You’re probably familiar with Dr. Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory, but have you thought about teaching your students about these concepts and the many ways they are smart? You might wonder why anyone would attempt to fit this into an already packed curriculum, but after you read this blog post, I’m hoping you’ll decide to give it a try.
Multiple Intelligence Theory suggests that IQ is not one-dimensional and can’t be described by a single number. Dr. Gardner proposed that there are at least eight different types of intelligence, each one with a corresponding area in the brain. He used terms like “mathematical-logical,” “bodily-kinesthetic,” and “visual-spatial” to describe these intelligences, but many educators have adopted the more kid-friendly terms shown above. My students really enjoyed learning about the “eight kinds of smart,” and this knowledge helped everyone appreciate each other’s strengths, especially when working in cooperative learning teams.
Free MI Survey and Video Tutorial
When I set out to teach my students the basics of MI theory, I faced a problem. Most Multiple Intelligence Surveys were long and difficult to read, especially for elementary students. I looked for a survey that was short and included common activities that kids do, but I couldn’t find one anywhere.
So – you guessed it – I created my own! It’s not research-based, but enough kids have used it over the years for me to feel confident in saying that it’s an effective tool when presented as a fun activity rather than as a scientific assessment.
My Multiple Intelligence Survey for Kids is pretty easy to administer, but because it appears complicated, I created the video tutorial below. I provided step-by-step directions and explained how to incorporate growth mindset best practices when sharing the results with your students.
If you’d like to use the survey with your students, request a copy here and I’ll send it to you. Please watch this video tutorial before you administer the test.
Step-by-Step Multiple Intelligence Theory Lessons
In addition to the survey, I spent years developing a series of interactive lessons to help my students understand each of the eight kinds of smart. Those lessons are now available in Teaching Multiple Intelligence Theory: Step-by-Step Lessons for the Intermediate Grades , a guide for teachers that includes engaging, cooperative learning activities to help your students learn about all the ways they are smart.
This kid-friendly Multiple Intelligences survey is an excellent back-to-school tool, but it’s effective any time of the year. No matter when you use it, the results will help your students identify their own strengths, and you’ll get to know your students better, too. Teaching your students how people are smart in many ways is so empowering, and most students enjoy the process of discovering how they learn best.
