strengths
in other areas. Unfortunately, schools put more emphasis
Defining the Intelligences on verbal/linguistic and logical/mathematical.

Gardner (1997) defined the various intelligence areas as

follows: Practices to Emerge
Verbal/linguistic intelligence: the production of
language, abstract reasoning, symbolic thinking, concep- MI theory is perhaps more accurately described as a phi-
tual patterning, reading, and writing. losophy of education or an attitude toward learning
Logical/mathematical intelligence: the capacity to (Armstrong, 1994), in the spirit of John Dewey’s ideas
recognize patterns, work with abstract symbols (e.g., num- (1916, 1938) on progressive education, rather than a set
bers, geometric shapes), and discern relationships or see program of fixed techniques and strategies. As such, it of-
connections between separate and distinct pieces of infor- fers educators a broad opportunity to creatively adapt its
mation. fundamental principles to any number of educational set-
Visual/spatial intelligence: visual arts, navigation, tings. Implications for school reform and classroom ap-
mapmaking, architecture, and games requiring the ability plication include expanded teaching strategies, curricular
to visualize objects from different perspectives and angles. adaptations, and expanded student assessment. Indeed
Bodily/kinesthetic intelligence: the ability to use unsuccessful, unmotivated students have experienced aca-
the body to express emotion, to play a game, and to cre- demic growth when exposed to multifaceted interventions
ate a new product. and techniques principled by MI theory (Janes, Koutso-
Musical/rhythmic intelligence: capacities such as panagos, Mason, & Villaranda, 2000).
the recognition and use of rhythmic and tonal patterns and The teacher’s role in an MI classroom contrasts sharply
sensitivity to sounds from the environment, the human with that of a teacher in a traditional classroom (Gardner,
voice, and musical instruments. 1997). In the traditional classroom, the teacher lectures
Interpersonal intelligence: the ability to work co- while standing at the front of the classroom, writes on the
operatively with others in a small group, as well as the board, questions students about the assigned readings or

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 niques for reaching an ever-wider and more diverse range
of learners.
MI theory opens the door to a wide variety of teach-
ing strategies that can easily be implemented in the class-
room. In many cases, these are strategies that have been
used for decades by good teachers. In other cases, the
theory of MI offers teachers an opportunity to develop
innovative teaching strategies. In either case, MI theory
suggests that no one set of strategies will work best for all
students at all times. All children have different pre-
dispositions in the eight intelligences, so any particular
strategy is likely to be highly successful with one group of
students and less successful with other groups (Silver et
al., 1997). For example, teachers who use rhythms, raps,
and chants as a pedagogical tool will probably find that
musically inclined students respond enthusiastically to this
strategy but nonmusical students remain unmoved. Sim-
handouts, and waits as students finish written work. In ilarly, the use of pictures and images will reach students
comparison, in the MI classroom, the teacher continually who are more spatially oriented but perhaps have a dif-
shifts method of presentation from linguistic to spatial to ferent effect on those who are more physically or verbally
musical, and so on, often combining intelligences in cre- inclined (see Figure 1).
ative ways. Next, we will look at some practical aspects of Because of individual differences among students,
MI theory. teachers are best advised to use a broad range of teaching
strategies. As long as instructors shift their intelligence
emphasis from presentation to presentation, there will al-
Teaching Strategies ways be time during a day when a student’s most highly
developed intelligence is actively involved in learning.
MI makes its greatest contribution to education by sug- Currently, for students with disabilities, it is often only
gesting that teachers expand their repertoire of tech- their weakest area that is used for most of the day. Bal-
niques, tools, and strategies beyond the typical linguistic ancing strategies gives equal opportunity to the individ-
and logical ones predominantly used in U.S. class- ual student who struggles with obtaining information
rooms (Campbell, 1997). According to John Goodlad’s through one intelligence and allows the student to use
pioneering “A Study of Schooling” project, which in- the strengths he or she possesses for learning. Figure 2
volved researchers’ observing more than 1,000 classrooms shows how teachers can reach all learners by using a the-
nationwide, nearly 70% of classroom time was consumed matic approach with concept development and MI.
by teacher talk—mainly teachers talking at students (giv-
ing instructions, lecturing). The second, most widely ob-
served activity was students’ doing written assignments. Expanding Assessment
According to Goodlad (1984), “Much of this work was in
the form of responding to directives in workbooks or on Effective assessment is in alignment with instructional
worksheets” (p. 230). In this context, the theory of mul- practices (Bellanca, Chapman, & Swartz, 1994). Chang-
tiple intelligences functions not only as a specific remedy ing teaching strategies and curricula without changing
to one-sidedness in teaching but also as an organizational assessment methods will not bring about the full benefit
tool that facilitates and synthesizes existing educational of MI theory for teaching and learning. Thus, if MI the-
pedagogy. In doing so, it provides s broad range of stim- ory is to be used in classrooms, teachers must change the
ulating curricula to awaken the slumbering brains that way they assess student learning (Chapman, 1993). Tra-
Goodlad fears populate our nation’s schools. ditional assessment limits learners to a pencil-and-paper
MI theory provides an avenue for accomplishing what test as the primary means of demonstrating knowledge
good teachers have always done: Reach beyond the text and skills. MI theory brings about an awareness of many
to provide varied opportunities for students to learn and assessment strategies that allow students to show they
show evidence of learning. MI theory provides a frame- understand and can use new information in unique ways.
work for teachers to reflect on their best teaching meth- Assessment alternatives include logs and journals, graphic
ods and to understand why these methods work (or why organizers, observational checklists, video samples, rub-
they work well for some students but not for others). It rics, miscue analyses, and portfolios. Such alternative forms
also helps teachers expand their teaching repertoire to in- of assessment offer students the potential to demonstrate
clude a broader range of methods, materials, and tech- learning content in a variety of ways. An example is a

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 Figure 1. Multiple intelligence activites related to the topic of fractions.

math lesson or unit in which the teacher assesses cooper- gences strengths self-checklist (see Figure 3) allows learn-
ative groups (interpersonal intelligence), hands-on ma- ers to begin to self-identify where their strengths are
nipulative (bodily/kinesthetic intelligence), or reflection within the differing intelligences. Authentic assessment
logs (intrapersonal intelligence). offers opportunities for students with learning disabilities
To facilitate the use of multiple assessments for the by allowing an alternative means of measuring growth
multiple intelligences, teachers will need to rethink how and development. When a learner can help with the iden-
students can show what they know. The multiple intelli- tification of a strength, assessments can be focused on

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 reaching the learner’s full potiental. Miscue analysis, for
example, allows teachers to focus specific and intensive
instruction on an individual basis by identifying the need
of the learner in the context of strengths (Reutzel &
Cooter, 2003).
New assessments should not focus on whether or not
students can acquire knowledge but on whether or not
they can acquire the disposition to use skills and strategies
appropriately. Recent studies have suggested that poor
thinkers and poor problem solvers may possess the skills
they need but fail to use them in certain tasks (Burke,
1994). Integration of learning, motivation, collaboration,
and metacognition all contribute to lifelong learning. As-
sessments that move beyond measuring knowledge and
skills and begin measuring the disposition of using the
knowledge/skills will better meet the needs of learners.
In the MI classrooms, the possibilities for assessing
student learning are as numerous as the options for orga-
nizing curricula and teaching strategies (Bellanca et al.,
1994). In the traditional classroom, assessment drives in-
struction. In the multiple intelligence classroom, assess-
ment and instruction are partners. The MI classroom
provides the environment for teachers to use varied
teaching strategies, expanded curricula, and authentic as-
sessment to provide creative and active learning that en-
gages all students (especially those with disabilities) in the
construction of their own learning.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pokey Stanford, EdD, is an assistant professor of education at
William Carey College. Her current interests include MI the-
ory and technology as intervention tools to further facilitate in-
clusive environments for all learners. She was a classroom
teacher for 7 years. Address: Pokey Stanford, William Carey
College, 498 Tuscan Ave., WCC Box 3, Hattiesburg, MS
39401-5461; e-mail: [email protected]

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 Figure 3. Multiple intelligences strengths.

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