| American schools have traditionally favored | | | | verbal-linguistic intelligences for analysis |
| those students who excel in the linguistic | | | | of the literature and for organization of |
| and analytical arenas because these skills | | | | their essays, in addition to the |
| are highly valued in our culture. | | | | verbal-linguistic intelligence for reading |
| Unfortunately, this traditional approach | | | | and writing and the intrapersonal |
| leaves certain students behind to stumble | | | | intelligence for the introspective thought |
| blindly through an educational system which | | | | process.3. Assign a mini-research project and |
| ignores their unique abilities. This is not | | | | allow students to present their research in a |
| to say that the development of linguistic and | | | | way that suits their own intelligences. I |
| analytical skills should be abandoned in | | | | assign a 1920s mini-research project as an |
| favor of nontraditional approaches to | | | | introduction to The Great Gatsby by F. Scott |
| education. Rather, traditional and | | | | Fitzgerald.I give students the opportunity to |
| nontraditional approaches should be combined | | | | work alone, in pairs, or in groups of three |
| to formulate a method of education that is | | | | or four. Each student is required to select |
| best suited to the students who populate our | | | | his or her own topic to research. If students |
| classrooms.The theory of multiple | | | | choose to work with classmates, their |
| intelligences, developed by psychologist | | | | individual research is to be integrated into |
| Howard Gardner, offers a balance which | | | | one presentation. As preparation for their |
| teaches students what they need to know in | | | | projects, students brainstorm methods for |
| order to be successful in our society in a | | | | demonstrating knowledge. The form of the |
| way that compliments the unique abilities | | | | final product is left to the students' |
| that each individual possesses.Having said | | | | discretion. As a result, students can use the |
| this, how does one go about effectively | | | | combinations of intelligences with which they |
| implementing the multiple intelligences into | | | | are most comfortable.4. Assign small groups |
| the classroom? Unfortunately, much has been | | | | of students to "act out" a portion of a work |
| done in the name of multiple intelligences | | | | of literature. I have used this approach with |
| without actually stimulating any portion of a | | | | novels and Shakespearean drama.When using |
| child's brain. For example, simply running | | | | this approach with a novel, I assign groups |
| around a classroom haphazardly cannot be said | | | | of three or four students to a chapter. They |
| to call upon the bodily-kinesthetic | | | | are asked to select a passage or a series of |
| intelligence unless another component of the | | | | passages that they like and which are |
| activity triggers thought on the part of the | | | | important to the development of the chapter |
| student. On the other hand, the student who | | | | and the novel. They are also required to plan |
| creates a dance based upon a work of | | | | and present a rationale in which they explain |
| literature and communicates the essence of | | | | the reason they select their passage(s) and |
| that work to an audience is clearly | | | | the importance of the passage to the novel. |
| demonstrating the bodily-kinesthetic | | | | They are asked to consider foreshadowing, |
| intelligence.The following lesson ideas | | | | symbolism, and characterization when planning |
| target a range of intelligences...1. Use a | | | | their rationales. (The literary devices |
| scenario that relates to your content | | | | assigned depend upon the novel.)To complete |
| (something controversial works best) and ask | | | | this assignment, students use their |
| students to discuss it. I have used a | | | | intrapersonal, verbal-linguistic, and |
| scenario called "The Soldier's Dilemma" to | | | | logical-mathematical intelligences in scene |
| introduce themes found in Shakespeare's | | | | selection, their interpersonal and |
| Julius Caesar and in literature from the | | | | logical-mathematical intelligences in |
| Realism movement.First, I read the scenarios | | | | planning and organizing their scene, their |
| out loud to the students, then I ask them to | | | | interpersonal, verbal-linguistic, and |
| work in groups to answer questions about the | | | | bodily-kinesthetic intelligences to act out |
| scenario. Each group is asked to come to a | | | | the scene, and they use their |
| consensus about their opinions. Once they | | | | logical-mathematical and verbal-linguistic |
| have sufficient time to debate the issue, I | | | | intelligences to organize and present their |
| ask them to return to their seats for a whole | | | | rationales at the end of the scene.When using |
| class discussion.During the process of | | | | this approach with Shakespearean drama, I |
| thinking about and discussing the scenario, | | | | manage to incorporate all of the |
| students must use their interpersonal skills | | | | intelligences into one assignment. It is an |
| to defend their positions, first with their | | | | elaborate assignment that cannot be fully |
| group members, then with the entire class. | | | | explained in the given space, but students |
| Students also need to use their intrapersonal | | | | are asked to adapt the play to a modern |
| intelligences because the emotional level of | | | | situation. Then they have to write a script, |
| this discussion requires a sense of | | | | create sets, props, and costumes, plan music |
| self-awareness and self-understanding. | | | | sound effects, etc. Finally, they perform |
| Students also need to use their | | | | their rendition for the class.Handouts are |
| logical-mathematical and verbal-linguistic | | | | available for most of these assignments. |
| intelligences for analysis and their | | | | Visit The Writing Tutor to obtain handouts or |
| verbal-linguistic intelligence for | | | | to obtain more information about any of these |
| communication.2. Use an opinionnaire as a | | | | assignments.References:Johannessen, L. R. |
| thought-provoking activity. I've used | | | | (1994). The call of adventure: Jack London's |
| opinionnaires as introductory activities and | | | | "To Build a Fire." Notes Plus, 12 (1), |
| I have also used them as the basis for essay | | | | 11-15.Johannessen, L. R. (1997, January 20). |
| assignments.I use a wilderness survival | | | | Teaching the Vietnam War. Presented at a |
| opinionnaire when I teach "To Build a Fire" | | | | teacher's institute meeting at Township High |
| by Jack London. Students complete the | | | | School, LaGrange, IL.Michele R. Acosta is a |
| opinionnaire before reading the short story, | | | | freelance writer, a former English teacher, |
| then again after reading and discussing it. | | | | and the mother of three boys. Acosta has |
| The second opinionnaire is followed up with | | | | recently completed her first self-help |
| an essay assignment that asks students to | | | | writing book called Improving Sentence |
| identify three statements from the | | | | Structure. The ebook format is available from |
| opinionnaire for which their answers changed | | | | A to Z Publishing. Acosta's newest web site, |
| as a result of reading and discussing the | | | | Writer's Help Desk, offers freelance provider |
| story.This assignment requires students to | | | | listings and freelance job listings as well |
| consider the reasons for their answers on the | | | | as other resources for freelance writers. |
| first opinionnaire and then to consider what | | | | Visit The Writing Tutor for the ecourse |
| about the story and the class discussions | | | | version of Improving Sentence Structure and |
| made them change their opinions when | | | | for more articles, professional writing and |
| completing the second opinionnaire. Students | | | | editing services, and other writing and |
| are also required to use textual evidence in | | | | educational resources. Copyright (c) |
| support of their reasoning. As a result, | | | | 2004-2006 The Writing Tutor & Michele R. |
| students use their logical-mathematical and | | | | Acosta. All rights reserved. |