A Research On Strength-based Learning And Teaching In Primary School English Classes

The Theory of Multiple Intelligences is a conceptualization of human intelligence introduced by Howard Gardner(1992:21).According to Gardner(2000:43), there are at least eight different but autonomous intelligence capacities that result in many different ways of knowing, understanding, and learning about our world. They include verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, naturalist and intrapersonal intelligences. Gardner (2000:51) believes that it is impossible for two individuals to hold the same level of intelligence, since each person’s intelligences are put together in quite different ways. So when it comes to education, the difference between students does not lie in who is more clever, but in what strong intelligences everyone tends to own. So the teachers are called to employ multiple instructional methods that appeal to all the intelligences. Up to now, western educators have studied many ways of using this theory in education. And in China, more and more researchers have begun to show interest in it. In the area of English teaching in primary schools, however, this theory is paid little attention to, especially the research on strength-based teaching. For this reason, the researcher tries to discuss the implication of this theory for primary school English learning and teaching and has come up with some advices for implementing it in Primary School English class.In this study, the subjects are from two intact classes in Grade Four in He ping Primary School, Changsha city, Hunan Province.132students, aged from9to10, are involved in this study. The author takes Class1as the experimental class with65kids in it; while Class2as the control class with67kids in it. The author teaches these two classes. Experiment manipulates classroom activities as independent variable, which means the experimental class is treated with diversified classroom activities while the control class follows their usual ways. The experiment lasts six months, during which the author will observe the students closely and take notes about their response and behavior changes. Data will be finally collected from the questionnaire, teacher’s account and final-term examination analysis, and analyzed both cross-sectionally (between the experimental class and the control class) and longitudinally (looking for changes over time).The analysis of the research results indicates a satisfaction of students’diversity and significant achievements in maintaining the students’high motivation in English learning, active involvement in classroom activities, using their own strong intelligences and exerting effective ways to individual teaching guidance. In a word, the teaching through strength-based showed a more positive learning atmosphere and students accepted this kind of teaching method. So it is hoped that the author will promote it in the future teaching practice.This thesis is divided into5chapters. Chapter One is the Literature review of Multiple Intelligences theory; Chapter Two is the Theoretical basis of Multiple Intelligence, Cooperative Learning and Autonomous Learning; Chapter Three is about the process of the whole experiment; Chapter Four is the data analysis; and the last part is the conclusion. The study makes the following major findings:the development of individual quality; the development of group quality; and the changes of student’s English learning style.This study shows that there are considerable limitations, because of the small scale of the experiment. However, this study suggests that teac hing through Multiple Intelligences is a practical way for teachers tomov e from curriculum-based and score-based teaching to learner-centered teaching.