According to my results after participating in Dr. Guy Westhoff's Multiple Intelligences Excel Inventory, I hold preferences in both the Existential and Intrapersonal categories. My lowest preference was in the Logical category. (You may view my Multiple Intelligence results in its entirety below).
Those who hold preference in the Existential category have characteristics where they tend to see how aspects relate to the "big picture." They hold collective classical western values encompassing truth, goodness, and beauty. They also hold an ability to break down details into a broader understanding. I agree with these core characteristics in the sense that I do feel I fit this category. I often set mini-goals that will help lead me toward a larger goal (a bigger picture).
People who hold preference in the Intrapersonal category are in touch with their own feelings, outlook, and attitudes. They are aware of their morals and what they stand for and are careful in monitoring their actions and behavior. I feel that these core characteristics stand true for myself as well. I am aware of my feelings and attitudes and I strive to monitor them so that I am open-minded to others' ideas, even if they class with my own.
The category which I hold the lowest preference was the Logical category. Core characteristics comprising this group are a greater ability in linear, concrete, and abstract reasoning. I agree with the findings that I do not hold strength in this category. In the subject of math in particular, I feel that I must work very hard to understand relationships and the reasoning behind them.
2. Discuss what students with this type of intelligence enjoy, are like, or tend to do within classroom settings.
Students holding strong existential intelligence types enjoy learning that is meaningful to them. Instruction must allow them to draw connections with its application to other subject areas. In alignment with their core characteristics, existential students synthesize ideas as they learn and draw from the literature and customs of other cultures, but also develop a strong identity with their own neighborhood or town.
Students with strong intrapersonal intelligence hold comfort within themselves. They are aware of their likes and dislikes and communicate these feelings. They are confident in their abilities and set goals that are realistic. They hold and express justice and fairness in their thoughts and actions.
Students with strong logical intelligence (which I do not hold), seek order and scientifically reason. Completing puzzles, testing theories, and analyzing abstract ideas are among some of the things these students enjoy.
3. Discuss how you could support this type of intelligence within your classroom and what technologies stimulate this type of intelligence.
To support students with strong existential intelligence, I can foster their learning environment by relating what is being taught to global themes, concepts, and multiple points of view. We can discuss how the topics will help them in the classroom, school, and community. Students can also apply their learning if I provide them multiple contexts to exercise their understanding.
Technologies to help existential intelligence students include the use of a planetarium, virtual communities, classic literature and philosophy, simulations, etc.
For students with strong intrapersonal intelligence, I can support this intelligence by using differentiated instruction, allowing students to set goals, and incorporating daily journal writing. Their classrooms must provide opportunities for students to express their thoughts on topics, whether it be through journals, student self-assessments, or questionnaires.
Technologies to help intrapersonal intelligence students include using journals, online surveys and forms, class discussions, and digital portfolios.
Students possessing strong logical intelligence will need classrooms that have intrinsic and extrinsic order. These students need structure so providing the criteria would be a good introduction for each activity. The incorporation of puzzles in their classrooms and promoting experiments to test hypotheses also provide support for these students.
Technologies to help students with strong logical intelligence include the use of unifix cubes, tangrams, measuring cups and scales, and spreadsheets.
4. And finally, discuss how including various types of intelligence in your instructional approaches could impact student learning within your classroom. Give some examples.
Taking time to accommodate students' various intelligences can result in benefits for these students. Since students hold strengths in differing intelligence areas, providing a differentiated instruction to allow students to exercise these strengths can be rewarding to their learning. To allocate for students' multiple intelligence strengths, I can assign several formats for completing a common goal. For example, if students are assigned to complete a book report; I can offer various criteria for how this book report can be submitted. For the strong musical intelligent student, he or she could choose to submit their book report in the form of composing a song outlining key points in the book. For the strong existential intelligent student, he or she could indicate how their book relates to current themes in society. Encourages each student to share their method of presenting their book report with the class can be beneficial in the sense that all students can be exposed to the differing learning styles of others and learn from them.
Ultimately, I feel that it would be beneficial for students to adjust teaching to maximize their learning through differentiated instruction that allows classrooms to exercise students' multiple intelligences.
My personal multiple intelligences outcome:
Naturalist 50
Musical 60
Logical 20
Existential 80
Interpersonal 50
Kinesthetic 60
Verbal 40
Intrapersonal 80
Visual 60
Acknowledgements:
Howard Gardner for deriving his Theory of Multiple Intelligences.
Walter McKenzie and his site: http://surfaquarium.com/MI (Accessed July 09, 2008)
Dr. Guy Westhoff for creating the Multiple Intelligences Excel Inventory (Accessed July 09, 2008)
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