Putting Multiple Intelligences to Work for You
| Multiple Intelligence | Class-time Strategies | Out of Class Study Strategies |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal-Linguistic | Take notes in different colors: concepts in one, examples in another; underline words/concepts you will transfer to flash cards; ask questions about the assigned reading, such as “What does the textbook mean when it says _____?” | Rewrite or type notes in a different style; outline chapters; explain new course concepts to someone; recite information out loud; develop a story line of the information; read with a classmate, discussing the information one section at a time; create practice tests with a classmate and quiz each other; convert word problems to numbers and vice-versa, determining which pieces of information are unnecessary for solving the problem; create a concept map that explains how information covered in the course is connected; read textbook assignments out loud; work a crossword puzzle or read a book as a reward for completing a study session |
| Logical-Mathematical | Organize notes logically; highlight patterns in notes; ask questions in class that attempt to identify the logic, context, or pattern of the information being discussed, such as “Why was _____ such a critical event leading up to WW2?” | Explain information sequentially to someone; develop/find patterns; outline notes; link material together in your mind - how C builds on B, how B builds on A; create tables that show patterns and if/then relations; create a concept map that shows connections of parts to the whole; play chess or work a Sudoku puzzle as a reward for completing a study session |
| Visual-Spatial | Color-code notes: concepts in one, examples in another; make references in notes to specific imagery the information evokes; ask professor what something “looks like” when it’s activated (e.g., when macrophages are attacking a foreign antigen) | Graphically organize information; draw concept maps; associate course information with art you know or created, places you’ve been to or seen; add color to B&W images; draw diagrams of word problems; visualize vocabulary words and concepts; use arts and crafts time as a reward for completing a study session |
| Interpersonal | Make references in notes about relational aspects of the information: how concept A is related to concept B; or how concept C exhibits principles of parent-child relationships; or how is fact A related to fact C; ask questions in class about how the information today is related to the information presented last class time | Form a study group; participate in discussion boards, IM, or texting to explain information; teach someone else the information; create a concept map that shows how facts, ideas, concepts are inter-related; interview someone who works in the field of the coursework you’re studying (e.g., for a history class, email an archivist from the local library); use social time with friends as a reward for completing a study session |
| Bodily-Kinesthetic | Make references in notes to songs or music or rhythms that the concepts remind you of; make note of patterns, trends, overlap, repetition, ideas working together “in concert”; ask questions in class about patterns, trends, style, setting | Write songs or raps to help learn concepts; while reading/studying, play music that stimulates your brain but doesn't distract; chant information in rhythmic fashion; create concept/vocabulary jingles; create lyrics to a familiar tune that explains or describes an important concept or process; use rhymes to remember information; use music breaks as a reward for studying |
| Intrapersonal | In your notes, make reference to mental imagery evoked by the information; ask questions in class about how the information applies to other contexts (e.g., “do babies in all countries acquire language the same way American babies do?”) | Allow yourself time to “sit with” information, reflecting on it, analyzing it; study in a quiet area; imagine an essay, experiment, or project before beginning; use brainstorming techniques to plan an essay or project; create concept maps; use brain-teasers as a reward after a study session |
| Naturalistic | Make reference in your notes to categories, as well as relationships among ideas and facts; reference any connections between the information and the natural world; ask questions in class about environmental impact | Identify ways items do or don’t fit together; study in natural settings; create concept maps that shows natural groupings of similar ideas and/or compare and contrast relationships; write or illustrate how the course information is connected with information from other courses; use a nature hike as a reward for completing a study session |
Challenge yourself:
Take your top three MIs, and develop a study strategy that incorporates all three. For example, someone who is BodilyKinesthetic, Visual-Spatial, and Interpersonal might create a concept map on a piece of butcher paper, using different shapes and colors, to represent the information in a textbook chapter, and then discuss the concept map in detail with a classmate, encouraging him/her to ask questions for clarification. Your combined strategies may differ, depending upon the subject matter and the way the course is taught.