TEFL Cochabamba

The idea of a single intelligence has giving way to the theory of multiple intelligence that does not refer to a single measurable intelligence, the same for all individuals, but to different forms or abilities, each one indipendent from the other. An American psychologist, Howard Gardner, was the first one who intoduced the theory, undermining the old notion of intelligence that most of his colleagues believed to be a common feature for everyone. In this theory, intelligence can be expressed as abilities in different areas in nine different ways: 1-linguistic which means thinking about words and reflecting upon them; 2- logical-mathematical, thinking about numbers and reflecting on their relations; 3- spatial, thinking with visual images and processing them; 4- musical, thinking with and about music; 5- bodily-kinestethic, thinking with and about movements and gestures; 6- naturalistic, thinking about all the natural phenomena; 7- interpersonal, being successfull in relationships with others; 8- intrapersonal, reflecting on one's own mental state; 9- existential, that is the ability to contemplate phenomena beyond sensory data. The intention of Gardner was also to question those tests that were used especially in the Western culture to verify the level of intelligence of candidates or students during work or school selections. The socio-cultural context has influenced this evolution as well; in fact, if in the past learning a single job was enough for an entire lifetime, now with the advent of modern times there is the need to develop and experiment with other forms of intelligence. In my experience in italian schools, like the maggiority of other schools in Western culture, the focus is especially on linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences giving great importance to these two aspects. For a teacher, it is necessary to undertand that learning can not be explained using a single theory as everything can not be learned in the same form. Hence, the term "learning style" has been used to decribe an individual's natural and preferred way of absorbing, elaborating and retaining new information and skills (Reid 1995). We have all seen pupils who have a predilection of learning through seeing or hearing, or through physical action such as miming or role-play. I have personally applied different activities to help the learning process by adopting them in accordance with the various learning styles present in the classroom. Classes must be rich in stimuli, and if the teaching process reaches all kinds of intelligence it would be possible to establish a solid basis from which the learning experience can start and simultaneously the aspects of all the intelligences in each student can develop. For teachers and professionals the opportunity to use a range of teaching strategies to solicit potential intelligences in every student increases. Furthermore, working on groups of students with different forms of intelligence can be a good method to stimulate resources in other students. In this theory, the brain is divided into sectors linked to each other. Each intelligence can be enriched and the role of teachers is fundamental in order to ensure access to the learning process for all students, even if they have to activate different intellectual areas. Then the use multiple sources in the classroom such as visuals, gestures, body movements and sounds can get all the students involved. The theory of multiple intelligence proposes an alternative concept that also goes against the traditional instruments that are privileged in schools such as pencils and paper which principally develop, as already mentioned before, linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences. Abilities can be expanded without a lot of equipment but through a deep knowledge of our own students and of the sources to use for the specific development of these intelligences. It is therefore the teacher who chooses the exact approach to reach the largest possible number of students and possibly stimulate the others. The teacher must be the bearer of an innovative way of teaching which should become familiar and not occasional in order to increase al least one of the multiple intelligences which every student possesses. Reference: Frames of Mind: The theory of multiple intelligences, Howard Gardner – Basic Books; Multiple intelligence in the classroom, Thomas Armstrong - Association for Supervision & Curriculum Deve; British Council BBC – http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/articles/multiple-intelligences; How Languages are Learned, Patsy M. Lightbown – Nina Spada – Oxford University Press