If only Designers knew of Learning Styles... !!!

Human beings have many different ways to learn and process information or intelligences. Gardner suggests that each individual manifests varying levels of different intelligence, and thus each person has refined skills in subsequent years. Dr. Howard Gardner of Harvard University developed the theory of multiple intelligences in 1983. It suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence is much too limited. In 1999, Gardner lists eight intelligences as linguistic, logic- mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily, kinesthetic, naturalist, and interpersonal and intra personal.

Learners tend to have a dominant intelligence. All people have all intelligences, but in varying amounts. Understanding one’s dominant intelligence can help identify learning styles that work best. This even works best with ESOL learners or ELL students.

1. VISUAL-SPATIAL intelligence: the ability to "think in pictures," to perceive the visual world accurately, and recreate (or alter) it in the mind or on paper. Spatial intelligence is highly developed in artists, architects, designers and sculptors.

2. VERBAL-LINGUISTIC intelligence: sensitivity to the meaning and order of words.

3. LOGICAL-MATHEMATICAL intelligence: ability in mathematics and other complex logical systems.

4. BODILY-KINESTHETIC intelligence: the ability to use one's body in a skilled way, for self-expression or toward a goal. Mimes, dancers, basketball players, and actors are among those who display bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.

5. MUSICAL intelligence: the ability to understand and create music. Musicians, composers and dancers show a heightened musical intelligence.


6. INTRAPERSONAL intelligence: an understanding of one's own emotions. Some novelists and or counselors use their own experience to guide others

7. INTERPERSONAL intelligence: an ability to perceive and understand other individuals -- their moods, desires, and motivations. Political and religious leaders, skilled parents and teachers, and therapists use this intelligence.

8. NATURALIST intelligence is the ability to perceive the natural world.

9. EXISTENTIAL is the new one, I found, which is an intelligence on deep questioning of the world and being.

These intelligences are located in different areas of the brain and can either work independently or together, can be nurtured and strengthened, or ignored and weakened.


Sources:

Armstrong, T. (2011) Multiple intelligences. Retrieved from http://thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.htm

Gardner, H. (2011). Multiple intelligences, Howard Gardner. Retrieved from http://howardgardner.com/MI/mi.html