MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE THEORY

An article written by me on the same topic was published in MBA Review of a leading University Press. The topic has always fascinated me. I strongly agree and believe to this theory. The application of this theory in the academics will surely bring about a lot of change in the Indian academic scenerio.

Indian society still has a long way to go when it comes to choosing the right career for the young ones. Even today parents encourage their children to go either for an engineering or a medical degree, without understanding the child's inclinations and his interests. And something which is very wrong in Indian Society is the belief that one's ability to perform well in maths has something to do with his/her intelligence. If a child is not showing interest towards maths or the physical sciences, he/she is branded as a dull student and vise versa. The child may be very good in the social sciences and after all we all live in society and need to know the society well. The application of the knowledge of the social sciences is much more than the knowledge of machines [pun unintended].

Environment gives shape to a person’s skills, abilities, beliefs and also intellect. No human being is born perfect. The atmosphere at home, behavior of parents, kind of school they study, the kind of books they read, the kind of films or TV. programs they watch, the kind of friends they maintain and the extended society adds ingredients to the development of the attitude or intellect of a student. Educational Institutions have the responsibility to create equal opportunities for learning. This involves immense responsibility and sensibility. But to train / counsel or to modify their behavior, we need to understand them. But the question again arises, how we can understand them. Education needs to be personalized, because every human being is different from the other. We cannot just grade the students saying that one is brilliant and the other is dumb, this is injustice. However such categorization is done continuously in our society. Can everyone be good in mathematics, than how do we have singers and musicians, or sport persons? This implies that everyone has different interests. However because of societal, parental and peer pressure, often they fall prey to wrong career decisions. However a question which needs to be considered is how can we identify the interests of the youngsters? This is where Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory can be discussed upon.

Dr. Howard Gardner proposed this theory in his book, “Frames of Mind” in the year 1983 and since then the theory has got universal acceptance. The reason behind the overwhelming acceptance is the fact that there are eight possible ways of imparting education and also to understand a child's interests and intelligence. Dr. Gardner believes that every individual has either one or a mixture of the following intelligence:

1. Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence
2. Logical/Mathematical Intelligence
3. Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence
4. Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence
5. Visual/Spatial Intelligence
6. Interpersonal Intelligence
7. Intrapersonal Intelligence
8. Naturalistic Intelligence


1.Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence: People with this kind of intelligence have a flair for languages; they nurture interest towards learning different languages and are able to do it quite faster than many others. They show special interest towards reading, writing and interacting with people. They like to participate in debates, discussions, seminars etc. They enjoying listening to lectures and taking notes. They are excellent in remembering any kind of information even dates. They are good in grammar, syntax and structure. They have the ability to explain things in details and teach people. People with verbal/linguistic Intelligence fare well in positions where they get an opportunity to utilize these skills. Usually they excel as teachers, lawyers, writers and politicians. They learn well through reading, listening to lectures in the class, taking notes, interacting with friends and do well in exams because of good memory.

2. Logical/Mathematical Intelligence: People with this intelligence have the ability to think in a logical manner. They have the ability to reason things. They are good at mathematical calculations. They are good at solving problems. They can play chess quite well. They excel as engineers, computer programmers, economists and scientists. They learn well when they are given logical and analytical problems to be solved. They perform well in aptitude tests.

3. Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence: People with this intelligence enjoy physical movement. They like to play and dance. Physical activity is more important for them. They do very well in the field of sports. They usually associate themselves with dance and the theatrical performances. Most of them fare well in similar professions. Such students learn well when the learning involves lot of physical activity more than classroom lectures.

4. Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence: People with this intelligence have musical bent of mind. They have natural inclination towards music. Music in any form attracts them. Students with such intelligence learn well in a musical environment. They have good listening skills. They appreciate music in any form or language and have sensitivity towards it. Naturally they fare well as singers, musicians and composers.

5. Visual/Spatial Intelligence: Such people have strong sense of judgment. They are good at imagination. They have strong ability to visualize. They are artistic bent of mind. Naturally they fare well in creative arts. With their power of imagination they become good artistes, painters, designers, directors and architects. Students with this kind of intelligence learn well when their creative abilities are triggered by creating favorable environment in the classroom.

6. Interpersonal Intelligence: People with interpersonal skills have good social awareness. They understand people and their way of thinking. They have the ability to strike a conversation with a stranger. They never hesitate to talk to people. They are often described as extroverts. They become stars in any party they visit because of their conversational skills. They have team spirit. They fare well in public relation kind of jobs. They do well in the hospitality industry and also as marketing professional. Such students can do wonders if put in a team. They learn well in situations where they are required to talk and convince people.

7. Intrapersonal Intelligence: People with this intelligence have good self awareness. They perform well in isolation, then in teams. They are usually described as introverts. They do a lot of introspection. They understand themselves very well. They communicate with themselves quite often. They avoid conversation unless they are forced to talk. They fare well in desk jobs where there is no requirement of talking. They prefer to work silently on their own. They shine as writers, painters, philosophers, scientists and computer programmers. Students with this intelligence can be very critical of the teachers in the class and needs to be taken care of in a sensitive manner.

8. Naturalistic Intelligence: People with this intelligence have inclination towards nature. They prefer to be close to nature. They like naturalistic atmosphere around them. Such students can learn better in natural settings. They do well as conversationalists, gardeners and agriculturists.

Howard Gardner introduced this theory in his book, “Frames of Mind” in the year 1983. Many educators and educational Institutions have embraced this theory in meeting the learning requirements of the learners at various levels.