Topic: Intelligence

K-12

10-second review: What are some different kinds of intelligence? Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple types of intelligence: “ The basic claim is that intelligence is not a single measurable entity but that we all possess eight different kinds of intelligence and use them in different proportions.”

Linguistic intelligence involves sensitivity to spoken and written language, the ability to learn languages, and the capacity to use language to accomplish certain goals.

Logical-mathematical intelligence. It entails the ability to detect patterns, reason deductively and think logically.

Musical intelligence involves skill in the performance, composition, and appreciation of musical patterns.

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence entails the potential of using one's whole body or parts of the body to solve problems. [Hard for me to visualize this intelligence in action. Sports? RayS.]

Spatial intelligence involves the potential to recognize and use the patterns of wide space and more confined areas.

Interpersonal intelligence is concerned with the capacity to understand the intentions, motivations and desires of other people.

Intrapersonal intelligence entails the capacity to understand oneself, to appreciate one's feelings, fears and motivations. It involves having an effective working model of ourselves, and to be able to use such information to regulate our lives.

Source: A. Reichert. Teaching English in Two-Year Colleges. (December 2004), 166. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English.

Comment: Makes sense to me, although the ways in which teachers have tried to make use of this theory have resulted in chaos and frazzled teachers. Still very much worth thinking about. I can remember the little teenager in my class who showed no capacity for English or expressed any personality, but who was actually a country singing star. I began to realize how little I understood the individual personalities of my students when I saw her perform for the first time. She was a completely different personality from the way she appeared to be in my class. I suppose she had musical and bodily-kinesthetic intelligences. RayS.