The Relationship Between Multiple Intelligences and Teaching Style

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present a piece of research devoted to the relationship between teachers’ teaching style and their multiple intelligences profile. The theory of Multiple Intelligences, as it was presented by Howard Gardner, tries to prove that human beings are characterized by several types of intelligences, with a few of them clearly dominating. In this way, earlier theories describing the construct in question appear to be invalid, at least to some extent. The IQ tests, which measure only a few separate abilities, cannot represent the whole construct of intelligence. The teaching styles chosen for the study were established on the basis of earlier descriptions by different authors. For the purpose of this research three teaching styles were compiled: the counseling style, the authoritarian style and the affective style. By means of observations, a questionnaire and Multiple Intelligences Inventory, the existing relationship was revealed to show that all teachers were characterized by linguistic intelligence and other personal intelligences varied depending on their teaching style.

Appendix

Questionnaire for ESL teachers

• 1. Do you prepare lesson plans?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Sometimes

• 2. If your answer is ‘yes’, do you manage to carry out all the tasks you included in your lesson plan?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Sometimes

• 3. Do you clearly state goals at the beginning of the lesson?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Sometimes

• 4. If your answer is ‘yes’, are you able to say at the end of the lesson that you completed all the goals?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Sometimes

• 5. What is the dominating type of interaction during your lessons?

  • Teacher-class

  • Teacher-student

  • Student-student

• 6. What is the dominating type of students’ grouping in your lessons?

  • Individual work

  • Pairwork

  • Groups of three

  • Groups of four and more

  • Whole class interaction

  • Other ………………………

• 7. Teacher talking time occurs during

  • Presentation

  • Practice

  • Production

  • Other parts of the lesson

• 8. Do you encourage your students to participate actively in the lesson?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Sometimes

• 9. How do you encourage your students to participate actively?

  • By asking questions

  • By including interesting topics

  • By praising students

  • Other ………………………

• 10. Do you provide your students with feedback?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Sometimes

• 11. What forms of feedback do you use?

  • Individual written comments

  • Individual oral comments

  • Immediate feedback

  • Delayed feedback

  • Informative feedback

  • Other forms ………………………

• 12. Do you encourage volunteers to answer questions in your lessons?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Sometimes

• 13. In what situations?

  • When nobody starts the discussion

  • When some students have specific information on particular topics

  • When asking a volunteer student may encourage others to speak

  • Other situations ………………………

• 14. Do you try to pass on responsibility to the learners for their own learning?

  • Yes

  • No

  • I don’t know

• 15. In what ways do you do this?

  • I guide them to be aware of their language learning needs

  • I teach them how to plan their own learning process

  • I teach them how to find and use additional sources and materials

  • I encourage them to cooperate

  • I make them aware of the existence of various learning strategies and encourage their usage

  • Other ways ………………………

• 16. Do you have problems with maintaining classroom discipline?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Sometimes

• 17. How do you try to maintain classroom discipline?

  • I give bad marks for improper behavior

  • I administer tests as punishment

  • I use voice and gestures

  • I shout at my students

  • Other ways ………………………

• 18. Do you think your personality plays a role in shaping classroom relationships?

  • Yes

  • No

  • I don’t know

• 19. Your role in the teaching process:

  • Instructing

  • Controlling

  • Organizing

  • Facilitating

  • Participating

  • Modeling

  • Evaluating

  • Motivating

  • Other roles ………………………