THE CHALLENGE OF IMPLEMENTING CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES DEPENDING ON INDIVIDUAL VARIATIONS

It has long been known that educational system has sought to homogenize teaching, in such a way as students are viewed as a standard generic, as equals in their way of learning.  Another problem has been the tendency to evaluate quantitatively, since many times it has become one of the traditional mechanisms.

Metáfora de la educación

For this reason, it is important to bear in mind that each individual is a distinctive set of talents, abilities, and limitations which must be known and identified in order to address students' concerns in a comprehensive, positive and practical way. In this sense, what teachers frequently find into the classrooms are individual variations.

Bearing this in mind, the Theory of Multiple Intelligences (proposed by Howard Gardner) is one of the many ways we have to identify those variations. In this way, Gardner (1983) asserts that there are many types of intelligence (biopsychological potentials to solve problems or create products), or frames of mind.

(To better understand Gardner's proposal, I attach over here an explanatory video).

8 Intelligences: Are you a Jack of All Trades or a Master of One? /Howard Gardner

Although, according to Gardner's theory each intelligence develops particular skills (spatial, musical, naturalistic etc.) they are related to each other and complement one another ( in all human beings). For this reason, at the time of applying an educational proposal based on Multiple Intelligences into the classrooms, several challenges come up.

While it is true that all human beings are capable of comprehensively developing their intelligence, supported by their abilities and motivation, as a teacher I have the role of improving students' opportunities to activate their intelligence with a view to achieving a clear objective. In this sense, what I seek on my research project, to some extent, is to provide a place for diversity at least into a Spanish class.

In this sense, what follows is a short summary to contextualize why is important to take into account Gardner's theory into the classrooms and how useful it could be for the development of my project.

RESEARCH PROJECT

Firstly, the present research project are being carried out in a public school (from Bogotá) called I.E.D Prado Veraniego.This project arose after testing Spanish communicative skills (speaking, writing, and reading comprehension) to sixth-grade students. Results showed difficulties in writing, especially as regards coherence and cohesion. On the other hand, we found out a broad range of students with different interests and abilities in other branches of knowledge such as music, theater, maths, biology and so on.

In this sense, on the basis of a variety of interests and abilities found in the classroom, this project aims to respect differences in regards to improving writing skills. However, it demands a further effort in terms of teaching methods.

CHALLENGES

One of the most important challenges has been the preparation of meaningful activities intended to involve all students. In this case, to prepare lesson plans for a class with 40 students ranging in age from 10 to 13.

On the other hand, in order to consider Gardner's theory in an educational perspective, the first step must always be the identification (profile) of skills and individual varieties. However, a large class makes it difficult to apply activities which must be prepared regarding each intelligence. It means, to elaborate lessons to activate the following strengths:

• Oral skills
• Mathematical skills
• Bodily-kinesthetic skills
• Musical skills
• Intrapersonal skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Naturalistic skills

Many times, as is expected, certain activities are not liked by everyone, for instance, activities that require teamwork or role play could carry out misbehavior and disrupted or wandering attention. For this reason, it should be prepared activities that are relevant to its subject matter (Spanish) but by activating one or more intelligences. In other words, to connect the content that must be viewed according to the Spanish program, in accordance with the types of intelligences identified in the classroom.

According to the aforementioned, another major challenge has been the attempt to evaluate (in quantitative terms) the process of each one in order to encourage positively the responsibility and participation on the part of students.
Finally, to plan coherent activities is a challenging task given that it can not be assumed, for example, in terms of bodily-kinesthetic skills, that it is enough to apply a certain activity such as random muscle movements for having cultivated cognitive skills. 

In some, any leaning and teaching process demands experimentation and research for better results: Could you suggest more ways to implement each of Gardner's Multiple Intelligences effectively in a large classroom? or some advice for practical details of teaching?

I WILL BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS.

I ALSO INVITE YOU TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING  SURVEY: 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeIpnU70QAYNntgUYjjb9toz3isYPoF_irGyj_zIwuXddIyRg/viewform?usp=sf_link


Thank you again for your time and input.

References: Gardner (1995).Multiple intelligences: The theory in practice.Paidós.Barcelona.
                   Santrock,J. (2011). Educational phychology. New York: MC Graw Hill.