The Application Of MI Theory To The Teaching Of English Writing In Junior Middle School

Based on Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences theory, the present thesis is aimed at an exploration of students'intelligent tendency and application of this theory to the teaching of English writing in junior middle school. To teach English writing based on multiple intelligences theory, teachers must change their traditional teaching ideas, and adapt their teaching method to different students'intelligent tendency and their needs of writing practice. In the traditional English class, the teacher only focuses on students'linguistic intelligence and logical-mathematical intelligence, while the multiple intelligences theory emphasizes the teacher's attention to the learner's all kinds of intelligences in their learning process and to the exploration of every student's potential.According to multiple intelligences theory, people's cognitive ability is not monistical but pluralistic. Everyone has at least eight intelligences and every student has a unique character and intelligent combination. Teachers should design many kinds of teaching methods to organize class activities, mobilize each student's study enthusiasm, arouse students'potential and develop students'weaker intelligences by using their stronger intelligences. Michael Berman was the first to apply multiple intelligences theory to the teaching of English; he pointed out that teachers should teach according to different students'intelligence types. The essence of multiple intelligences theory is similar to the new English Curriculum Standards—they both emphasize that teachers should pay great attention to the development of students'multiple intelligences, change their traditional teaching ideas, teach students in accordance of their aptitude, adopt more scientific and effective teaching methods, thereby promoting all-rounded development and cultivating more excellent talents. This study applies multiple intelligences theory to the teaching of English writing in junior middle school. According to students'intelligence differences, teachers should adopt teaching methods which are good for students'study and growth and encourage students to give full play to their advantages and improve their study. The study explores two questions. Firstly, can the teaching of English writing based on multiple intelligences theory arouse the students'learning interest and motivation in English? Secondly, can the teaching of English writing based on multiple intelligence theory improve students'writing ability and grades?The subjects of this research were from Shangqiu No.14 Middle School Grade 8. It contained the experimental class and control class. The hypothesis of this experiment was that the experimental class would make a significant progress compared with the control class after applying multiple intelligences theory to the teaching. The experiment lasted one term, and the data was analyzed by SPSS. Data analysis showed that the teaching of English writing in junior middle school based on multiple intelligences theory had greater effectiveness than the traditional teaching method. In addition, according to observation of students'performance in classroom and interviews, the author found that students in the experimental class were more interested in English and became more confident. Therefore, it was very important for English teachers to pay attention to students'characteristics and intelligence. Teachers should encourage students to use their stronger intelligences to facilitate learning. The effective application of multiple intelligences theory to the teaching of multiple intelligences theory can not only provide students with more learning means and ways, but also make the boring writing class become lively. Students'writing ability can be improved when they have higher writing enthusiasm.