Multiple Intelligences Action Research

Discussion


American schools have traditionally favored those students who excel in the linguistic and analytical arenas because these skills are highly valued in our culture. Unfortunately, this traditional approach leaves certain students behind to stumble blindly through an educational system that ignores their unique abilities. This action research study seeks to show that instructional activities that incorporate the multiple intelligences can improve students' attitudes toward learning and students' academic achievement in English class.



by Michele R. Acosta

Summary of Findings: Part 3

Students' grades did not indicate the same positive results as the comparison of pre and post analytical writing samples. Only students with the highest grades actually improved their quarter grades; however, this is consistent with the slow transition toward improvement in analytical and written communication skills already described in the analytical writing sample discussion. At the beginning of the study the students with higher grades already demonstrated better attitudes toward school and toward English; therefore, their improvement in academic achievement improved more quickly in a shorter period of time. The fact that these first period students recognized their improvement in academic achievement was demonstrated by a thank you card given to the researcher by the first period students at the end of the study. One of the students said: "Thank you so much! You were such a big help for me in this class!" Another student said: "Thanks for helping me learn." Another said: "Thank you for a great quarter. I learned so much. You made everything we did all worth while!" With more time, it is likely that an improvement in overall grades would also have been seen.




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