EDCK 1 Facilitating Learner-Centered Teaching |1

Learning/ Thinking Styles

Module 5
and Multiple Intelligences

INTRODUCTION

Thinking skills refer to the cognitive abilities that enable individuals to process information, analyze data,

and solve problems. On the other hand, multiple intelligences is a theory proposed by Harvard psychologist

Howard Gardner, which suggests that there are eight different types of intelligence that people possess:

visual-spatial, linguistic-verbal, logical-mathematical, body-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal,

intrapersonal, and naturalistic¹. This theory suggests that traditional psychometric views of intelligence are

too limited and that people have many kinds of intelligence, including musical, interpersonal, spatial-visual,

and linguistic intelligences¹. While a person might be particularly strong in a specific area, such as musical

intelligence, they most likely possess a range of abilities¹. Gardner's theory has come under criticism from

both psychologists and educators, who argue that his definition of intelligence is too broad and that his

eight different "intelligences" simply represent talents, personality traits, and abilities¹. Despite this, the

theory of multiple intelligences enjoys considerable popularity with educators, who utilize it in their teaching

philosophies and work to integrate it into the classroom.

OBJECTIVES

● Describe the different learning/thinking styles and multiple intelligences

● Pinpoint your own learning/thinking style/s and multiple intelligences
● Plan learning activities that match learners’ learning/thinking styles and multiple intelligences

ABSTRACTION

Student diversity

[Link], MAED (2024)

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One factor that brings about student diversity is thinking/learning styles.

LEARNING/THINKING STYLES
- the preferred way an individual processes information
- describe a person's typical mode of thinking, remembering or problem-solving

● Your particular learning/thinking style would lie at a point in a continuum.

● Having a particular learning/thinking style simply denotes a tendency to behave in a certain
manner. Your style is usually described as a personality dimension which influences your attitudes,
values, and social interaction.

Sensory Preferences
Individuals tend to gravitate toward one or two types of sensory input, and maintain a dominance
in one of the following types:

1. Visual Learners
● These learners must see their teacher's actions and facial expressions to fully understand the
content of a lesson. They tend to prefer sitting in front so no one would block their view. They may
think in pictures, and learn best from visual aids including: diagrams, illustrated text books,
overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts, and hand-outs.

[Link], MAED (2024)

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● During a lecture or classroom discussion, visual learners often prefer to take detailed notes to
absorb the information.
● Ri Charde further breaks down visual learners into:
1. Visual-iconic- learners who are more interested in visual imagery such as film, graphic
displays or pictures in order to solidify learning
● They usually have a good "picture memory,” aka iconic imagery, and attend to pictorial
detail.
2. Visual-symbolic- learners who feel comfortable with abstract symbolism such as
mathematical formula, and would like to read about things than hear about them
● They tend to be good abstract thinkers who do not require practical means of learning.
2. Auditory Learners
- learn most effectively by listening
- prefer verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others have to
say
- interpet the underlying meanings of speech through listening to the tone of voice, pitch, speed,
and other nuances
● Studies have shown that the auditory learners are most distracted by background noises

Some Auditory Learning Characteristics:

● Good memory for spoken information
● Eloquent
● Able to understand and process changes in tone
● Works though complex problems by talking out loud
● Good communication abilities
Ways of teaching auditory learners:
● Repetition
● Verbal Discourse
● Multiple learning outlets
● Identifying learning style
● Inclusion of social elements
Auditory Learners Categories:
1. Listeners- more common type
- they listen and do not talk much because they feel that their ideas must already be
obvious to everyone
- took time to formulate their ideas

[Link], MAED (2024)

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- may even carry mental conversations and figure out how to extend what they learned by
reviewing in their heads
2. Talkers- prefer to talk and discuss
- they felt compelled to share whatever ideas they had
- In a class setting when the instructor is not asking questions, auditory-verbal processors
tend to whisper comments to themselves. They are not trying to be disruptive, and may
not even realize they need to talk.

3. Tactile/Kinesthetic Learners
- benefit much from hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around them
● They may find it hard to sit still for long periods. They may not benefit so much from the
discussion or the written materials, and may become distracted by their need of activity and
exploration.
● Those preferring this form of input move toward active, sensorimotor learning. They tend to
prefer 'learning by doing,’ preferring the use of psychomotor skills to, say, abstract thinking skills.
They tend to have good motor memory and motor coordination.
Global-Analytic Continuum

1. Analytic
● Analytic thinkers tend toward linear, step-by-step processes of learning. They tend to see
finite elements of patterns rather than the whole; they are the 'tree seers'. They are
more comfortable in a world of details and hierarchies of information.

2. Global
● Global thinkers lean towards non-linear thought and tend to see the whole pattern rather
than particle elements. They are the forest seers who give attention only to overall
structure and sometimes ignore details.

Global-Analytic Continuum
● Several theorists have tied the global-analytic continuum to the left-brain/right-brain continuum.
In accord with Roger Sperry's model, the left-brained dominant individual is portrayed as the
linear (analytic), verbal, mathematical thinker, while the right-brained person is one who is
viewed as global, non-linear and holistic in thought preferences.
● Both sides of the brain can reason but through different strategies. In an individual, one side may
be more dominant than the other. The left brain is regarded as analytic in approach while the
right is described as holistic or global.

[Link], MAED (2024)

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● A successive processor (left brain) prefers to learn step-by-step sequential format, beginning with
details leading to a conceptual understanding of a skill. A simultaneous processor (right brain)
prefers to learn beginning with the general concept and then going on to specifics.

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

1. Visual/Spatial Intelligence (Picture Smart)- learning visually and organizing ideas spatially.
Seeing concepts in action in order to understand them. The ability to "see" things in one's mind
in planning to create a product or solve a problem.

2. Verbal/Linguistic (Word Smart)- learning through the spoken and written world. This
intelligence is always valued in the traditional classroom, and in traditional assessments of
intelligence and achievement.
3. Mathematical/Logical (Number Smart/Logic Smart)- learning through reasoning and
problem-solving
- ability to think conceptually and abstractly, and capacity to discern logical or numerical
patterns
● Their strengths are in math, logic, seeing patterns, and problem-solving

[Link], MAED (2024)

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● They like to work with numbers, find logical methods to answer questions, classify, and
categorize. They are comfortable working with the abstract.

4. Bodily/Kinesthetic (Body Smart)- learning style often referred to as ‘learning with the hands’
or physical learning (or learning through interaction with one's environment)
- people with bodily-kinesthetic intelligence can learn more easily by doing, exploring, and
discovering

Some characteristics of a bodily-kinesthetic learner are the following:

1. Have a good muscle memory
2. Do best academically with hands-on learning such as art and science
3. Good with tools
4. Can carry on a detailed conversation when performing a physical task

5. Musical (Music Smart)- earning through patterns, rhythms, tones, and music
● Musical intelligence is dedicated to how skillful an individual is performing, composing,
and appreciating music and musical patterns
● People who are strong in this area enjoy listening to music, as well as making music
● This intelligence has to do with rhythmic tapping, soft humming, original composing,
guitar strumming, tuneless whistling
● Musicians, composers, band directors, disc jockeys and music critics are among those
that Gardner sees as having high musical intelligence

6. Intrapersonal (Self-Smart)- learning through feelings, values and attitudes

- students place value on what they learn and take ownership for their learning

7. Interpersonal (People Smart)- learning through interaction with others. Not the domain of children
who are simply 'talkative’ or 'overly social’. This intelligence promotes collaboration and working
cooperatively with others.

8. Naturalist (Nature Smart)- learning through classification, categories, and hierarchies. The
naturalist intelligence picks up on subtle differences in meaning. It is not simply the study of nature; it
can be used in all areas of study.

[Link], MAED (2024)

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9. Existential (Spirit Smart)- learning by seeing the 'big picture’: 'Why are we here?', 'What is my role
in the world?', 'What is my place in my family, school, and community?'. This intelligence seeks
connections to real world understanding and application of learning.

Teaching Strategies Guided By Thinking/Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences

1. Use questions of all types to stimulate various levels of thinking from recalling factual information
to drawing implications and making value judgements.
2. Provide a general overview of material to be learned, i.e., structured overviews, advance
organizers, etc., so that students’ past experiences will be associated with new ideas.
3. 3. Allow sufficient time for the information to be processed, and then integrate using both the
right and left-brain hemispheres.
4. Set clear purposes before listening, viewing, or reading experience.
5. Warm up before the lesson development by using brainstorming, set induction, etc.
6. Use multisensory means for both processing and retrieving information.
7. Use a variety of review and reflection strategies to bring closer to learning.
8. Use descriptive feedback rather than simply praising.

[Link], MAED (2024)