Green Child Magazine Back-to-School 2014 | Page 16

Individual ized Learning

One Style Does Not Fit All

these componential (the mind that is tested
by IQ tests), contextual (the kind you use in
creating new environments), and experiential
(a practical or “street-smarts” kind of intelligence). Conventional school activities tend to
focus upon componential intelligence, while
contextual and experiential intelligence is what
we tend to use in the everyday world. Naturally,
this causes a problem for many children.

Conventional
The theory that
has been most
school activities
widely acclaimed
tend to focus upon
is that proposed by
componential
Howard Gardner.
intelligence,
In Frames of
while contextual
Mind, Gardner
and experiential
synthesized
intelligence is what
evidence from
brain research,
we tend to use in the
psychological
everyday world.
testing,
experiments with animals, developmental work
with young children, descriptive accounts of
exceptional ability, and cross-cultural studies.
This evidence supported the idea that there
are seven different kinds of intelligence:
linguistic, logical-mathematical, visual-spatial,
bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal and
intrapersonal. He has since added an eighth
type, naturalistic. These are not completely
separate forms of intelligence, but rather aspects
of the same intelligence that is within each of us.
That is, we all have all eight types of intelligence
in varying degrees, but generally one or more
of these aspects tends to predominate, and this
creates a particular style of learning for each
individual.
How can we make sense of these various
approaches when we’re homeschooling our
16

children? How can we cooperate with individual
learning styles to help our children learn more
effectively?
There are so many creative options in working
with a particular learning style. Often parents
find themselves coming up with really imaginative activities on the spur of the moment.

Here are just a few suggestions to give you
an idea of the range of possibilities:
Verbal-Linguistic learners like creative

writing and word games; making up rhyming
verse (perhaps in the form of rap music
lyrics) about any subject can be very effective.

Logical-Mathematical learners like logic

problems and mysteries; they enjoy creating
timelines for history or graphs for science.

Visual-Spatial learners enjoy drawing

pictures and maps, or creating puzzles and
3D models; they use imagery to understand
so providing a visual aid is always helpful.

Bodily-Kinesthetic learners can benefit

from chewing gum or sitting on a ball while
solving math problems; they like role-playing
historical and literary characters.

Musical learners benefit from translating facts

into rhythmic forms (such as clapping while
reciting multiplication tables); they may study
best with music in the background.

Interpersonal learners enjoy a dramatic

production or group discussion; they
appreciate problem solving with others, and
connecting their studies to real-life situations.