How do you Learn Best?

For use with Talking Point worksheets

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TalkingPoint
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How do you Learn Best?

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How do you Learn Best?

Instructions: Read the text below to find the answers to the questions on your worksheet.

Multiple Intelligences

How intelligent is so-and-so? This is a question that various organisations have been addressing for years. As long ago as World War 1, IQ tests were used to try to assess people's intelligence. Was this person bright or not? Yes or no? And so that person's future would be decided.

In fact such IQ tests and their bald results were accepted as the norm for decades until Howard Gardner developed a theory which refuted them. Gardner suggested that assessing people on one type of intelligence wasn't enough. In 1983, in his groundbreaking book Frames of Mind, he proposed seven types of intelligence: verbal, mathematical/logical, spatial, kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal and intrapersonal. He called these "Multiple Intelligences".

However, even then Gardner accepted that there were probably more than seven intelligences altogether, and that individual categories could be broken down further into sub-categories. For instance, interpersonal intelligence can be broken down into four subcategories: leadership, friendship, repairing relationships, social analysis. Nowadays it is accepted that there are nine intelligences:

1. visual/spatial
2. verbal/linguistic
3. mathematical/logical
4. bodily/kinaesthetic
5. musical/rhythmic
6. intrapersonal
7. interpersonal
8. naturalist
9. existentialist

As far as English learners are concerned, Visual/Spatial students can learn well through illustrations, tables, pictures etc. Verbal/Linguistic students can learn well through writing down, listening to and saying words and phrases. Mathematical/Logical students can learn quickly through problem-solving and reasoning. Bodily/Kinesthetic students can learn well by acting things out - roleplays and simulations etc. Musical/Rhythmic students can learn efficiently through songs and rhythmic poetry. Intrapersonal students can learn more quickly by personalising new words and grammar from the start. Interpersonal students can learn well through working in groups and interacting with other students. Naturalist students tend to learn more quickly through direct experience of the environment - a trip to an English speaking country would benefit these students in particular. Existentialist students like to relate their learning to the "big picture" of English. To learn something new they need to know how it fits in with everything else.

Quick Quiz
Read the clues below and write the solutions on a piece of paper. Then take the first letter of each answer and rearrange them to find the hidden word connected with this Talking Point.
  • 1. The __________/kinesthetic intelligence is shown by students who enjoy acting things out.

    2. Interpersonal intelligence can be broken down into four subcategories: leadership, friendship, repairing __________, social analysis.

    3. In the old days IQ __________ were used to test people's intelligence.

    4. __________ Gardner proposed the theory of Multiple Intelligences.

    5. In 1983 Gardner published his __________ book, Frames of Mind.

    6. __________ students can learn more quickly by personalising new words and grammar from the start.
Talking Point Homework, EnglishClub.com © Liz Regan 2004
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