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Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences

I want my children to understand the world, but not just because the world is fascinating and the human mind is curious. I want them to understand it so that they will be positioned to make it a better place. Knowledge is not the same as morality, but we need to understand if we are to avoid past mistakes and move in productive directions. An important part of that understanding is knowing who we are and what we can do... Ultimately, we must synthesize our understandings for ourselves. The performance of understanding that try matters are the ones we carry out as human beings in an imperfect world which we can affect for good or for ill. (Howard Gardner 1999)

Throughout our reading of Pedagogy of Multiple Literacies, we found many strong connections with Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Below is a flow chart describing each intelligence. We are going to explain how some of them relate directly with the theory of multiliteracy that was posed in the essay. 

In “A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies” from The New London Group, logical intelligence is something scarcely touched upon even though it, and mathematical intelligence, is something that would be very helpful in the corporate world, and according to the New London Group, “corporate culture demands assimilation to mainstream norms that only really works if one already speaks the language of the mainstream.” “Logical-Mathematical Intelligence may be defined as the ability to appreciate and calculate the effect of actions upon objects or ideas and the relationships among them,” individuals “are able to calculate and work out relationships and connections between items. They enjoy mental challenges seeking out solutions to logical, abstract and mathematical problems and have good deductive reasoning skills” (@http://www.inspiring-breakthrough.co.uk/learning-styles/mathematical-logical-learning.htm). These are the individuals who are intouch with the workplace “hierarchy” mentioned by The New London Group, where “commitment, responsibility, and motivation are won by developing a workplace culture in which the members of an organization identify with its vision, mission, and corporate values.”
 * Logical/Mathematical **

Visual and spatial intelligence, I believe, are the kin of intelligences that the New London Group would find essential in any literate person. Those with a heightened intelligence in this domain “are able to think in three-dimensional terms and can re-create an idea into a working visual model that they are able to adapt and modify such a model prior to any physical construction” (@http://www.inspiring-breakthrough.co.uk/learning-styles/visual-spatial-learning.htm), in other words, they have the ability to look at the functioning world as a constantly changing entity, and approach it in a way that allows them to make necessary changes when needed (although this form of intelligence is generally more concerned with more concrete objects). They are often more aware of the world around them than being limited to only their own world, and thus can be thought to have a more informed sense of multicultural literacy.
 * Visual/Spatial **

Gardner’s **Existential Intelligence** refers to the ability and proclivity to pose (and ponder) questions about life, death, and ultimate realities. This enables students to situate themselves within a larger context, whether it is a classroom or their community. Below are some ways that Gardner’s theory of existential intelligence ties into the New London Group’s Multiliteracies. Working Life The New London Group is proposing changes for the languages needed to make meaning in the radically changing three realms of our existence: our working lives, our public lives (citizenship), and our private lives (lifeworld). This ties into Gardner’s theory that students need to be prepared linguistically to face the working world. The New London group is saying that cultural and linguistic diversity are now central and critical issues. “Local diversity and global connectedness mean not only that there can be no standard; they also mean that the most important skill students need to learn is to negotiate regional, ethnic, or class-based dialects;” Personal Lives The New London Group is stating a necessity “to make space available so that different lifeworlds - spaces for community life where local and specific meanings can be made - can flourish.” This ties into the Gardner’s “ultimate realities” when people will need the ability and proclivity to pose questions about their personal lives in relation to the world. Students will place themselves within a larger context (the community) so that different lifeworlds come together to flourish.

Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences include **Interpersonal and Intrapersonal**. Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to understand other people. Intrapersonal intelligence is an understanding of self—who you are and what you can do. The New London Group looks at connections between social environments and literacy pedagogy, or “multiliteracies.” The authors emphasize that today’s workplace demands that students learn to use technology and work collaboratively. They need to be able to use appropriate tools such as email, think critically, and communicate well when problem solving with others. These are all aspects of intrapersonal intelligence. Being able to assert goals and share ideas and opinions are aspects of intrapersonal intelligence the authors believe are important. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Individuals make meaning based on their own knowledge of available designs, and redesigning to make new meaning. As individuals partake in any number of discourses, intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences are a key element of multiliteracy.

__<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Below are intelligences that the New London Group did not address. __

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">In the journal Pedagogy of Multiliteracies, many of the points made concerning alternate ways of teaching literacy were linked to some of the proponents of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. However, despite an attempt to be more inclusive of different forms of literacy and communication that are arising in modern times, the authors of the article are still looking at literacy with too narrow a viewpoint. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Looking deeper at the connection between Multiliteracy and Multiple Intelligence, one can see that a few of the intelligences discovered by Gardner are not considered in this new literacy approach. The intelligences Bodily-Kinesthetic, Musical/Rhythmic, and Natural are not really commented on in the article, nor is it recognized that some individuals learn, communicate, and connect with the world in these ways.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The **Bodily-Kinesthetic** intelligence focuses on the movement and awareness of ones body to interact with the world and to learn new things. It can include touching, using ones hands (such as a surgeon, a writer, or an artist) and moving ones whole body (like a dancer or athlete,) All of these are legitimate ways of expressing ideas, thoughts, and emotions and if taught can open up many new avenues of expression and learning by individuals. Even though many of these careers and professions, like writers and doctors, are very important people in society, this form of intelligence and learning is not mentioned in the talk about alternative types of literacy. *http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The **Musical/Rhythmic** intelligence centers on rhythm, beat, music, and sound vibrations for learning and thinking. Students who are profoundly of this intelligence may learn better with music in the background or by tapping out a rap to whatever they are learning. Currently we live in a world dominated by music. It is a universal language, present in every culture, and is constantly around. Tapping into literacy through a musical lens could really open up some great opportunities for individuals who are naturally attuned to learning in that way, but not so accustomed to traditional literacy. With all the talk about modern day media that is dominating the social world, music cannot be overlooked. *http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The **Natural** intelligence is one not always mentioned or referenced to and not entirely solid in its application to school, however it does carry weight in how people can relate with the world. Although it was not in the original Frames of Mind it was added later. Gardner qualified this intelligence by defining it as: “enables human beings to recognize, categorize and draw upon certain features of the environment. It 'combines a description of the core ability with a characterization of the role that many cultures value.’” In this way, this intelligence is very important for a report that is looking at making literacy valuable and accessible to people who do not traditionally benefit from it. The natural intelligence is an individual’s way of using his/her culture and skill set to interact with their environment, in this case civic society. *http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm

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<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">This is a link to the Multiple Intelligence Test. You can take the test to see which intelligence you score highest in! <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">http://www.literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html

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