Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligence

What?
Briefly, Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles could be defined as follows:

Multiple Intelligences (MI): is a cognitive theory of learning proposed by Howard Gardner (1993) that on one side pins down from a new perspective how students would learn best, and how education should convey to the double purpose of building knowledge and form people; and, on the other, it redefines the concept of intelligence (held to be just logical/mathematical and linguistic) proposing the following eight intelligences:

1- Linguistic: the ability to use language in special and creative ways.
2- Logica/mathematical: the ability to think rationally.
3- Visual/spatial: the ability to form mental models of the world.
4- Musical: a good ear for music.
5- Bodily/kinaesthetic: having a well-coordinated body.
6- Interpersonal: the ability to be able to work well with people.
7- Intrapersonal: the ability to understand oneself and apply one’s talent successfully.
8- Naturalistic: the ability to understand and organize the patterns of the nature.

These entire intelligences gather together to conceive then intelligence as “the ability to respond successfully to new situations and the capacity to learn from one’s past experiences.” (Source)

In order to guide better the definition of this theory, some questions are proposed:

- How is language seen?
According to this theory, language is seen as communication. Language is not limited to linguistics perspectives but encompasses all aspects of communication, by integrating it to activities that enlarge and intensify the eight intelligences, which at the same time enrich language learning possibilities.

- Is it (MI) designed for second or foreign language? No, it isn't designed for second or foreign language education, rather it is a cognitive model that seeks to improve students' innate abilities and talents.

- What is the theory of language/learning within it? It has neither any theory of language nor of learning associated within it.

- Does it follow any syllabus or design? MI follows a four stages pacing: 1-Awaken the intelligence, 2-Amplify the intelligence, 3- Teach with/for the intelligence and 4- Transfer of the intelligence. This pacing is applied to every curriculum design, and steps 2 from 4 are carried out through out lessons.

- How is learner conceived? Learners are bearers of special abilities--intelligences--that teachers must awake and intensify. In opposition to traditional language learners, MI’s learners become aware of their innate abilities to guide themselves their learning process.
- What is the role of the teacher? Teachers have to be prone to identify his/her students’ intelligences; be eager to amplify/intensify them, help them awake the others; and, become lessons planners, curriculum designers and active actors in the forming process of the students.

Once explored cursory what MI is, let us continue with Learning Styles.

Learning Styles (LS): it refers to all those set of theories and methods about how individual learns best. In H.D. Brown’s (2002, p.6) words: “learning styles are ways of remembering thoughts and ideas and of practicing skills.”

Accordingly, learning styles are methods to state how learners process, analyse and store stimuli and information in a broader and deep way. Mainly, people tend to be labelled into three great sensory styles (source): visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners:

Visual learners are those who learn through seeing. They think in pictures and learn best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-outs.

Auditory learners are those who learn through listening. They learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others have to say. Auditory learners interpret the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other nuances.


Kinaesthetic learners often learn best by physically doing something, rather than reading or hearing about it. They learn through, moving, doing and touching.

Moreover, there are several conditions to have in mind to identify accurately your students learning style:

Determine whether they are visual, auditory or kinaesthetic learners.
Identify if they are whether: - fast or slow learners [speed]
- use their eyes or their ears [visual or auditory]
- say things without thinking or after thinking a lot
[Reflective or impulsive]
- learn by doing or by analysing and thinking
[Planner or doer]
- enjoy exact rules or general guidelines
[ ]
- practice alone or with other people
[Interpersonal intelligence or not]


So what?
So as to pin down better the advantages and disadvantages of MI and Learning Styles in foreign language education, let us assume first, that, teachers commit, manage, design and know how to apply the MI theory and the learning styles methods. In addition, let us assume that classrooms don’t exceed the amount of 30 students (which in fact is a huge quantity of people!). And finally, let us assume that schools and institutions have the budget to carry out these experiences (of applying MI and Learning Styles).
Without stating these assumptions, the constraints of the Colombian educational system would declare unsuitable these method and theory.

Advantages: any effort to emphasize the differences among people is well received in education, as well as commitment with the formation process of the students. If teachers are aware of how learners learn better, of their learning rhythms, of their likes and dislikes, of their cultural inclination towards one sensory style or intelligence, these would feedback the society at all. More commitment with the education means conscious politics of issues such as employment, health, environment, industry and economical development, sports and so on.

In this sense, MI as well as LS nurture sensitive people towards the issues above. Furthermore, MI and LS seek to set content in the intelligences and styles of the learners, what would lead to significant learning, and commitment with it.

Finally, the most important feature of these models is that once students learn what are they good at, how they perform best, and how they learn best, these abilities could be transfer to the other disciplines and subjects.

Disadvantage: however, the previous advantage may become in a constraint if the learners’ intelligences and learning styles are developed only by the foreign language teacher. MI as well as LS need to be cross-curricular developed; in other words, it needs the help of every subject teacher, to first identify the student’s intelligence and learning rhythm. This information must go from teacher to teacher in order to classify and systematized each student’s ability. To second, build curriculums, evaluation and assessment’s plans, extra-curricular activities and finally, parental support, to guide, in sum, the student’s learning process.

Now what?

Now, to carry out MI theory and LS methodology, I would have in mind all the constraints of the Colombian societal and educational environment. In consequence, the first thing to do is to think:
How may I adapt the institution’s curriculum to fit MI and LS models? What standards and achievements (logros) suit better to MI theory to work on? Is it worthwhile this effort?
Then, I once answered and weighted up the previous questions I would take two different desitions:

First, if it is not worthwhile, I would use MI and LS models to help students with any learning problem. I would identify what they are good at (subject), what intelligence is more developed in each of them, and what are their likes and dislikes, in order to develop a complete approach to address their flaws. Of course, these plans must consist in a class part and in a house part and the complete parental advisory.

Second and finally, if it could be carried out I would apply a diagnostic test, perhaps an adaptation of Gardner’s assessment rubric to determine which of the eight intelligences my students have, and how they relate among them.
In addition, if I am a course director, I would ask the other subject’s teachers about the performance of my students in their classes.
Finally, I would design a lesson rubric to perform each of my classes, having in mind the predominance of one intelligence or several during the tasks, as this one*:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Topic:
Task:

Skills:
Intelligences:

Aims
General aim:

Standards

Level:
Course:
Amount of students:
Type of school:
Time:

Stage
Description
Teacher role
Learners role
Array
Instructional materials
Time


Grammatical aspect:
Competence:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------* In the original document this is a rubric, with cells and colums as such, not as it appears hear.


Sources:
RICHARDS Jack and RODGERS Theodor, Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press. 2001. Pages 115- 124.

BROWN, H.D. Strategies for Success. White Plains, N.Y. Addison-Wesley Longman. 2002. Pages 5- 10.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles
Web page consulted on September 19 2008, 15h

http://www.bbc.co.uk/keyskills/extra/module1/1.shtml
Web page consulted on September 20 2008, 10h

http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm
Web page consulted on September 20 2008, 10h