1.

Multiple Intelligences defined

Dr. Gardner defined multiple intelligence as a set of abilities, talents or
mental skills that all individuals possess to a greater or lesser extent.
According to him, all individuals possess each of the eight intelligences to
some extent, although individuals will differ in the degree of skills and in the
nature of their combination. Gardner stresses that it is the interaction
between the different intelligences that is fundamental to the workings of the
mind and that in the normal course of events, the intelligences actually
interact with, and build upon, one another. This theory had been widely
accepted in all fields, specifically the field of psychology and education. This
theory made a revolutionary change in the convetional learning styles and
curriculum. Thi theory triggers many more countries to have educational
reforms to auxillarize the students absoption of knowledge and skills to be
processed through transfers depending on their understanding. Gardner
identified eight different kinds of intelligence:
a. Linguistic Intelligence (word smart) refers to the ability to use
words and language, both written and spoken. Such learners have
highly developed auditory skills and are fluent speakers. They think
in words rather than pictures.
Their skills include listening,
speaking, writing, story telling, explaining and teaching.
b. Logical Intelligence (logic smart) refers to the ability to reason,
apply logic and work with numbers.
Such learners think
conceptually in logical and numerical patterns, making connections
between pieces of information. Their skills include problem solving,
classifying and categorising information, thinking logically,
questioning, carrying out investigations, performing mathematical
calculations and working with geometric shapes.
c. Visual-spatial Intelligence (picture smart) refers to the ability
to perceive the visual. Such learners tend to think in pictures and
need to create vivid mental images to retain information. Their
skills include understanding charts and graphs, sketching, painting,
creating visual images and constructing, fixing, and designing
practical objects.
d. Musical Intelligence (music smart) refers to the ability to
produce and appreciate music. These musically inclined learners
think in sounds, rhythms and patterns. They immediately respond
to music either appreciating or criticising what they hear. Their
skills include singing, playing musical instruments, recognising
sounds and tonal patterns, composing music and remembering
melodies.

e. Bodily Kinsthetic Intelligence (body smart) refers to the

ability to control body movements and handle objects skilfully.
Such learners express themselves best through movement. They
have a good sense of balance and hand-eye coordination. Through
interacting with the space around them, they are able to
remember and process information. Their skills include dancing,
physical coordination, sports, crafts, acting, miming and using their
hands to create or build.
f.

Interpersonal Intelligence (people smart) refers to the ability

to relate to and understand other people. These learners are able
to sense feelings, intentions and motivations and are adept at
recognising non-verbal language, for example body language.
Their skills include seeing things from other perspectives, listening,
using empathy, understanding other people's moods and feelings
and communicating both verbally and non-verbally.

g. Intrapersonal Intelligence (self smart) refers to the ability to

understand ourselves, who we are, and what makes us the way
that we are. Such learners are able to recognise their own
strengths and weaknesses and have a capacity for self-analysis,
awareness of their inner feelings, desires and dreams, evaluating
their thinking patterns and reasoning with themselves.
2. Messages of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences
The said theory, suggests that:
a. We are all born with a unique mix of all eight intelligences.
b. Intelligences combine in complex ways.
c. There are many ways to be intelligent within each category.
d. Most people can develop each intelligence to an adequate level of
competency.
e. Schools tend to focus mainly on three intelligences, those associated
with academic intelligence, that is, linguistic, visual and
logical/mathematical.
Schools nowadays, specially in the Philippines, only consider
intelligence as the childs aptitudes and capabilities based on their
academic performance, wheras based on the traditional IQ or
intelligence tests. These tests are centered on a test called the
Stanford-Binet, founded on the idea that intelligence is a single,

unchanged, inborn capacity. The test only measures five weighted

factors and consists of both verbal and nonverbal subtests. The five
factors being tested are knowledge, quantitative reasoning, visualspatial processing, working memory, and fluid reasoning. Considering
that a musical vituoso learner who wasnt aware of its capabilities and
skills would be frustrated if it sees its failing grades in the StanfordBinet test which only measures its reasonings, memory and visualspatial processing. Also considering the fact that in the Basic Education
Curriculum or BEC, informations in regard with a certain topic should
be digested in a chalk-talk methodology given by the teachers. In
this scenario, learners with inclinations in audio-visual intelligence
(Visual, Lingusitic) are the ones who are capable of abstracing the
knowledge given by the teachers. Due to lack of empowerment in the
sai theory, learners beyond those three intelligence will find it har to
cope up with the lessons and topics in the class, that might lead to
childs educational inefficiency.
f. The school curriculum should be better balanced in order to reflect a
wider range of intelligences.

3. Learners Awareness to Multiple Intelligences

4. Factors Affecting Learners Awareness to Multiple Intelligences
5. Educational Implications to Learners
Since Frames of Mind was first published (1983) educationalists throughout
the world have sought to derive practical implications from the theory,
building upon Gardners concern to link the theory to research on children's
learning in schools. To concretize this, here are some educational implications
given by the Theory of Multiple Intelligences:
a. The theory boosts up learners enthusiasm towards learning.
The researcher Carol Dweck, has shown that our attitudes to success
strongly affect our self-motivation and our willingness to try when
learning gets tough. People who think that their success (or the lack of
it) is down to a fixed level of intelligence, tend to give up trying to be
successful and put more effort into avoiding failure.
Getting beliefs about intelligence into the open and reflecting on them
can help people feel more positive and optimistic about both learning
and life in general. It is not about how smart you are, but how can you
get smarter.

b. The theory auxillarizes the information absorption of the students.

c. The theory helps the learners to reflect on their own perceptions about
their abilities.
Multiple intelligences can help learners to reflect on their own
perceptions about intelligence, cleverness and ability. It is important to
focus not only on the meaning of intelligence, but also on how people
become more intelligent.
d. The theory aids the learners to excel in their own field.
e. The theory supplements the learners deeper understanding of its role
to the classroom.
f.

The theory succors to contextualize what knowledge is needed to be

integrated.