Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles

Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles

Click Here To Take Your Learning Styles Test

Information about learning styles and Multiple Intelligence (MI) is helpful for everyone, especially for people with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder. Knowing your learning style will help you develop coping strategies to compensate for your weaknesses and capitalize on your strengths.

This page provides an explanation of what learning styles and multiple intelligence are all about, an interactive assessment of your learning style/MI, and practical tips to make your learning style work for you.

For ease of use, the page has been divided into six categories:

Learning Styles Explained


Please Pick a topic:

What are learning Styles?

What are the types of learning styles?


What are learning styles?

Learning styles are simply different approaches or ways of learning.

What are the types of learning styles?

Visual Learners:

Multiple Intelligences

These learners need to see the teacher’s body language and facial expression to fully understand the content of a lesson. They tend to prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people’s heads).

Visual learners think in pictures and learn best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-outs. During a lecture or classroom discussion, visual learners often prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information.

Auditory Learners:

Learning by listening

learn through listening

They learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through, and listening to what others have to say. Auditory learners interpret the underlying meanings of speech by listening to the tone of voice, pitch, speed, and other nuances.

Written information may have little meaning until it is heard. These learners often benefit from reading text aloud and using a tape recorder.

Tactile/Kinesthetic Learners:

Learn through, moving, doing, and touching…   

Tactile/Kinesthetic persons learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around them. They may find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration.


Multiple Intelligence Explained


What is Multiple Intelligence?

What are the types of Multiple Intelligence?

Visual/Spatial Intelligence

Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence

Logical/Mathematical Intelligence

Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence

Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence

Interpersonal Intelligence

Intrapersonal Intelligence


What is Multiple Intelligence?

Conceived by Howard Gardner, Multiple Intelligences are seven different ways to demonstrate intellectual ability.

What are the types of Multiple Intelligence?

Visual/Spatial Intelligence

Ability to perceive the visual. These learners tend to think in pictures and need to create vivid mental images to retain information. They enjoy looking at maps, charts, pictures, videos, and movies.

Visual/Spatial Intelligence skills include:

Puzzle building
Reading
Writing
Understanding charts and graphs
A good sense of direction
Sketching
Painting
Creating visual metaphors and analogies (perhaps through the visual arts)
Manipulating images
Constructing
Fixing
Designing practical objects
Interpreting visual images

Possible career interests:

Navigators, sculptors, visual artists, inventors, architects, interior designers, mechanics, engineers

Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence

Ability to use words and language. These learners have highly developed auditory skills and are generally elegant speakers. They think in words rather than pictures.

Their skills include:

Listening
Speaking
Writing
Storytelling
Explaining
Teaching
Using humor
Understanding the syntax and meaning of words
Remembering information
Convincing someone of their point of view
Analyzing language usage

Possible career interests:

Poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, translator

Logical/Mathematical Intelligence

Ability to use reason, logic, and numbers. These learners think conceptually in logical and numerical patterns making connections between pieces of information. Always curious about the world around them, these learners ask lots of questions and like to do experiments.

Their skills include:

Problem-solving
Classifying and categorizing information
Working with abstract concepts to figure out the relationship of each to the other
Handling long chains of reason to make local progressions
Doing controlled experiments
Questioning and wondering about natural events
Performing complex mathematical calculations
Working with geometric shapes

Possible career paths:

Scientists, engineers, computer programmers, researchers, accountants, mathematicians

Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence

Ability to control body movements and handle objects skillfully. These learners express themselves through movement. They have a good sense of balance and eye-hand co-ordination. (e.g. ball play, balancing beams). Through interacting with the space around them, they are able to remember and process information.

Their skills include:

Dancing
Physical co-ordination
Sports
Hands-on experimentation
Using body language
Crafts
Acting
Miming
Using their hands to create or build
Expressing emotions through the body

Possible career paths:

Athletes, physical education teachers, dancers, actors, firefighters, artisans.

Interpersonal Intelligence

Ability to relate and understand others. These learners try to see things from other people’s point of view in order to understand how they think and feel. They often have an uncanny ability to sense feelings, intentions and motivations.

They are great organizers, although they sometimes resort to manipulation. Generally they try to maintain peace in group settings and encourage co-operation.They use both verbal (e.g. speaking) and non-verbal language (e.g. eye contact, body language) to open communication channels with others.

Their skills include:

Seeing things from other perspectives (dual-perspective)
Listening
Using empathy
Understanding other people’s moods and feelings
Counseling
Co-operating with groups
Noticing people’s moods
Motivations and intentions
Communicating both verbally and non-verbally,
Building trust
Peaceful conflict resolution
Establishing positive relations with other people

Possible Career Paths:

Counselor, salesperson, politician, business person

Intrapersonal Intelligence

Ability to self-reflect and be aware of one’s inner state of being. These learners try to understand their inner feelings, dreams, relationships with others, and strengths and weaknesses.

Their Skills include:

Recognizing their own strengths and weaknesses
reflecting and analyzing themselves
awareness of their inner feelings
desires and dreams
evaluating their thinking patterns
reasoning with themselves
understanding their role in relationship to others

Possible Career Paths

Researchers, theorists, philosophers