Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you feel you are teaching a child who does not seem to be grasping concepts, despite continuous attempts?
Perhaps it is time to change your teaching approach.
According to developmental psychologist, Howard Gardner, children do not all possess a general ability when it comes to learning and applying new information.
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences suggests that each individual child has a unique learning process and technique. Although these techniques have been divided into nine main categories, the following five have been particularly useful for teachers and parents in their attempt to assist improved learning.
Verbal-linguistic Intelligence 
Students are particularly attentive when they are taught
using words and language. Their brains understand concepts
better when they are presented in verbal form. These children
learn by identifying rhythms within words and their sounds.
Logical-mathematical Intelligence 
Students are much more in tune with information that is
presented to them in a logical and numerical manner.
These children display greater intelligence when it comes to
numbers and logical reasoning.
Spatial-visual Intelligence 
These types of students typically learn best when presented with visual images. Their brains function at the highest levels when they are presented with information in the form of pictures or videos. Resources such as flashcards are very useful for such learners. Students also learn through physically handling objects and processing information through resources such as jigsaw puzzles or building blocks.
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence 
Students learn problem solving techniques through the use of their bodies. An example of this is sports, athletics or performing arts. Such students usually demonstrate sharp hand-eye coordination, good balance and an ability to convey ideas better through gestures.
Musical Intelligence 
Many teachers have found songs and rhymes to be a very
valuable teaching technique due to the fact that quite a few students
display a high level of musical intelligence. The rhythm and pitch
through which information is conveyed is very easily registered in
the minds of such learners.
If constructing lesson plans or learning games, teachers and parents would greatly benefit from incorporating these variations into their teaching. This will be significantly useful when it comes to identifying the area that your child displays the most flair in and will simplify the learning process for students who appear to experience difficulty grasping certain concepts.
Furthermore, we can apply this concept to ourselves as well. Perhaps our inability to master certain tasks has been the result of making use of the wrong learning techniques for our particular needs. Find out what learning technique is most effective for you and watch your productivity grow.
