Multiple Intelligences

Howard Gardner’s theory that intelligence has many forms – and that understanding our unique blend helps us learn, grow and support others more effectively.

DEVELOPED BY HOWARD GARDNER

we’re all intelligent in different ways

The concept of Multiple Intelligences was developed by Howard Gardner, a professor of education at Harvard University, and first published in his book Frames of Mind (1983). It quickly became established as an important model explaining the different ways in which we learn, think, understand and act. Gardner’s main idea is that intelligence has many forms – that we’re all intelligent in different ways.

The common assumption that some people are highly intelligent whilst others are not, and that intelligence can be assessed through measures such as the IQ test, is both deeply flawed and unhelpful. It prevents us from understanding intelligence more broadly and from creating meaningful learning opportunities. Sadly, it also means that many children and adults feel judged as ‘stupid’ or ‘bad’ for not being intelligent in the narrow way we traditionally conceptualise intelligence.

Gardner argues that each person has a unique blend of multiple intelligences, not just one type or level of intelligence. He originally identified seven different intelligences: logical-mathematical, linguistic, spatial-visual, musical, bodily-kinaesthetic, intrapersonal and interpersonal.

The types of intelligence that we possess both affect how we perceive the world and how we prefer to learn. For instance, a child with a stronger bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence might most meaningfully learn about aerodynamics with a parachute strapped on so as to physically experience the forces at play. A child with stronger musical intelligence might learn a poem much better by turning it into a song.

YOUR UNIQUE BLEND

most of us are strong in three types of intelligence

Based on Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory (1983, updated to include naturalist intelligence).

Gardner suggests that most of us are strong in three types of intelligence, which come most naturally to us. They are likely to influence what we enjoy doing – playing chess (logical-mathematical), dancing (bodily-kinaesthetic), socialising with friends (interpersonal) – as well as how we learn.

It is important to recognise that, according to Gardner, all intelligences have equal value. None is better or more desirable or more likely to cause happiness. However, we need to understand our own blend of intelligences and use this to our advantage, because our intelligences provide important clues about how we best learn, what our preferred learning styles are and how we can develop our strengths as well as our weaknesses.

Perhaps the most obvious yet commonly ignored implication of multiple intelligences is that, as human beings, we learn far better and far more effectively if we use our strengths. We’ll feel better, more relaxed and more confident as a result, whereas the pressure of possible failure and being forced to act and think unnaturally cause stress and have a corrosive effect on our learning.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

designing environments that honour how people learn

As professionals engaged in learning settings – both formal and informal, with children or adults – we have particular responsibility to ensure that learning opportunities reflect multiple intelligences and the diverse ways in which people learn effectively. Gardner’s model provides an excellent framework, which has been taken up by many schools and other educational settings.

Some schools have gone so far as to design the school environment accordingly: cosy quiet corners for intrapersonal learners, social spaces for groups of interpersonal learners, areas for bodily-kinaesthetic learners to be physically active, and zones where naturalistic learners can engage with pets or tend to flowers.

Even small ways of encouragement can make a big difference: a ‘body smart’ child constantly fiddling with a pen might find it easier to concentrate if they can shape a lump of play-doh; a ‘picture smart’ child might just need somewhere to doodle.

Developing our strengths will make us more responsive to learning experiences that help us develop our weaknesses too. Neither way of learning is superior – both children could end up doing equally well if given the opportunity to learn in the ways they learn best.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

a well-balanced world needs people who are different

Since Gardner first introduced the 7 multiple intelligences, he has further developed the model, which now commonly includes naturalist intelligence as an eighth form – describing people who are very in tune with their natural environment, enjoy being outdoors, love gardening or caring for a pet. Gardner has also considered further intelligences, particularly spiritual and moral intelligence, though these are more complex and therefore more difficult to measure and evidence.

As human beings we cannot possibly be strong in all multiple intelligences. In life we need people who collectively are good at different things. A well-balanced world, and well-balanced organisations and teams, are necessarily comprised of people who possess different mixtures of intelligences. This gives the group a fuller collective capability than a group of identically able specialists. We can thus greatly benefit by actively and non-judgementally engaging with people who are different to us.

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE

questions to sit with

Which of the eight intelligences feel most natural to you – and which do you find more challenging? How does that shape how you show up at work?
Think of someone you support. Which intelligences seem strongest in them? How are you creating opportunities that play to those strengths?
How does the learning environment you work in (or create) reflect the diversity of intelligences? What could you do differently?
How does Gardner’s theory connect to the Diamond Model’s principle that every person has something of value to offer – a diamond within them?