Multiple Intelligences and Adult Literacy: 8 Things You Should Know

M Cecil Smith, Ph.D.

Northern Illinois University

Let’s start with a quiz…

What do the following four things have in common?

The Loch Ness Monster

“Weapons of Mass Destruction”

Intelligent Design

Effective ABE Instruction Using Multiple Intelligences Theory

Answer…

There is no evidence

to support any of these

What are multiple intelligences? Howard Gardner (1984): Frames of Mind 7 (now 8) intelligences

Linguistic (using language) Logical-mathematical (calculate, quantify) Kinesthetic (manipulate objects; physical

skills) Musical (sensitivity to pitch, melody, rhythm,

& tone) Spatial (think in 3-dimensional space) Interpersonal (understand, interact

effectively with others) Intrapersonal (accurately perceive oneself) Naturalistic (observe & classify patterns in

nature)

MI Claims: Intelligence is “the biopsychological

potential to solve problems or create products that are valued within one or more cultural settings”

Each intelligence has its own observable, measurable abilities

Every person has a unique profile of intelligences manifested as different areas of strength

A new way of thinking about intelligence

MI and schooling: According to proponents, MI-based

instruction can have positive effects on K-12 students:More self-directed and confidentFewer disciplinary problemsHigher achievementMore parental involvementPositive affective changes

MI and Adult Education Proclaimed benefits of MI:

Reduce teacher-directedness Increase student choice, control, and

participation Expand type and range of instructional

strategies Personalize instruction Make learning more authentic, relevant,

meaningful Students self-assess

But—what do you really, really need to know about multiple intelligences?

The first thing you need to know… MI is not a theory of education or of

teaching Multiple intelligences, as a psychological

theory, is an account of individual differences in intellectual functioning

MI theory does not describe or prescribe how to organize curriculum, design instruction, or assess learners

The second thing you need to know… Gardner and others claim that multiple

intelligences are not learning styles! the characteristic ways in which a person

concentrates on, processes, internalizes, and remembers information

Other experts argue that multiple intelligences are, in fact, learning—or, more accurately, cognitive—styles

Most likely, these intelligences simply refer to a variety of talents that individuals may possess

The third thing you need to know…

MI needs better evidence to advance good instructional practiceSome evidence has been reported in

regards to learning in K-6 classrooms (less so in secondary classrooms)

Few studies exist Few or no comparison groups Teacher reports rather than standardized measures

The fourth thing you need to know… There are different types of evidence

Worst: Anecdotes, testimonials Case studies (description)

What do MI classrooms look like? How do Ss respond to MI instruction?

Correlation studies What is the statistical relationship between levels of

MI curriculum implementation and students’ achievement?

Quasi-experiments MI class vs. standard instruction class

Best: True randomized trials Are there statistically significant differences between

experimental (MI) group and control (standard instruction) group in regards to reading achievement?

The fifth thing you need to know… What evidence exists to support MI in

adult education classroom --None available in the research literature!Database search:

“MI” PsycInfo: n = 87 (1984-2006) “MI” ERIC: n = 999 (1984-2006) “MI” + “adult education” ERIC : n = 30

No studies in the education literature reportoutcome data for adult students after MIcurriculum is introduced

…and wishing doesn’t make it so!

“MI theory seemed to cause improvements…”

“I believe that MI skills will make it easier for my adult students to learn English…”

“My observations of my students suggested that…”

The sixth thing you need to know…

Teaching that emphasizes logical-mathematical, kinesthetic, musical, spatial, inter- or intrapersonal, or naturalistic intelligence is unlikely to help adults learn to read

Teaching that emphasizes linguistic intelligence might help adults learn to read

The seventh thing you need to know… MI theory is often used inappropriately in

practice This is not surprising, as there are few

guidelines about how to appropriately implement an MI curriculum in the classroom

But there are many ideas for classroom activities (most are pretty dumb)

Teaching an MI curriculum in a valid manner requires teaching to students’ particular intellectual strengths, not teaching every intelligence for every student

The eighth thing you need to know… It is possible to gather evidence on MI

effectiveness in ABE classrooms! How to do it:

Assess multiple intelligences or learning style preferences using reliable, valid measures

Match students if you cannot randomly assign to instructional groups

Observe and assess frequently Maintain treatment fidelity Measure learning outcomes, such as reading ability,

using reliable and valid measures (e.g., standardized tests)

In sum…

Be cautious about using instructional methods based on theories that have little or no empirical support

When implementing new methods in your classroom, structure the class and gather valid data so that you can determine if these methods “work”