Towards Creative Foreign Language Teaching: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences in Use

• Authors: Renata Botwina
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Introduction. The article provides a conceptual setting for conscious teaching whereby classroom activities are referred to the principles of MIT. It also advocates an experimental insight into foreign language teaching where both a teacher and a student are encouraged to explore, discover and practice their multiple intelligences while teaching and mastering foreign languages. Additionally, practical implications of MIT for FLT are discussed and illustrated by a few examples of the activities designed in the framework of the theory.The Aim of the Study. To establish a new perspective on both effective and creative foreign language teaching (FLT) in the framework of Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MIT).Methods: examination of MIT, deductive/inductive analysisResults. Foreign language students benefit from FLT methods with a reference to MIT which, being learner-centred, cater for an individual student's needs and preferences, provide a meaningful context for FLT and, consequently, increase the level of students' motivation for learning foreign languages.Conclusions. Foreign language teachers should experiment with MIT for a number of reasons: firstly, to establish a student-oriented insight into teaching; secondly, to provide a meaningful context for teaching; and finally, to increase the level of students' motivation to learn a foreign language.

Keywords

EN

foreign language teaching (FLT); theory of Multiple Intelligences (MIT); intelligences; verbal/linguistic intelligence; experimental learning/teaching; learner-centred teaching; individualized instruction; independent learning; success

• Publisher: Sciendo
• Journal: Signum Temporis
• Year: 2010
• Volume: 3
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 13-18

Dates

published

2010-03-01

online

2011-10-20

Contributors

author

Renata Botwina

• The Higher School of Pedagogy, Society of Public Knowledge in Warsaw, Poland

References

• Arnold, J., Fonseca, C. (2004) Multiple Intelligence Theory and Foreign Language Learning: A Brain-based Perspective. International Journal of English Studies, Vol. 4 (1), p. 119-136. http://www.um.es/engphil/ijes (04.09.2009.)
• Ellis, R. (1985) Understanding Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 5-6.
• Gardner, H. (1983) Frames of Mind. The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books. p. 54-61.
• Gardner, H. (1993) Frames of Mind. The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, 2nd edition. New York: Basic Books, p. xxiii (Foreword), p. 8-13.
• Gardner, H. (1998) A Reply to Perry D. Klein's Multiplying the Problems of Intelligence by Eight. Canadian Journal of Education, No 23(1), p. 96-102.
• Gardner, H. (1999) Intelligence Reframed. Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. New York: Basic Books, p. 183.
• Kornhaber, M. L. (2001) Howard Gardner. In: J. A. Palmer (Ed.) Fifty Modern Thinkers on Education. From Piaget to the Present. London: Routledge, 276 p.
• Palmberg, R. (2002) Catering for Multiple Intelligences - a Foreign Language Lesson Plan Involving Occupation.
• Richards, J., Rogers, T. (2001) Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 123 p.
• Ride, J. (1999) Affect in the Classroom: Problems, Politics, Pragmatics. In: J. Arnold (Ed.) Affect in Language Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 297-306.

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/v10195-011-0029-2