An Application Of Multiple Intelligences Theory To Inquiry TEFL

Multiple Intelligences(MI) theory holds that everyone possesses at least seven intelligences, whose functions work as a whole rather than independently. Each person has a distinct combination of the seven intelligences; he/she may be strong in certain intelligences but weak in others, as a result of individual differences. With its popularity, MI theory has played an increasing significant role in improving the teaching effectiveness and efficiency, stimulating the students’ gains of talents and abilities, and achieving the students’ overall development and individualized development.This thesis reports a teaching experiment ― the application of MI theory to Integrated English Course, for the sake of investigating whether the application of MI theory is effective in Integrate English Course and applicable to inquiry TEFL. This research project attempts to discuss the following questions.(1) What are the subjects’ intelligences profiles?(2) Can MI-based learning activities and tasks improve the subjects’ multiple intelligences? If yes, in what types of multiple intelligences?(3) Can MI-based learning activities and tasks more effectively enhance the subjects’ English proficiency? If yes, in what aspects of their English skills?The subjects, in this teaching experiment, were two classes of 61 sophomore English majors in Grade 2013 from School of Foreign Languages. The research data were collected via questionnaire, final exams, class observation, and interview. After almost a semester, this author analyzed the collected data and discussed on them, and further contrasted the results of the final exams between the experimental classes and non-experimental classes.The research results indicate that, the students’ multiple intelligences have three features — every student has a different multiple intelligences profile; their strongest intelligence is linguistic intelligence, and the weakest one is logical intelligence; interpersonal intelligence and intrapersonal intelligence usually develop along with linguistic intelligence. Moreover, MI-based learning activities and tasks are helpful in strengthening the students’ awareness of multiple intelligences and to some extent developing their multiple intelligences. Among the seven types of intelligences, linguistic, logical and intrapersonal intelligences are evidently enhanced. Furthermore, MI-based learning activities and tasks in some way make a contribution to effectively improve the students’ performance in the final exams. The skills of building vocabulary, writing and translating are significantly improved, and the skill of translating are positively correlated with the multiple intelligences. In conclusion, MI theory is applicable and effective in Integrated English Course and Inquiry TEFL.