The teacher’s role is extremely important in making sure students get the most out of the theory of multiple intelligences. Teachers should be familiar with students’ strengths and learning styles to develop the best activities, projects, and layouts for their students.
The methodologies and strategies teachers implement should support all types of intelligences, not just the traditional ones such as linguistic and logical intelligences. Teachers should continuously observe students’ interests and successes in different areas and continually modify the classroom layout and academic plans accordingly.
Teaching using the theory of multiple intelligences is essentially teaching the student in the way the student learns. It involves giving up traditional beliefs about how to teach and instead puts the student first when it comes to planning.
Presenting topics using the theory of multiple intelligences, which encourages using different pathways and tools to study information, can have a very positive effect on students’ learning experiences. For example, incorporating role play, collaborative work, pictures, puzzles, or field trips facilitates a learning experience that will not only allow different types of learners to learn but will enrich every individual’s understanding of the topic.
The best way to layout a classroom to support multiple intelligences is to have places in the room that work for each type of intelligence.
| Multiple Intelligence | Students’ Strengths | Needed Classroom Space |
| Verbal – Linguistic | words, language, writing | a quiet area for reading, writing, and practicing speeches |
| Logical-Mathematical
| analyzing problems, mathematical operations, mathematical computations | an area where students can conduct mathematical and scientific experiments |
| Visual-Spatial
| visual and spatial judgment | an open area for working with manipulatives or creating art |
| Bodily-Kinesthetic
| physical movement and motor control | an open area for body movement such as dancing or playing sports |
| Musical
| rhythm and music | a separate area for listening to and creating music, perhaps with soundproofing or headphones |
| Naturalistic
| finding patterns and relationships in nature | an outdoor learning space or indoor aquarium or terrarium
|
| Interpersonal
| understanding and relating to people | an area with large tables for group work
|
| Intrapersonal | introspection, self-reflection, and self-analysis | areas for students to work alone or on individual activities |
By applying the theory of multiple intelligences in the classroom, educators take into consideration the different types of learners they might have in their class, reinforce all types of intelligences in every student, and allow for an individual learning process that enables each student to demonstrate learning and utilize his or her specific abilities.
Giving students the chance to discover and develop their different intelligences can have a series of benefits for students. The benefits include fostering new talents; becoming more involved and active learners; developing each student’s capacity to recognize and value their individual strengths; and guiding students into becoming confident, successful, and accomplished adults in their field of choice.
Additional research may be needed in order to understand the best possible methods to assess and support a range of intelligences in the classroom. For now, the theory of multiple intelligences has already taught students, teachers, parents, and administrators to broaden their definition of intelligence and to include all types in the equation.
