Topic (Educational Psychology), Module (Individual Differences) – Clip 4: Strategies for Teaching Diverse Learners

Upon viewing the video, these teachers have demonstrated the use of theory of multiple intelligences in their assignments or classroom instructions. In the case of the first teacher, she demonstrated interpersonal intelligence based on her teaching philosophy. The evidence to support this stance is based on her statements regarding her beliefs that she should know each student on an individual basis, such as what motivates them, strengths, and weaknesses. She emphasized that students have individual differences. Additionally, the first teacher stated that she aims to meet the learning needs of each student by focusing on their strengths. For instance, if she has a student who is a struggling writer, she does not necessarily require for that student to write. Instead, she request for the student to draw a picture in order to express what he or she feels. This activity is an example of spatial intelligence. The teacher feels that there are a variety of ways for students to report what they have learned in her classroom. Lastly, this teacher also uses naturalistic intelligence which is demonstrated through her classroom discussion regarding the coral reef.

In the case of the second teacher, she discussed the importance of intrapersonal intelligence. She stated that she often instruct her students to connect what they have learned in the classroom with their personal experience. She gave an example regarding ESOL students or other struggling learners when it came to definitions. She teaches her students to write more than simply copying the definitions verbatim from the book. Therefore, she encourages her students to draw pictures or incorporate personal experience into their definitions.

In both classrooms, these teachers could have incorporated other activities to engage students’ multiple intelligences. Based on the video clip, these teachers were more or less discussing writing activities. Two activities that these teachers could have used are linguistic and musical intelligences. Since many students enjoy talking, these teachers could have instructed for their students to use their language skills to create sound, meanings, and rhythms to describe the coral reef or gain a better understanding of definitions.

A type of software application or tool that would help teachers teach toward diverse learners is PowerPoint. The effective use of PowerPoint can incorporate the use of a couple of multiple intelligences. For example, a PowerPoint presentation could have pictures or other objects to replace words. Therefore, students would use their spatial intelligence towards learning in the classroom. Additionally, a PowerPoint presentation usually presents information in a sequential manner, which would require for students to use their logical-mathematical intelligence to learn new concepts or learning objectives.