Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences: educational objectives in terms of psychology.
Every parent wants their children to become intelligent and educated. Defining the human mind is not an easy task. However, it has been established that mental abilities cannot be assessed only on the grounds of IQ results or personal achievements. It has been proved that both inherent characteristics and environment determine the abilities of a child. This approach implies that talents can either flourish or wither away. Therefore, the early identification and nurturing of them is crucial. Some models for recognition and development of intelligences can help nurture different human abilities. One of those models has been defined by Howard Gardner, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and researcher into human intelligences.
Nine intelligences identified by Gardner
Following the conclusions of neurobiology and neuropsychology, Gardner proposed the theory of multiple intelligences, which serves as guidelines for many experts, educators in particular. The researcher defined nine kinds of intelligences based on a particular set of criteria:
1. Linguistic intelligence includes the ability to precisely use a native or foreign language with the purpose of expressing oneself, thinking and understanding others. Children with this expressed ability love reading and writing, doing crosswords, telling stories; they easily remember new information. This ability is highly developed in writers, poets, lawyers, speakers, reporters and advertisers. The bilingual education we employ at our institution attests to the importance we place on this intelligence.
2. Musical intelligence involves the ability to think in musical terms, recognise, remember, change and express musical patterns and rhythms. Children possessing this intelligence love singing and making beats to music. They are attentive listeners who are sensitive to the sounds others are indifferent to. The latest studies have shown that early music education has a profound impact on other kinds of intelligences. Listening to music and playing music is an integral part of everyday life at Saulės gojus, as the teachers of the centre are experienced experts in the field of early music education.
3. Logical-mathematical intelligence consists of the capacity to assess chains of logic and detect correlations between things by abstract reasoning and entails the ability to reason in numbers, sets and mathematical actions. Children who possess this intelligence love playing strategic games, puzzles, and experimenting. They are interested in mathematical tasks and exercises, categorizing things and phenomena, and finding out correlations between them. Mathematicians, computer experts and philosophers have a distinguished logical-mathematical intelligence, which is developed not only by using mathematical activities, educational table/strategic games, but by using different mathematical projects children are interested in.
4. Spatial intelligence involves the potential to perceive visual things, and use them as building blocks for making mental pictures and visualising surrounding environment in spacial shapes. Children who possess this capacity tend to think in images; they are in the habit of drawing, building, and modelling; they love putting pictorial puzzles together and find mazes to be fascinating. These capacities are necessary for chess players, sculptors, architects and painters. They should be developed at an early age. Thus Saulės gojus employs different pictorial puzzles, origami, art activities and a variety of movement games for the playful development of this particular intelligence.
5. Bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence involves the capacity of using one's whole body or parts of the body to produce things or solve certain problems. This kind of intelligence is necessary for athletes, actors, surgeons and dancers. Children who possess this kind of intelligence love different physical activities, manual work, handicraft and tasks involving dexterity. Daily brisk activities, active outdoor games, yoga, ballet and rythmics are instruments employed by the teachers of Saulės gojus to enhance children’s kinaesthetic intelligence and improve their health.
6. Intrapersonal intelligence involves the ability to exert self-control, understand personal limits and manage personal feelings effectively. People who possess this kind of intelligence are highly motivated and are able to assess their abilities and themselves and their feelings adequately and seem to be very appealing to us. Actors, writers and artists turn these characteristics into their occupation. Children who perceive their strengths and weaknesses, understand their sensitive nature and are able to express it demonstrate intrinsic intrapersonal intelligence. Thus creating favourable conditions for bringing out every child’s personality is a task and a challenge for Saulės gojus.
7. Interpersonal intelligence is related to the capacity to understand other people and be able to communicate with them effectively. People with a developed interpersonal intelligence tend to be leaders in their group; they are sociable and empathic, able to relate to other people’s feelings and put themselves in other people’s shoes. Educators, salespeople, religious and political leaders, therapists and counsellors have developed this kind of intelligence. Our kindergarten creates an environment that is beneficial for learning to communicate, cooperate and accept differences of each other. Intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences are tightly linked together, making up emotional intelligence.
8. Naturalist intelligence involves respect and a sustainable love for nature, an ability to observe it and its phenomena in a sensitive way. This intelligence is possessed by forestry officers, botanists, biologists, veterinarians, conservationists and environmentalists. The surroundings of Saulės gojus – the woods, meadows and countryside – contribute much to the development of naturalistic intelligence.
9. Existential intelligence refers to the ability to comprehend essential questions of human existence and search for the answers to them. “I have to brush my teeth perfectly as I am going to the ballet classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays,” says Gabrielė. The greatest spiritual leaders and philosophers embody this potential where the Dalai Lama represents the prime example of it. Gardner has not proposed an exhaustive definition of this intelligence yet.