Multiple Intelligences Action Research

Figure 7


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.

Multiple Intelligences in which Students Would Like to Improve

(Results of Statement Number 21 on Closing Survey)

N=135
Intelligence*

 Number
of Times
Selected
7 students chose
none of the intelligences.

5 students chose
all of the intelligences.

4 students chose
only the two traditional intelligences (verbal-linguistic and logical-mathematical).

2 students chose
only logical-mathematical.
Logical-
Mathematical
 27
Verbal-
Linguistic
 22
Intrapersonal
 20
Interpersonal
 19
Bodily-
Kinesthetic
 17
Spatial
 15
Musical
 15


*Note: The naturalist intelligence was not included in the results for statement #21 because it was not defined for the students during the multiple intelligences lesson done at the beginning of the study.


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