Theory of Gardner Multiple Intelligences

Definition

The theory of multiple intelligence was proposed by Howard Gardner in his 1983 book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligence as a model of intelligence that differentiates intelligence into specific (primarily sensory) "modalities", rather than seeing it as dominated by a single general ability. Gardner argues that there is a wide range of cognitive abilities, and that there are only very weak correlations among them. For example, the theory postulates that a child who learns to multiply easily is not necessarily more intelligent than a child who has more difficulty on this task. The child who takes more time to master multiplication may best learn to multiply through a different approach, may excel in a field outside mathematics, or may be looking at and understanding the multiplication process at a fundamentally deeper level. Such a fundamental understanding can result in slowness and can hide a mathematical intelligence potentially higher than that of a child who quickly memorizes the multiplication table despite possessing a less deep understanding of the process of multiplication.

I want my children to understand the world, but not just because the world is fascinating and the human mind is curious. I want them to understand it so that they will be positioned to make it a better place. Knowledge is not the same as morality, but we need to understand if we are to avoid past mistakes and move in productive directions. An important part of that understanding is knowing who we are and what we can do... Ultimately, we must synthesize our understandings for ourselves. The performance of understanding that try matters are the ones we carry out as human beings in an imperfect world which we can affect for good or for ill. (Howard Gardner 1999: 180-181)

Activity

• Research shows that children love classical music by composers such as Bach and especially Mozart – it stimulates the parts of the brain that are associated with maths and logic and helps concentration and talking. Choose music with a regular beat and classical harmonies, especially those incorporating string instruments. Play music from birth and never stop. Baby skills will benefit from listening, sense of rhythm, turning eyes and head to sounds, talking, handling emotions, concentration, later mathematical and logical thinking.