Integrating Multiple Intelligences into Daily Plans: A Preschool Example

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Multiple Intelligences Theory (MI) on preschool children’s learning styles, interests and active participation to the daily activities. Researchers conducted a two-phased study in an urban preschool classroom of 14 children who are at the age of 6 with the cooperation of the classroom teacher. In the first phase, the teacher made observations of her class to decide the dominant intelligences, learning styles, interests and participation of the children while she was conducting her traditional semi-structured daily plans based on the National Preschool Education Curriculum. Based on the observations, for each child, she filled out the MI Inventory (MULIN) developed by the researchers. Then, each child was interviewed by one of the researchers and asked to mark the MI Self Evaluation Picture Control List (MISEC) developed by Fleetham (2008). The data collected was graphed and interpreted to conclude the MI Profile of the class. In the second phase, children were exposed to the Daily Plan Enriched with MI Inspirations in the leadership of the teacher. Researchers observed and videotaped the whole procedure. Then, the teacher was interviewed to find out whether there were differences on the children’s interests and active participation during the daily plan enriched with MI inspirations comparing with the traditional daily plans she has been conducting. The findings of the study showed that Daily Plan Enriched with MI Inspirations made a positive effect on children’s interests and active participation in the daily activities since they covered all the intelligences and addressed different learning styles of the children. Research findings not only provide insight into the role of MI on preschool children’s interests and active participation but also draw attention to the importance of having all the eight intelligence and addressing all the learning styles of the children in the daily plans.