Students possess an array of skills and can be highly talented in at least seven distinct areas of mental activity. Such observations have been consolidated into Gardner's "Multiple Intelligences" theory, displayed below in a pie chart:
Linguistic Intelligence is the capacity to effectively employ words, either orally (e.g., politician, public speaker, storyteller, talk show host) or in writing (e.g., journalist, playwright, poet, editor).
Students with linguistic intelligence have the ability to manipulate:
-
the structure or rules of language (e.g., punctuation for dramatic effect);
-
the sounds of language (e.g., alliteration);
-
the meanings of language (e.g., double entendre);
-
the pragmatic dimensions of language
- using language to convince (rhetoric)
- using language to remember information (mnemonics)
- using language to explain (expatiation)
- using language to talk about itself (metalanguage).
Logical-Mathematical Intelligence is the capacity to effectively employ numbers (e.g., mathematician, statistician, tax accountant) and to reason soundly (e.g., computer programmer, logician, scientist).
Students with logical-mathematical intelligence have the ability to perceive:
-
logical patterns and relationships;
-
statements and propositions (if-then, cause-effect);
-
functions and complex processes; and
-
related abstractions.
Musical Intelligence is the capacity with musical forms to perceive (e.g., music lover), discriminate and judge (e.g., music critic), transform (e.g., composer), and express (instrument player/performer).
Students with musical intelligence have sensitivity to --
-
rhythm, pitch, or melody; and
-
the timbre or distinctive tone of a musical piece.
Intrapersonal Intelligence is the capacity to understand yourself and to subsequently act adaptively.
Students with intrapersonal intelligence have --
-
an honest, accurate, and comprehensive picture of themselves (e.g., their strengths and weaknesses);
-
an awareness of their inner moods, motivations, and desires;
-
self-discipline tendencies; and
-
healthy self-esteem.
Interpersonal Intelligence is the capacity to quickly grasp and evaluate the moods, intentions, motivations, and feelings of other people.
Students with interpersonal intelligence have --
-
sensitivity to facial expressions, gestures, and voice qualities;
-
ability to discriminate among many personal cues and prioritize the degree of intensity of feelings behind these cues;
-
expertise in responding effectively to these cues so as to assuage negative emotions or to inspire people to positive actions.
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence is the capacity to use your complete body in expressing ideas and feelings (e.g., actor, athlete, dancer, mime), including the facility to use your hands to create or transform things (e.g., artistic painter, mechanic, sculptor, surgeon).
Students with bodily-kinesthetic intelligence have these physical-based skills:
-
coordination - harmonious functioning of muscles;
-
balance;
-
dexterity - grace in physical movement;
-
muscle strength;
-
flexibility;
-
speed; and
-
sensitive touching.
Spatial Intelligence is the capacity to perceive the visual-spatial world accurately (e.g., guide, hunter, scout) and to perform transformations upon those perceptions.
Students with spatial intelligence have the ability to keenly perceive:
-
colours;
-
lines;
-
shapes and forms;
-
space; and
-
the relationships that exist among these elements.
Students with spatial intelligence also have the ability to --
-
visualize,
-
graphically represent visual or spatial ideas, and
-
understand one's position in a spatial matrix.
All the above taken from: http://www.aenc.org/SiteOverview-Multi-Int-FS.html
Drama
utilizes these various intelligences in the following types of ways:
|
Intelligence
type |
Type
of drama activity |
Example |
|
Linguistic
|
Thought-tracking
and monologue, extended dialogue, script-writing, explaining
ideas to the group, using different language registers |
Creating
a monologue or thought-track for the character who has to
report on an incident to audience or a silent partner. Scripting
a scene. Speaking
as the Chief or King using high status register. |
|
Logical-Mathematical |
Thinking
and planning the use of space, sequencing of scenes,
implications of the actions of characters, dividing into
groups for working, using and planning lighting for scenes |
Problem
solving: how many people will be needed for this scene? How
can we show the two families when they get the bad news? What
is likely to happen after the boy returns home late? What is
likely to happen if this character tells a lie to his friend? How
can we organise the lighting for these three scenes? |
|
Musical |
Responding
to music to create atmosphere for a scene, keeping up a
tempo/rhythm in synchronised work, awareness of vocal pitch
and tone |
Working
on a sequence of movements to keep time with the music/rhythm
for a synchronised sequence. Recognising (and using) a variety
of vocal tones, pitches, and pace for a particular character
eg the minister conducting a burial service. |
|
Intrapersonal |
In
groups being able to point out how they respond to a stimulus
prior to working with it, as individuals expressing the inner
motivations of themselves in relation to a character |
Responding
to the reflective aspects of a session in being able to apply
a feeling or situation to themselves eg Who has felt like this
character at any time in their life? During
planning – ‘I think the character might be feeling…
because I would feel….’ |
|
Interpersonal |
Recognising
and responding to the situations and stimulus of drama through
awareness of moods, atmospheres, feelings, and with an
awareness of facial expression, body language in both the
actuality of the group and in the drama process |
Show
how this character would enter the situation if s/he knows
that s/he will be accused of stealing the money. Seeing
the signals of the character when asked - How did you know
that the character was scared even though he was smiling? In
group planning – We need to show the woman flirting with the
man without other people knowing. |
|
Bodily
–Kinaesthetic |
Physical
abilities – holding postures, creating a variety of
gestures, balancing, moving in a variety of sequences and
styles, using mime |
Mime
work with attention to detail, eg showing the weight of the
suitcase when lifted Still-image
work holding a posture/gesture, Walking
and moving in the manner of an old person answering the door. |
|
Spatial |
Using
space, creating groupings, diagrams of set designs, use of
colour for costumes and sets, use of lighting effects for the
space, using a variety of levels/rostra blocks |
How
can we show that the General is of a higher status than the
ordinary soldiers? (using levels and proxemics) Draw
the set from above showing the exits and where the chairs need
to be placed for the character to remain important to the
audience. Decide
on which elements of the set need to be in the spotlight to
show the character’s monologue. |
However, Gardner states – on (http://www.ascd.org/readingroom/edlead/9709/checkley.html)
In
an interview :
Q-You
have identified several myths about the theory of multiple
intelligences. Can you describe some of those myths?
A-
One myth that I personally find irritating is that an intelligence
is the same as a learning style. Learning styles are claims about
ways in which individuals purportedly approach everything they do.
If you are planful, you are supposed to be planful about everything.
If you are logical-sequential, you are supposed to be
logical-sequential about everything. My own research and
observations suggest that that's a dubious assumption. But whether
or not that's true, learning styles are very different from multiple
intelligences.
Multiple
intelligences claims that we respond, individually, in different
ways to different kinds of content, such as language or music or
other people. This is very different from the notion of learning
style.
You
can say that a child is a visual learner, but that's not a multiple
intelligences way of talking about things. What I would say is,
"Here is a child who very easily represents things spatially,
and we can draw upon that strength if need be when we want to teach
the child something new."
Another
widely believed myth is that, because we have seven or eight
intelligences, we should create seven or eight tests to measure
students' strengths in each of those areas. That is a perversion of
the theory. It's re-creating the sin of the single intelligence
quotient and just multiplying it by a larger number. I'm personally
against assessment of intelligences unless such a measurement is
used for a very specific learning purpose--we want to help a child
understand her history or his mathematics better and, therefore,
want to see what might be good entry points for that particular
child.
The
Teacher's Toolkit
Creating
the Conditions for Classroom Improvement: A Handbook of Staff
Development Activities