MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES IN THE CLASSROOM

1. MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES IN THE CLASSROOM Denver Jewish Day School Bringing Differentiated Instruction to Life Daniel Hettleman, Ph.D., P.C. October 31, 2012

2. A BRIEF HISTORY OF INTELLIGENCE TESTING • Alfred Binet (1904), France: very verbally oriented • Charles Spearman and “g” • Raymond Cattell: fluid and crystallized • David Wechsler, 1955 • WISC (4 editions), WPPSI (4 editions), WAIS (5 editions) • Verbal, Performance (Perceptual), Working Memory, Processing Speed • Howard Gardner (1980s)

3. DEFINING INTELLIGENCE • “Mainstream Science on Intelligence" (1994), an editorial statement by fifty-two researchers: • A very general mental capability that, among other things, involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly and learn from experience. It is not merely book learning, a narrow academic skill, or test-taking smarts. Rather, it reflects a broader and deeper capability for comprehending our surroundings—"catching on," "making sense" of things, or "figuring out" what to do.

4. A QUICK GUIDE TO HOWARD GARDNER • Anti- “g”-factor • Anti- office-based IQ tests • Intelligence =abilities for “problem-solving” and “fashioning products in a context rich and naturalistic setting” **EARLY CAVEAT: these 8 intelligences are strengths and weaknesses, not all-or-nothing

5. EIGHT INTELLIGENCES • Linguistic • Logical-mathematical • Spatial • Bodily-Kinesthetic ---------------- • Musical • Interpersonal • Intrapersonal • Naturalist

6. THEORETICAL BASIS • Can the skill be isolated in brain damage studies? • Do savants/prodigies exist with that particular form of intelligence?** • Does it have a distinctive developmental history and a definable set of performances? • Evolutionary plausibility • Support from psychometric findings** • Support from experimental psychological tasks • An identifiable core operation or set of operations • Susceptibility to encoding in a symbol system

7. LINGUISTIC: Martin Luther King • “Comprehending our surroundings” through language • Talks a lot (verbal output) • Makes sense of information verbally (even if the child does not talk a lot) • Takes in verbal instructions readily (auditory memory) • Organizes information through verbal means (talks self through problems, e.g. sub-vocalizing) • Explains processes verbally • Syntax, semantics, pragmatics: catching on to the meaning • Expressive Language measured by WISC/WPPSI Verbal Comprehension subtests, CELF, Picture Vocabulary tests • Receptive Language measured by WISC/WPPSI Working Memory subtests, sentence and narrative memory tests, DAS Verbal Comprehension subtest (following verbal instructions)

8. LINGUISTIC, part 2 • Gardner also includes phonological processing, phonemic awareness here • But we know now this is a fairly different process (with some overlap, some correlation) • Measured by Word Attack tests, Nonsense Word reading, DIBELS, CTOPP, WIAT Early Reading skills • Wordplay, rhyming • People good with foreign languages, mimics (comedians – Robin Williams), rappers

9. Utilizing linguistic intelligence in the classroom • INPUT: storytelling, lectures, Socratic dialogue • Stories about any subject matter • Poems, rhymes • Verbal repetition • Others??? • OUTPUT: • Tape recorders • Have them explain processes • Have them teach others • Homework assignments to describe what they’ve learned to their parents, siblings or friends • Letter writing, publishing • Others???

10. LOGICAL-MATHEMATICAL: Rain Man • “Comprehending our surroundings” through logic, sequences, patterns, categories • Capacity to use numbers effectively • If-then, cause-effect • Piaget: categorization, classification, abstraction, inference • Drawn to numbers, counting, quantifying, comparing, categorizing • Measured by WISC/WPPSI Perceptual Reasoning, math comprehension tests, SAT Analogies, GRE Analytic, LSAT • HOWEVER (BUYER BEWARE!): • rote math facts actually related just as much to phonological processing skills, rote memory • And logic is obviously just as much verbal as it is mathematical • And math skills are just as much language-related as spatial

11. Utilizing logical-mathematical intelligence in the classroom • INPUT: • Outlines, sequences, Venn diagrams • Lists (“High Fidelity”), time lines • Analogies • Legal analysis: historical precedent, current circumstances, hypotheticals (if-then, if-then) • Scientific: establishing hypotheses, isolating variables, predictions, measurements • Teach computer language!!! • Others??? • OUTPUT: • Same as above: outlines, lists, timelines, etc. • Others???

12. SPATIAL: Leonardo Da Vinci • “Comprehending our surroundings” through visual-spatial means • Strong crossover with Logical-Mathematical; more distinct from verbal than L-M • Strong crossover with Bodily-Kinesthetic (Larry Bird) • Considerable crossover with musical and interpersonal • Perceiving spatial relationships • Artistic, engineering, architecture: loves to draw, arrange, and build • Good at graphs, maps, diagrams • Knows where everything is in the classroom • Has good ideas for setting up space for activities • Measured by WISC Perceptual Reasoning, DAS Spatial, Beery VMI

13. Utilizing Spatial Intelligence in the Classroom INPUT: movies, diagrams, visualizations • Putting information they have to memorize into a memorable visual space • Method of loci (Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer) • Color cues • Paintings, sculptures, etc. • Graphic symbols • Role-plays, hikes, walk throughs • Others??? OUTPUT: role plays, diagrams, art work, maps, graphs • Others???

14. INTERPERSONAL: Oprah Winfrey • “Comprehending our surroundings” through interpersonal interactions • Highly social, perceptive of others’ emotions • Empathic, attuned, sensitive • Good at imitating others • Heightens/enhances learning • Responds differently to different teachers’ personalities • Measured by WISC “Comprehension” subtest, WISC Picture Arrangement, “projective tests” (e.g. Rorschach), questionnaires, interviews • Highly related to spatial intelligence

15. Utilizing Interpersonal Intelligence in the Classroom INPUTS: • Cooperative group learning (accountability) • 1:1 time • Group projects • Chevruta learning • Learning about others’ lives, others’ parents’ lives/professions • Reading biographies • Social-emotional learning, character education • Others?? OUTPUTS: • Same as above: • Peer counseling, honor councils • Others??

16. RESEARCH SUPPORTING COOPERATIVE GROUP LEARNING • Seattle Social Development Project • http:www.ssdp-tip.org/ssdp/findings.html • Child Development Project • http:wch.uhs.wisc.edu/13-Eval/Tools/Resources/Model%20Programs/C%20DP.pdf • Robert Slavin; David and Roger Johnson • http://www.co-operation.org/?page_id=65 • Slavin, R (1994). Cooperative Learning: Theory, Research, and Practice, 2nd Ed. (published by Pearson)

17. BODILY-KINESTHETIC: Michael Jordan • “Comprehending our surroundings” through physical, motoric channels • Heavy crossover with spatial, but this adds the motor-component. • You can have strong spatial reasoning, with weak motor skill, but it’s rare to have strong motor skill with weak spatial reasoning • Agility (Cirque-du-Soleil, dancers, athletes) • Hand-eye coordination (surgeons, mechanics) • In-class: athletic, play with tools, operate physically on the environment in order to understand it, touch everything (these kids might get on your nerves) • Measured by (not much in the psychology literature, because not typically valued): Beery VMI, Fingertapping, Occupational Therapists

18. Utilizing Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence in the Classroom INPUT (think Montessori classroom) • Activity centers • Manipulatives, “hands-on,” • Body maps: mapping concepts on to parts of the body • Others??? OUTPUT: • Charades, role-plays, theater, constructions • Athletics • Others???

19. MUSICAL: Mozart, Beethoven • “Comprehending our surroundings” through music: now Gardner gets flimsier. • VERY rare in isolation of the others. • Prodigies are rare • Among the rest of us, there is high crossover with logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic – and even verbal. • Really good musicians usually have high g • We know what this looks like: hums, sings, taps • The field of psychology does not measure this. “Name that Tune?”

20. Utilizing Musical Intelligence in the Classroom INPUTS: songs, poems, rhythms, • Schoolhouse rock • Multiplication table songs • Old folk songs: John Brown, Bob Dylan, lots of history in them • Teaching to the rhythm of classical music in 4/4 time e.g. Pachelbel’s Canon • Background music • Others?? OUTPUT: songs, poems • Beethoven’s wig (Richard Perlmutter); putting answers to classical music • Others??

21. INTRAPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE: Sigmund Freud • “Comprehending our surroundings through understanding ourselves” – the definition of navel gazing? • Self-awareness • Names emotions, reflects on own behavior • Capacity for self-discipline • Tolerance of weakness • Highly related to verbal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence

22. Utilizing Intrapersonal Intelligence in the Classroom • INPUT: • Meditation, self-reflection times, silence • Self-assessments • Healthy approach to strengths and weaknesses • Goal-setting (“yellow-brick road”) • Personal reflections, associations, “connections” • Social-emotional learning, character education • Others?? • OUTPUT: • Autobiographies, personal reflections/essays • Self-assessments • Others??

23. NATURALIST: John Muir • “Comprehending our surroundings” through exploration of the natural world • Outdoors-y, sensitivity for nature • Passion for nature • Appreciation for biological sciences

24. Utilizing Naturalist Intelligence in the Classroom • INPUT • Nature walks: learning science, math, history • Plants • Animals/pets • Others?? • OUTPUTS • Daydreamers – ask for their observations while looking out the window; have them track changes in light, shading, weather • Others??

25. COMPENSATION FOR WEAKNESSES • How can you learn math or geometry while taking a walk? • How can you discuss a book by asking a child to reflect on him/herself? • How can you teach multiplication tables through music? • How can you teach phonemic awareness through body or mouth movements? • How can you teach geography through poetry? • How can you teach history through a group competition? • How can you teach social skills with lists?

26. CAVEATS • These are preferences, not absolutes. • Just because a child comprehends his/her surroundings best using language does not mean an inability to do so through spatial or mathematical or musical means. • Just because a child has a score that is average, or even below average on an IQ test does not mean he/she is UNABLE to learn through that means, it just means it’s not as readily available or accessible.

27. WHAT TO DO? • In 2012, you’re probably already providing all or most of these opportunities for inputs and outputs. • Maybe this is a good reminder to yourself to notice the cognitive strengths in each child, and try to reach them through their strengths. • Don’t underestimate the student’s weak sides; they can be developed – even if not to the same extent as their greatest strengths. • Try a Howard Gardner matrix for each kid.

28. RESOURCES Armstrong, Thomas (2009). Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom (3rd edition). Alexandria, Virginia: ACSD. Gardner, Howard (1993) Multiple Intelligences: The theory in practice. New York: Basic Books.

29. CONTACT INFORMATION Daniel Hettleman, Ph.D., P.C. 1115 Grant St. #204 Denver, CO 80220 (303) 912-6632 dhettleman@comcast.net http://danielhettleman.com/