Since the release of Howard Gardner's groundbreaking research on multiple intelligences in 1983, he and other researchers have conducted numerous studies on the ability of the human brain to learn in various ways. By focusing on Gardner's eight areas, facilitators and trainers can enhance the learning opportunity for participants by offering something that will capture and hold the interest of all learners. To do this workshop activities, content and materials should include elements that will address the following eight intelligences.
1. Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence. This intelligence allows someone to create or compose music and to understand, interpret and appreciate it. In your workshop, you can address this intelligence by engaging learners using music before the session, during breaks, and as background music during small group activities.
2. Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence. A second intelligence gives learners the ability to solve problems or manipulate items using their own bodies or parts of the body. To tap this intelligence during learning events, use physical activity to engage brain neurons and help stimulate learning. Additionally, you can place toys or other props on tables and allow learners to manipulate them quietly throughout the session. This can help them address their kinesthetic need.
3. Logical-Mathematical Intelligence. This intelligence involves the ability to reason, calculate, think in a logical manner, and process information.
4. Linguistic Intelligence. In order to engage learners with this type of intelligence, provide occasions in which learners have to read, analyze, discuss and present their thoughts and ideas about issues posed in the session.
5. Visual/Spatial Intelligence. The ability to think in pictures and to visualize a conclusion or result is Gardner's fifth intelligence. You can build in visualization activities in which you play soft background music while learners close their eyes and visualize situations that you describe.
6. Interpersonal Intelligence. This intelligence is crucial for understanding others, their emotions, traits, and abilities, and how best to interact with people.
Teambuilding activities that allow learners to share information, solve problems, and make decisions all provide opportunity for learners to work together and exchange ideas and information. Such activities strengthen potential bonds among learners, help expand their resource network, and allow them to practice their communication skills.
You can also use friendly competition such as timed events in which learners solve puzzles, answer questions, or accomplish a task in small groups. Give small session-related prizes to volunteers and winners in such events in order to add fun and address some of the motivational needs of learners.
7. Intrapersonal Intelligence. The seventh intelligence provides learners the ability to form accurate self-perceptions and use the knowledge to function effectively throughout life.
Build in self-assessment activities that include the use of professional behavioral style instruments such as, the Personal Profile System (PPS) or Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). These tools help learners identify key personality or behavioral styles.
8. Naturalistic Intelligence. Gardner's last intelligence involves the ability to observe, understand, and classify patterns in nature and to become more aware of ones natural environment. People with this intelligence interact well with nature, in environments in which they grow and nurture things and animals.
You can tap this intelligence of your learners by providing opportunities in which explore their natural environment. Allow a timed period in which learners search for them individually or as a team. To do this, hide strips of flip chart paper with the session learning objectives on them and allow learners to find them.
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