Howard Gardner(s) Multiple Intelligences
Gifted and Talented At the high end of the bell curve of intelligence is giftedness. Individuals with an IQ between 130 and 144 are classified as gifted; those at 145 and above are highly gifted. In addition, some children demonstrate exceptional achievement without necessarily having an IQ in the gifted range. Recognizing the special nature of these children, many school districts designate programs for the gifted or talented. Government funding for these services usually falls under the umbrella of special education, so children who are gifted and talented often compete for funding with those who have learning disabilities or are intellectually disabled.
The stereotype of the intellectually gifted as poorly adjusted, socially awkward, and prone to mental illness is misguided. Research has found the opposite to be true. Gifted people are at least as well adjusted as their non-gifted peers (Olszewski-Kubilius, 2002; Reis & Renzulli, 2004). The most serious problem affecting many highly gifted schoolchildren is keeping them stimulated. Not all educational environments provide the academic or emotional support that will optimize
learning. What Lewis Terman said nearly 100 years ago in some ways still rings true: Unless gifted children “are given the grade of work which calls forth their best efforts, they run the risk of falling into lifelong habits of submaximum efficiency. The danger in the case of such children is not over-pressure, but under-pressure” (Terman, 1916, p. 16). Evidence shows that social adjustment, self-esteem, and mental health in general all improve when gifted chil- dren participate at least part time in specialized programs that offer more intellectual chal- lenges than standard classrooms (van der Meulen et al., 2014). At the same time, though, parents must also allow their gifted children opportunities outside of mainstream academics, like summer enrichment classes that can be found at many colleges and universities. Just like others, those who are intellectually advanced also need enrichment in music, athletics, art, and other activities.
9.4 Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences In Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Howard Gardner (1993) argues that there are multiple intelligences or many components to intelligence and that it can be exhibited in different ways. For example, if Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates had been terrible at using words, or mega-record producer Quincy Jones was a poor math student, would they be deemed unintelligent? Indeed, poor performance in one or both of those conventional aca- demic areas would strongly impact traditional notions of intelligence, since IQ tests include both math and linguistic skills. However, while established intelligence tests assume that two people with the same numeric IQ are equally intelligent, Gardner sees people as having unique
Critical Thinking
In which subject areas should schools pro- vide special education services (programs for gifted and talented) if students show exceptional aptitude?
Section Review Describe the range of individuals who fall outside the mainstream for intelligence and learn- ing. What kinds of specialized learning environments are available for such individuals?
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Section 9.4 Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
profiles of intelligence. He outlined a case for at least eight types of intelligences. Campbell, Campbell, and Dickinson (2004) elaborate on his ideas by showing the occupational strengths of each one (see Table 9.2).