The relationship between implementation of the multiple intelligences theory in the curriculum and student academic achievement at a seventh-grade at-risk alternative school

This study examined the relationship between implementation of the multiple intelligences (MI) theory and student academic achievement of students at a seventh grade at-risk alternative school. The researcher hypothesized that students attending an at-risk alternative school implementing the MI theory in the curriculum would have more significant academic growth than students who attended the same at-risk alternative school before implementation of the MI theory in the curriculum.; The researcher provided leadership in developing and implementing a MI theory-based schoolwide intervention curriculum to promote literacy and improve student academic achievement. The literacy/MI theory-based curriculum, which tailored instruction to build on student strengths, addressed the eight intelligences of Howard Gardner.; The three-year comparative study used 45 randomly selected students (15 students for each year of the study) and six core subject teachers as project participants. The researcher analyzed student results from three standardized or performance-based tests, responses to a MI survey administered to students, and a MI survey administered to selected core subject teachers. The researcher examined relationships among the variables and determined the significance level of the relationships.; The findings indicated a significant relationship between MI theory implementation in the curriculum and academic performance in mathematics, reading, and writing, but not in other core subject areas. Specifically, on one measure the researcher found a statistically significant difference in the academic growth of the Control Group and Experimental Group I in mathematics, but no statistically significant difference in the academic growth for other core subject areas. For Experimental Group II, the researcher found no statistically significant difference in the academic growth in any core subject area. However, a second measure reflected a statistically significant difference in the academic growth in mathematics and reading for Experimental Group II. Additionally, the third measure reflected a statistically significantly difference in writing for Experimental Group I and Experimental Group II.; The researcher recommended that the curricular, instructional, and assessment practices used in mathematics, reading, and writing during implementation of the MI theory in the curriculum should be replicated in all core subject areas to improve student academic achievement at the project alternative school.