The Forum

My interest in the theory of multiple intelligences (MI) and its application to the second and foreign language classroom began in the early part of this decade. Ever since my first year of teaching in 1970, I have been troubled greatly by the concept of intelligence as a static construct. It didn't seem to make sense when I applied it to my students. My students demonstrated so many different individual strengths and skills, and they were constantly changing, learning, and growing. If someone had asked me to select my most intelligent student, I couldn't have done so. My experiences as an educator were teaching me that intelligence was not just one form of cognition that cut across all human thinking. Rather, intelligence comprised quite possibly different intelligences. It took me almost 20 years to find the theory that supported my beliefs and experiences.

Applying Multiple Intelligences Theory in Preservice and Inservice TEFL Education Programs.