MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING(Applied Linguistics & Scientific Approach Theory)

This paper is arranged to fulfill the assignment

Of Learning Strategies and Method of Language Learning

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Endang Fauziati

Arranged by:

Rifqi Syafiatul HidayahS200140031

MAGISTER STUDY ENGLISH

POSTGRADUATE PROGRAM

MUHAMMADIYAH UNIVERSITY OF SURAKARTA

2014

I. Introduction

In the heyday of the psychometric and behaviorist

eras, it was generally believed that intelligence was a

single entity that was inherited; and that human beings

initially a blank slate could be trained to learn

anything, provided that it was presented in an

appropriate way. The theory of multiple intelligences

was first developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner,

professor of education at Harvard University. It

suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence

based on IQ testing.

Howard Gardner viewed intelligence as ‘the capacity

to solve problems or to fashion products that are

valued in one or more cultural setting’ (Gardner &

Hatch, 1989). He reviewed the literature using eight

criteria intelligence, but in 1999, he added an eighth

intelligence and two years later he adds one more

profile of intelligences. He also believe that

individuals differ in the strength of these

intelligence, which Gardner called profile of

intelligence.

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The different intelligences are not a measure or

reflection of emotion type nor an expression of feeling

bad or good, they are emotionally neutral. This section

give a brief description of multiple intelligence

theory which is currently attract the attention of many

educators including SL educators this section also

tries to suggest its pedagogical implication by giving

suggestion of what teachers are supposed to do in the

classroom.

II. Multiple Intelligence Figure

The figure of Multiple Intelligence is Dr. Howard

Gardner. Howard Gardner was born in Scranton,

Pennsylvania in 1943. Howard Gardner’s interest in

psychology and the social sciences grew (his senior

thesis was on a new California retirement community)

and he graduated summa cum laude in 1965. He entered

Harvard’s doctoral program in 1966, and in the

following year became part of the Project Zero research

team on arts education. Howard Gardner completed his

PhD in 1971. He is currently Hobbs Professor of

Cognition and Education at the Harvard Graduate School

of Education and adjunct professor of neurology at the

Boston University School of Medicine. Gardner was

started the theory of multiple intelligence in 1983.

III. An Overview of Multiple Intelligence Theory

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Howard Gardner initially formulated a list of seven

intelligences. His listing was provisional. The first

two have been typically valued in schools

(Logical/mathematic and Verbal/language); the next

three are usually associated with the arts

(Spatial/Visual, Musical, Bodily/Kinesthetic); and the

final two are what Howard Gardner called ‘personal

intelligences’ (Intrapersonal and Interpersonal

Intelligence). In 1999, he added an eighth intelligence

type to the list that is “natural intelligence” and two

years later a ninth type namely “existential

intelligence”. Gardner said that multiple intelligences

were not limited to the original seven and he has since

considered the existence and definition of other

possible intelligence in his later work. The simple

chart bellow illustrates Gardner’s model of the ninth

Multiple Intelligences.

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a. Logical/Mathematical Intelligence

Logical-mathematical intelligence consists of the

capacity to analyze problems logically, carry out

mathematical operations, and investigate issues

scientifically. In Howard Gardner’s words, it entails

the ability to detect patterns, reason deductively

and think logically. This intelligence is most often

associated with scientific and mathematical thinking.

b. Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence

Linguistic intelligence involves sensitivity to

spoken and written language, the ability to learn

languages, and the capacity to use language to

accomplish certain goals. This intelligence includes

the ability to effectively use language to express

oneself rhetorically or poetically; and language as a

means to remember information. Writers, poets,

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lawyers and speakers are among those that Howard

Gardner sees as having high linguistic intelligence.

c. Visual/Spatial Intelligence

Spatial intelligence as the ability to recognize both

large and small visual patterns. Spatial

visualization refers to the ability to imagine the

movement of an object and s typically measured with

mental rotation task while spatial scanning is the

ability to scan a field quickly, to follow paths

visually and to reject false leads.

d. Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence

Bodily kinesthetic entails the potential of using

one’s whole body or parts of the body to solve

problems. It is the ability to use mental abilities

to coordinate bodily movements. Howard Gardner sees

mental and physical activity as related.

e. Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence

Musical intelligence involves skill in the

performance, composition, and appreciation of musical

patterns. It encompasses the capacity to recognize

and compose musical pitches, tones, and rhythms.

According to Howard Gardner musical intelligence runs

in an almost structural parallel to linguistic

intelligence.

f. Intrapersonal Intelligence

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Intrapersonal entails the capacity to understand

oneself, to appreciate one’s feelings, fears and

motivations. In Howard Gardner’s view it involves

having an effective working model of ourselves, and

to be able to use such information to regulate our

lives.

g. Interpersonal Intelligence

Interpersonal is concerned with the capacity to

understand the intentions, motivations and desires of

other people. It allows people to work effectively

with others. Educators, salespeople, religious and

political leaders and counselors all need a well-

developed interpersonal intelligence.

h. Naturalist Intelligence

According Gardner (1999) a naturalist as one who is

able to recognize and classify object. He argues that

hunters, farmers, and gardeners would have high

levels of naturalistic intelligence, as would artist,

poets, and social scientist. Thus the central element

of Gardner’s naturalistic intelligence is the

capacity to categorize object according to salient

similarities and differences among them.

i. Existential

Gardner (1999) considered existential intelligence as

the intelligence of understanding in a large context

or big picture. It is the capability to tackle deep

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question about human existence, such as the meaning

of life, why we die, what my role is in the world.

Existential intelligence includes aesthetic,

philosophy, religion and emphasizes the classical

values of beauty, truth and goodness. People with a

strong existential intelligence have the ability to

summarize and synthesize idea from across a broad

unit of study.

IV. The Domain of Multiple Intelligences

According to McKenzie there are three type of

multiple intelligence domains; analytical,

introspective and interactive domains. These three

domains serve as an organizer for understanding the

fluid relationship of the intelligences and how the

intelligences work with another. He suggests that

teachers can plan lessons and units which effectively

address all of the intelligences in the classroom.

1) Analytic domain

Analytic domain consists of the logical, musical, and

naturalist intelligences. These three intelligences are

considered analytic because they promote the

process of analyzing and incorporating data into

existing schema, even though they may have other

component. The analytical intelligences are by

their nature heuristic process.

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2) Interactive domains

Interactive domain consists of linguistics, interpersonal

and kinesthetic intelligences. These are intelligences

that learners typical employ to express their

selves and explore their environment. The

interactive domain is regarded as interactive

because they typically invite and encourage

interaction to achieve understanding. The

interactive intelligences are by their nature

social process.

3) Introspective domains

The last domain is introspective which consist of

existential, intrapersonal and visual

intelligences. These intelligences are

characterized as introspective because they

require a looking inward by the learner, an

emotive connection to their own experiences and

beliefs in order to make sense of new learning.

The introspective develop by their nature

affective.

V. Pedagogical Implication

Nowadays our school and culture focus most of their

attention on linguistic and logical-mathematical

intelligence. We highly appreciate articulate and

logical people. However, we should also place equal

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attention on individuals who show the other

intelligences such as artist, musicians, naturalist,

designer, dancer, entrepreneur and other who enrich the

world in which we live. Many schools commonly still

apply their own criteria (i.e. Intelligence quotient or

IQ tests) to judge intelligence. This type of faulty

assessment is common during and even exit.

The Gardner’s theory provides some room to grow while

so many are still stuck on IQ and the “Three Rs”

(Reading, Writing and Arithmetic). This theory is a

good first step towards valuing and developing people

in a more compassionate and constructive way. The

theory proposes a major transformation in the way our

schools are run. It suggests that teacher be trained to

present their lesson in a wide variety of ways using

music, cooperative learning, art activities, role play,

multimedia, field trips, inner reflection and etcetera.

We are teacher are commonly aware of the fact that

every classroom consist of students who are different

from each other background. Each student also has

different areas of interest, different ways of

expressing themselves, different strengths and

weaknesses. For this reason, Garner’s theory could be

used as an initial step in order to investigate the

diversity which exists in every classroom, to find out

more about students’ strength and weaknesses as related

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to the learning process. An important point when trying

to relate this theory to classroom practices is that

students should be encouraged to use their strengths in

order to make the learning process more accessible.

Therefore teacher must learn to be flexible in the

presentation of the material which being studied in

order to create opportunities for all of the students

in the class to use their different strengths. But if

teacher is aware of the intelligence profile of the

class, strategies can develop in order to use students’

intelligence strength to acquire k knowledge more

effective. however, it is also important to bear in

mind that if there is a small group of students who

have very different intelligence profile from the

majority of students they must be given the chance to

use their individual strengths at some point during the

course.

With regard to classroom activates, Gardner’s theory of

multiple intelligences is relatable VAK (Visual,

Auditory, Kinesthetic) learning model. VAK learning

style model categorizes learner type into three

categories: visual, auditory and kinesthetic learner. (Currie,

2003: 6)

1) Visual learner – “learn though seeing”. These learners

need to see the teacher’s body language and facial

expression to fully understand the content of a

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lesson. They tend to prefer sitting at the front of

the classroom to avoid visual obstruction. This kind

learner may think that learn best from visual

displays including: diagram, videos, flipchart, etc.

2) Auditory learner – “learn through listening”. They learn

best through verbal lecture, discussion, talking

thing through and listening to what other have to

say. Auditory learners interpret the underlying

meanings of speech through listening to tone of

voice, pitch, speed and other nuances. Written

information may have little meaning until it is

heard. These learners often benefit from reading text

aloud using recorder.

3) Kinesthetic/Tactile learners learn through, moving,

doing and touching. Kinesthetic person learn best

through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the

physical world around them. They may find it hard to

sit for long periods and may become distracted by

their need for activity and exploration.

VI. Conclusion

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory was first

published in 1983. He initially identified seven

different kinds of intelligence human beings possess.

Gardner recently has added to his seven human

intelligences two more intelligence types. Human beings

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are unique because everybody different in the strength

of these intelligences. These different intelligences

do not reflect emotion type, they also cannot be judge

as good or bad. Obviously all of these factors can

affect the student’s learning process. Therefore

teacher must aware of these differences and try to find

better ways to treat classes and learning should be

assessed through a variety of means.

VII. References

Fauzati, Endang. 2009. Reading on Applied Linguistics.

Surakarta: Era Pustaka Utama.

Fauziati, Endang. 2001. Teaching of English as A Foreign

Language (TEFL). Surakarta: University Muhammadiyah Press

(MUP).

http://infed.org/mobi/howard-gardner-multiple-

intelligences-and-education/ accessed on Monday, 22

September 2014 at 08.29 AM

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/514677063639362309/

accessed on Monday, 22 September 2014 at 08.47 AM

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