Mutiple Intelligence: Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of MI describes how you can assess the different multiple intelligences of your students. The first thing you need to know is how students with the different intelligences think.

Different learning styles	Ways in which learners think
Linguistic	In words
Spatial	In images and pictures
Bodily-Kinesthetic	Through somatic sensations
Musical	Via rhythms and melodies
Interpersonal	By bouncing ideas offer other people
Intrapersonal	In relation to their needs, feelings, and goals
Naturalist	Through nature and natural forms
Logical-Mathematical	By reason

There are many ways in which you can asses your students but the best way is to simply observe them.  In the chapter the authors provide a checklist that you could perform on each student, which will make it easier for you to determine their primary learning strategy.  This will become useful when making lessons plans so that you can tailor the assignments that will promote the best work from your students.  Other examples of assessment are:

• Collecting Documents: pictures and videos can be used to capture memorable
• Looking at student records: typically which subjects were better/worse
• Talking with other teachers:  This will help in assessing the student as a whole, maybe they engage more/less in other subject areas, or even with different teaching strategies.
• Talking with student’s parents: This will help provide more information about the child through their actions outside of the classroom (different hobbies and interests).
• Ask students: feedback from students will tell you a lot.
• Set up special activities: Look for those kids who are striving and those that aren’t.

The importance of knowing your students different learning styles is essential and will help you teach in ways that your students will understand and maybe even engage in the material more enthusiastically.