Seven Steps for planning using multiple intelligences
"MI theory offers a means of building daily lesson plans, weekly units or monthly or year long themes and programs in such a way that all students can have their strongest intelligences addressed at least some of the time"
(Armstrong, 2000, p. 44.)
Armstrong proposes this seven step process to help plan lessons using Gardner's multiple intelligence theory.
(Armstrong, 2000, p. 44.)
Armstrong proposes this seven step process to help plan lessons using Gardner's multiple intelligence theory.
Step 1 - Focus on a Specific Learning Outcome
Think about what exactly you want the students to learn in this lesson or unit.
This could be the WALT you plan on using in a lesson. For example "We Are Learning To: Write the letter 'D,d' correctly.
This could be the WALT you plan on using in a lesson. For example "We Are Learning To: Write the letter 'D,d' correctly.
Step 2 - Ask Key MI Questions
Armstrong provides the following graphic organiser to suggest some questions to ask yourself when planning for each intelligence.
Figure 5.2. MI Planning Questions (Armstrong, 2000, p. 45)
Step 3 - Consider the possibilities
Below is a table with some examples of teaching activities, materials and teaching strategies that work with the 8 intelligences.
You can add your own ideas to this table or highlight activities that work well for your learners.
You can add your own ideas to this table or highlight activities that work well for your learners.
Figure 5.1.Summary of the eight ways of teaching. (Armstrong, 2000, p. 41)
Step 4 -Brainstorm
Use the graphic organiser below to brainstorm ideas you could use in your lessons.
Figure 5.3. MI Planning Sheet (Armstrong, 2000, p. 46)
Step 5 - Select the most appropriate and workable activities for your learners.
Highlight the ideas you think will be most workable in your classroom. are the activities realistic for the amount of time given? Will you be able to resource the materials for this? Some ideas are more appropriate than others.
Step 6 - design your lesson plan / unit plan
Plan out your lessons and incorporate the activities you have selected from the multiple intelligences.
You could also create a journal documenting how often you use the different intelligences so you can reflect on your practice and see if you are catering to some intelligences more than others.
You could also create a journal documenting how often you use the different intelligences so you can reflect on your practice and see if you are catering to some intelligences more than others.
Step 7 - Implement the plan
Teachers should reflect on their lessons and how well the different activities worked.
They should also reflect with students to help them become aware of which types of activities help them learn best too.
This helps teachers to personalise learning and teach students how to learn so they can become more independent life-long learners.
They should also reflect with students to help them become aware of which types of activities help them learn best too.
This helps teachers to personalise learning and teach students how to learn so they can become more independent life-long learners.
Example
Below is an example of a brainstorm for ways to teach a handwriting lesson for the letter D,d.