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##  Multiple Intelligences: Theory and Practice in Adult ESL. ERIC                  Digest.                                                                      

The theory of multiple intelligences (MI) broadens the traditional              view of intelligence as solely composed of verbal/linguistic and                logical/mathematical abilities. MI theory maintains that all humans             possess at least eight different intelligences that represent a                 variety of ways to learn and demonstrate understanding. This digest             outlines the basic tenets of MI theory and describes how it has been            applied in teaching English as a second language (ESL) to                       adults. THE THEORY OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCESIntelligence has              traditionally been defined in terms of intelligence quotient (IQ),              which measures a narrow range of verbal/linguistic and                          logical/mathematical abilities. Howard Gardner (1993) argues that               humans possess a number of distinct intelligences that manifest                 themselves in different skills and abilities. All human beings apply            these intelligences to solve problems, invent processes, and create             things. Intelligence, according to MI theory, is being able to apply            one or more of the intelligences in ways that are valued by a                   community or culture. The current MI model outlines eight                       intelligences, although Gardner (1999) continues to explore                     additional possibilities. 
* Linguistic Intelligence: The ability              to use language effectively both orally and in writing. 
*                     Logical/Mathematical Intelligence: The ability to use numbers                   effectively and reason well. 
* Visual/Spatial Intelligence: The               ability to recognize form, space, color, line, and shape and to                 graphically represent visual and spatial ideas. 
*                             Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence: The ability to use the body to                 express ideas and feelings and to solve problems. 
* Musical                   Intelligence: The ability to recognize rhythm, pitch, and                       melody. 
* Naturalist Intelligence: The ability to recognize and               classify plants, minerals, and animals. 
* Interpersonal                       Intelligence: The ability to understand another person's feelings,              motivations, and intentions and to respond effectively. 
*                     Intrapersonal Intelligence: The ability to know about and understand            oneself and recognize one's similarities to and differences from                others. APPLICATION OF MI THEORY WITH ADULT ESL LEARNERSRather            than functioning as a prescribed teaching method, curriculum, or                technique, MI theory provides a way of understanding intelligence,              which teachers can use as a guide for developing classroom                      activities that address multiple ways of learning and                           knowing (Christison, 1999b). Teaching strategies informed by MI                 theory can transfer some control from teacher to learners by giving             students choices in the ways they will learn and demonstrate their              learning. By focusing on problem-solving activities that draw on                multiple intelligences, these teaching strategies encourage learners            to build on existing strengths and knowledge to learn new content               and skills (Kallenbach, 1999). It may also mean the adult learners              who have had little success in traditional classrooms where only                linguistic and mathematics skills are valued may experience more                success when other intelligences are tapped. Likewise, adult ESL                learners from cultures where other intelligences-such as                        interpersonal or musical-are highly valued may find the MI classroom            a productive learning environment. 
Broadly speaking, teachers have            developed four ways of using MI theory in the classroom. 
1. As a              tool to help students develop a better understanding and                        appreciation of their own strengths and learning preferences.                   Christison (1999a) has developed an inventory to identify the                   preferred intelligences of adult English language learners.                     Learners are asked to respond to six statements about each of eight             intelligences. An excerpt follows. MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES                     INVENTORY FOR ESL/EFL ADULTSDirections: Rate each statement 2,              1, or 0.  2 means you strongly agree. 1 means you are in the middle.            0 means you disagree. Total the points for each intelligence.                   Compare your scores on the different                                            intelligences. 
Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence 
--- 1.  I like to             read books, magazines, or newspapers. 
--- 2.  I often write notes             and letters to my friends and family. 
--- 3.  I like to talk to               people at parties. 
--- 4.  I like to tell jokes. 
--- 5.  I like             to talk to my friends on the phone. 
--- 6.  I like to talk about              things I read. 
Logical/Mathematical Intelligence 
--- 1.  I can              do arithmetic easily in my head. 
--- 2.  I am good at doing a                 budget. 
--- 3.  I am good at chess, checkers, or number                       games. 
--- 4.  I am good at solving problems. 
--- 5.  I like to             analyze things. 
--- 6.  I like to organize things. 
--- 7.  I                like crossword puzzles. 
Naturalist Intelligence 
--- 1.  I like              houseplants. 
--- 2.  I have or would like to have a pet. 
--- 3.             I know the names of many different flowers. 
--- 4.  I know the                names of many different wild animals. 
--- 5.  I like to hike and              to be outdoors. 
--- 6.  I notice the trees and plants in my                   neighborhood. 
Teachers may adapt the language and accompanying                activities to suit the needs of the language learners in their                  classes. Word finds, pair dictations, dictionary and spelling work,             focused listening, and grammar activities can help learners become              comfortable with the inventory language even while they are engaged             in skills work. Teachers may choose to let the students decide                  whether or not to score the inventory. Other activities, such as                dialog journals, murals or bulletin boards, and small group                     conversations also offer adult ESL learners opportunities to reflect            on their own strengths. The ideas and information that come from                these activities can inform learner needs assessment and                        goal-setting processes. 
2. As a tool to develop a better                      understanding of learners' intelligences. An understanding of MI                theory broadens teachers' awareness of their students' knowledge and            skills and enables them to look at each student from the perspective            of strengths and potential. Teachers also become aware of the                   different ways in which students may demonstrate their understanding            of material. MI theory provides a structured way of understanding               and addressing the diversity that ESL instructors often encounter in            the classroom (Christison, 1996). On a given topic or skill,                    teachers can brainstorm with learners a list of activities to                   practice. For instance, beginners can learn about consumerism by                making and labeling collages of merchandise, reading newspaper ads,             developing dialogues, or going on a scavenger hunt to the store. In             this way, each learner can acquire language skills by employing                 individual strengths or preferences. 
3. As a guide to provide a               greater variety of ways for students to learn and to demonstrate                their learning. Identification of personal strengths can make                   students more receptive to nontraditional learning activities and               can give students a successful experience that builds their                     confidence as learners. As learners and teachers work together,                 intelligences can emerge naturally through partner interviews,                  preference grids (I can..., I like to...), and needs assessments.               However, some teachers have encountered at least initial resistance             to this process of describing intelligences among students whose                cultural or educational backgrounds emphasize more traditional modes            of teaching and learning (Costanzo & Paxton, 1999). In this case,               teachers may choose to focus learners' attention on the language                they are practicing through these activities rather than on the                 theory. (More challenges to using MI-based activities in the adult              ESL classroom are described in the upcoming study on MI from the                National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and                             Literacy [Viens & Kallenbach, in press].) 
Teachers have noted                 other positive effects of applying MI theory. A curriculum informed             by MI theory provides a way of handling differing language skill                levels within one class-a very common situation in adult ESL                    classes (Costanzo & Paxton, 1999). When multiple activities are                 available, more students can find ways to participate and take                  advantage of language acquisition opportunities. With an MI                     curriculum, students become aware that different people have                    different strengths and that each person has a substantive                      contribution to make (Kallenbach, 1999). This fits in well with                 project-based learning where students in a group can divide tasks               based on individual strengths. For example, one learner might feel              confident about planning, another might prefer to do the writing,               and a third might feel able to present the project to the whole                 class. 
4. As a guide to develop lesson plans that address the full            range of learner needs. An MI-informed reading lesson may begin with            typical prereading activities (reviewing earlier material,                      predicting what will happen next), followed by silent reading or                reading aloud with discussion of vocabulary and text meaning.                   Learners can then complete a project, individually or in groups, to             demonstrate their understanding of the text. The teacher offers a               choice of projects, such as descriptive writing, map drawing,                   illustration, creation of a dialogue or skit, making a timeline,                song writing, and retelling. The objective is not to teach to                   specific intelligences or to correlate intelligences with specific              activities, but rather to allow learners to employ their preferred              ways of processing and communicating new information (Coustan &                 Rocka, 1999). 
Teachers using this type of lesson report that                  students become more engaged in and enthusiastic about reading; the             students gain greater understanding of material when they express               what they have read in ways that are comfortable for them; and their            reading strategies improve as reading becomes a tool for completion             of projects they are interested in (Coustan & Rocka,                            1999). CONCLUSIONTeachers who use MI theory to inform their               curriculum development find that they gain a deeper understanding of            students' learning preferences and a greater appreciation of their              strengths. Students are likely to become more engaged in learning as            they use learning modes that match their intelligence strengths. In             addition, students' regular reflection on their learning broadens               their definitions of effective and acceptable teaching and learning             practices. Students' increased engagement and success in learning               stimulates teachers to raise their expectations, initiating a                   powerful expectation-response cycle that can lead to greater                    achievement levels for all. REFERENCESChristison, M.A. (1996).            Teaching and learning languages through multiple                                intelligences. "TESOL Journal, 6" (1), 10-14. 
Christison,                     M.A. (1999a). "A guidebook for applying multiple intelligences                  theory in the ESL/EFL classroom." Burlingame, CA: Alta Book                     Center. 
Christison, M.A. (1999b). Multiple intelligences. "ESL                Magazine, 2" (5), 10-13. 
Costanzo, M., & Paxton, D. (1999).                   Multiple assessments for multiple intelligences. "Focus on Basics,              3" (A), 24-27. 
Coustan, T., & Rocka, L. (1999). Putting theory                into practice. "Focus on Basics, 3" (A), 21-24. 
Gardner,                      H. (1993). "Frames of mind: The theory of multiple                              intelligences (10th anniversary ed.)." New York: Basic                          Books. 
Gardner, H. (1999). Are there additional intelligences? The            case for naturalist, spiritual, and existential intelligences. In J.            Kane (Ed.), "Education, information and transformation" (pp.                    111-131). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. 
Kallenbach,                    S. (1999). Emerging themes in adult multiple intelligences                      research. "Focus on Basics, 3" (A), 16-20. 
Viens, J., &                       Kallenbach, S. (in press). "MI grows up: Multiple intelligences in              adult education sourcebook." Boston: National Center for the Study              of Adult Learning and Literacy. 
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The National Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy                  Education (NCLE) is operated by the Center for Applied                          Linguistics (CAL) with funding from the U.S. Department of                      Education (ED), Office of Vocational and Adult Education, under                 contract no. RI 93002010. The opinions expressed in this report do              not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of OERI or ED.                This document is in the public domain and may be reproduced without             permission.                                                                  **Title:** Multiple Intelligences: Theory and Practice in Adult ESL. ERIC                  Digest.                                                                      **Document Type:** Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (IAPs) (071); Information Analyses---ERIC Digests (Selected) in Full Text (073); **Available From:** For full text: http://www.cal.org/ncle/DIGESTS.                              **Descriptors:**  Adult Education,  Classroom Techniques,  English (Second Language),            Instructional Innovation, Literacy,  Literacy Education,  Multiple              Intelligences, Second Language Instruction, Second Language                     Learning, Teaching Methods                                                   **Identifiers:** ERIC Digests                                                                 
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