论文总字数：33936字

摘 要

1983年，美国哈佛大学教授、著名心理学家霍华德•加德纳在《智能的结构》中正式提出了多元智能理论这一概念。与传统教育观相比，多元智能理论注重人的个性发展。当前新的《英语课程标准》要求：教育必须突出学生的主体性质，尊重学生的个体差异性。因此，将多元智能理论运用于教学，能帮助教师有针对性地实施因材施教。

本文主要探究在多元智能理论背景下如何开展小学英语教学，从而更好促进学生的全面发展。

关键词：多元智能理论；小学英语教学；应用

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 2

2.1 Definition of MI Theory 2

2.2 Studies abroad and at home 4

3 Theoretical Basis of Research 6

3.1 Traditional view of intelligence VS MI Theory 6

3.2 The influence of MI Theory on primary education concept 7

4. The Application of MI Theory in Primary English Teaching 8

4.1 In the design of primary English teaching 8

4.2 In the teaching of primary English lesson 9

5. The Suggestions and Significances of MI Theory in Priamry English Teaching 10

5.1 Suggestions of MI Theory in priamry English teaching 10

5.2 Significances of MI Theory in priamry English teaching 11

6. Conclusion 12

Works Cited 14

1. Introduction

Nowadays, our country’s education has been affected by examination-oriented education, which has made many teachers only focus on students’ academic performance and so that neglect the students’ personality and potential development in learning process. And there is a passive mode of thinking that teachers only teach what examination needs and what the teacher taught the student to learn. At the same time, most of the English classes are teacher-centered, the student lack of initiative and enthusiasm, thus leaving students in a passive learning mode, they cannot develop autonomous learning actively, resulting in a lack of vitality in the English class. In 2017, China"s Ministry of Education promulgated English Curriculum Standard for Compulsory Education, which stipulates the general goal of the English course for compulsory education clearly: through the English learning, students will be able to form a preliminary integrated language application ability, promote mental development, and improve the integrated humanities quality. In a word, the idea of new English curriculum education in China is, “For the development of all students, for the all-round development of students, for the development of students" personality.” For this reason, the Multiple Intelligences Theory is similar to the new English curriculum standard in a certain extent. In 1983, Howard Gardner, a psychologist at Harvard University, put forward the Multiple Intelligences Theory and identified seven forms of intelligence. This view goes beyond the traditional view that intelligence has not only been shown as an excellent achievement, and it is believed that the frames of mind to solve problems is multifaceted. After twelve years, Gardner put forward the eighth intelligence, namely, Naturalist intelligence. The person who possesses this intelligence has outstanding performance in recognizing and distinguishing the phenomena between nature and human. In later, through the practical research, Gardner proposed a new kind of intelligence, it is Existentialist Intelligence. Gardner believes that these nine kinds of intelligence are essential for each student.

This paper is based on the Multiple Intelligence Theory. Through the study of the Multiple Intelligences Theory, I draw inspiration from it, and then think how to apply the Multiple Intelligence Theory to the English curriculum in primary schools, so can help students develop in an all-round way and teachers can teach students according to their aptitudes.

2. Literature Review

2.1 Definition of MI Theory

In Gardner"s view, he believes that what underpins the Multiple Intelligences Theory is the relatively independent existence of nine types of intelligence within individuals, linked to specific cognitive and knowledge domains. Gardner put forward the concept of "intelligence" for the first time in the book the Frames of Mind, and seven kinds of intelligence are described in detail, and the Multiple Intelligences Theory is created. These seven kinds of intelligence are verbal intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, musical intelligence, visual-spatial intelligence, bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence and intrapersonal intelligence. In 1995, Professor Gardner found a new kind of intelligence that is naturalist intelligence. Besides, he added a new intelligence in later, it is existentialist intelligence.

a) Verbal intelligence: the ability to read, write, and communicate. It contains four basic skills, i.e. the ability of listening, speaking, writing and reading. People with advanced language skills are particularly sensitive to the meaning of words and are good at expression and communication. "Gardner gave an example: Elliott (T.S. Eliot, 1888~1965, British poet and critic, who had won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1948) when he was ten years old, he founded a magazine called by the fireplace, and he was the only contributor to the magazine. In the winter holiday, he used three days to publish eight issues of this magazine some of them are still popular today. This showing the poet has special genius". (Wu Zhihong 6) For this reason, we can know that folk storytellers, orators, poets, dramatists, novelists, and linguists are all well-versed in verbal intelligence.

b) Logical-mathematical intelligence: the ability of inference, calculation, and efficient use of mathematics and the ability to think in a logical, systematic way. People with excellent Logical-mathematical intelligence are particularly sensitive to numbers. This intelligence is also called scientific thinking in general. This intelligent person is generally a scientist, mathematician, physicist, logician, accountant, etc.

c) Musical intelligence: It is the ability to perceive, compose, write the song, sing, understand and appreciate the music. This high-skilled person is usually a composer, musician, and music lover. But in fact, everyone has musical intelligence as long as they have a keen sense of hearing, the singing does not out of tune and can notice the difference between different pieces of music, but everyone"s level of this ability is different.

d) Visual-spatial intelligence: It is the ability to take advantage of body to solve problems and perceive the world of vision space accurately. This kind of intelligence is mainly used to solve the spatial location problem. This kind of person can be good at thinking through imagination, has strong sense of visual space, and can reshape the space from different angles and layers.

e) Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence: It means person with this intelligence is good at controlling the body movement, and can use the boy to express the inner feelings. This intelligence included the special body techniques such as coordination, balance, agility, strength, elasticity and speed, as well as self-perceived, tactile and haptic-induced capabilities.

f) Interpersonal intelligence: Person with this intelligence is good at cooperation, maintaining good relationship with others. They can perceive and distinguish the emotions, intentions and motivations of others. This highly skilled person has great performance in interpersonal skills, quick to understand others facial expressions, thoughts and movements, and can stand on other people"s position to think the problem at the same time. Generally speaking, diplomats, politicians and excellent teachers all have this intelligence.

g) Intrapersonal intelligence: The ability is to carry out self-analysis and self-examination, in other words, this ability is to think independently of our achievements, review our own feelings and inner feelings, understand ourselves, have a clear estimation of ourselves, then plan for ourselves, set goals for our develop, and make appropriate actions according to ourselves.

h) Naturalist intelligence: the ability to have an insight into the nature. Gardner proposed that human beings are natural observers. We can explore the world through our senses and observe it actively. In addition we can reflect and question the information of perception and observation so as to experience the surrounding environment.

I) Existentialist intelligence: it is to state and think about the final outcome of life and death, physical and psychological worlds. For example, think of the mutual understanding between animals and how the life exists outside the earth. This intelligence embodies human reflection and understanding of human beings themselves.

2.2 Studies abroad and at home

Gardner, a professor of psychology at Harvard University, introduced the Multiple Intelligences Theory for the first time, pointing out that all normal people had seven kinds of intelligence. In 1995 and later, he successively discovered the naturalist intelligence and existentialist intelligence, so now this theory included nine kinds of intelligence. During this period, Professor Gardner proposed a new idea of applying Multiple Intelligences Theory to school education, and his advocacy of environment and education played an important role in the development and cultivation of human intelligence potential. After the 1990s, his research on the Multiple Intelligences Theory began to focus on quantitative steering quality, and in 1999, the quality index of “teaching for understanding” in school intelligence research was put forward, so that the maximum understanding of students became the biggest aim of education.

David Lazear: Eight Ways of Teaching: The Artistry of Teaching with Multiple Intelligences. He extended the scope of the Multiple Intelligences Theory to the general basic education field. He proposed a variety of thematic unit models, such as the academic year curriculum planning model and unit extension model. Taking the different subjects of primary school, middle school and senior middle school as examples, this paper analyzes the teaching objectives, teaching contents and teaching methods, and probes into the teaching strategies of “8 1” and “focusing on intelligence”. 8 1 strategy analyzes how to use eight kinds of intelligent to design courses, and the “focusing on intelligence strategy” focuses on using one of intelligent to have curriculum design.

In the design of multiple intelligence activities, Altan put forward a variety of evaluation methods based on the Multiple Intelligences Theory. He proposed a combination and performance evaluation approach to make students more objective and more comprehensive. The couple of Linda Campbell and Bruce Campbell’s Multiple Intelligences and student achievement: successful cases in six schools provide practical multi-intelligence courses based on “diversity” and “change” in the practical application of Multiple Intelligence Theory. And teaching programs have important implications for the study of multiple intelligence practices in later generations. Gardner requires that the teacher should assess the students’ performance in time after the completion of the activity. At present, we evaluate the performance of students from five aspects, that is, the intelligent characteristics of the individual; the level they grasp the skills and concepts; their homework’s quality; communication and in-depth thinking activity.

In our country, Lan Jingren translated the frames of mind was introduced into China in 1990. Subsequently, Xinhua Publishing Press published a translation of Multiple Intelligences: the Theory in Practice by Shen Zhilong who from Beijing Industry and Commerce University. The book became the most authoritative and influential book on the Multiple Intelligences Theory. The research of teaching practice of Multiple Intelligence Theory is mainly combined with our country. For example, the Central Military Commission has studied “Multi-intelligence English —— seven-step teaching mode”, and the Chinese Institute of Education has listed “drawing lessons from the theory of Multiple Intelligences and developing the potential of students” as the key subject in the Tenth Five-Year Plan. The work of our country on the Multiple Intelligences Theory has been published successively, such as written by Huo Liyan: Multiple Intelligences Theory and Multi-Intelligence Course Research. Zhong Zurong and Wu Fanghui’s book: Interpretation of multiple intelligences Theory , Wu Zhihong : Multiple Intelligences: Theory, Method and Practice ,and Mei Ruili’s Multiple Intelligences and Teaching Strategies and so on.

How to apply the Multiple Intelligences Theory to the primary English teaching, many educationists, scholars and educators have different attempts, the content involves the design of primary English teaching, the primary school English learning strategy, and the evaluation of English learning and so on many aspects. For example, Zhang Cuiyun took primary school English one-section classroom teaching as the starting point, discussed the methods of integrating Multiple Intelligences Theory with primary English classroom teaching. Zhanglu put forward some strategies based on the Multiple Intelligences Theory in primary school English teaching, and advocated the teacher should have some necessary activities, such as base task activity and cooperation activity.

3 Theoretical Basis of Research

3.1 Traditional view of intelligence VS MI Theory

The Traditional View of Intelligence Theory believes that intelligence is the core of language ability and logical ability, and a kind of ability exists in the whole way. Therefore, the traditional intelligence test can only explain a part of intelligence, and also lead to the ability of intelligence test can predict the academic achievement of the child in school, but cannot predict the actual performance and success probability of the individual in real life. For this reason, the traditional intelligence view is the univariate dimension, not a comprehensive intellectual view. The traditional intelligence view has hindered the overall development of students. When we compared with the traditional intelligence concept, the Multiple Intelligence Theory had three characteristics: a).The Multiple Intelligences Theory highlights the difference of students: Gardner believes that everyone has nine kinds of intelligence, and these nine kinds of intelligence have different ways and degree combinations on each person, so that each person’s intelligence has its individual. This difference is caused by environmental and education. The students with poor academic performance are not excellent students in the sense of traditional view of intelligence, but generally they just do not have enough logical and memory skills. b). Multiple Intelligences Theory has higher development: Gardner believes that the school’s education is to develop students’ intelligent, its purpose is to develop a variety of intelligence, and to help students discover their intelligence characteristics and develop hobbies to promote their development. It is clear that the Multiple Intelligences Theory provides us with a more multidimensional view and method of thinking about human intelligence as compared to Traditional Intelligence Theory. c). Multiple intelligence theory have higher practical: Gardner believes that a person’s intellectual level cannot be based on his performance in the school, but rather the ability of the person to solve the reality problem, and his creation in a natural and reasonable environment. Therefore, through the contrast of traditional intelligence view and Multiple Intelligences Theory, we find that the Multiple Intelligences Theory is multidimensional, which is the theory that conforms to the needs of students’ physiological and psychological development.

3.2 The influence of MI Theory on primary education concept

3.2.1 The view of students under the MI Theory

The Multiple Intelligences Theory holds that:" The purpose of school education should be to develop a variety of intelligence and help students find careers and hobbies suited to their intelligence characteristics". In the practice of primary English teaching, we find that some students are good at reading or have a good performance in oral expression and communication with people, showing good verbal intelligence; in addiction, some students like to listen to music when they do their homework, and show better musical intelligence. To this end, teachers should be treated differently from different students, and different teaching methods should be adopted for the same teaching contents, and different requirements should be put forward. According to different teaching contents, different teaching forms must be adopted to the needs of different students, and the respective specialty is played. And teachers should let students understand human’s intelligent is different, to make the students correct their strengths and weaknesses, face up to their deficiencies, avoid tension, anxious emotions, and have weariness of learning, and so on.

3.2.2 The view of teaching under the MI Theory

The Multiple Intelligences Theory believes that human intelligence is constantly influenced by the innate and acquired nature. School education is not only teaching knowledge, but more importantly to guide the development of students" intelligence. Mr. Li Jianping also pointed out that, “as long as the teacher constantly changes the teaching method according to each intelligent, the students can take advantage of his most advanced intelligence in one day.” To this end, teachers should make full use of teaching materials and design the teaching process carefully. In teaching activities, we should try to make students more involved and demonstrate. In primary school English teaching, teachers are no longer simply imparting knowledge but imparting knowledge to the development and cultivation of students" multiple intelligence. In particular, it is necessary to change the teaching mode of teachers and students, and adopt flexible teaching methods to guide students to learn English through multi-channel. For example, introduce myself in English, retell the text, tell stories, recite poetry, talk, question and answer, discuss, oral debate, sing English songs, play games, perform dialogue and so on.

4. The Application of MI Theory in Primary English Teaching

4.1 In the design of primary English teaching

In English teaching design, the Multiple Intelligences should be taken as the main line, and we should arrange and extend the teaching contents of each unit. Firstly, when we design the lesson plan, the teacher can analyze and discover the intelligent items contained in the content of each unit of the teaching material by using a column chart, and further extend and expand the content of one unit on the basis of the original cognition, strengthening the intelligence which was neglected or did not pay attention to the unit so as to make students can better and more deeply understand the contents of the text, in order to promote students’ learning performance and the level of ntelligence.

Secondly, it is reasonable to set up the core intelligence that the unit needs of students. Although the English lesson is a language learning course, the topic in the English book is close to life and the content is rich, we should analyze and excavate the teaching materials carefully from different angles, it can find different entry points to cultivate students multiple intelligences.

Finally, teachers should record the core intelligence used in this unit and connect it with other units so that all kinds of intelligence can be developed in a reasonable and coordinated way. When carrying out the teaching design, the teacher should list the basic content and the core intelligence which can be used in each unit as much as possible, so that all the components of each unit are clear, and teacher can define the teaching goal in the unit and the learning result to be obtained by the student. In order to strengthen the links with other units, the core intelligence of the extensions of these units will be recorded after completing the teaching, and then supplement the neglected intelligence, so that all kinds of intelligence can be developed in a reasonable and coordinated manner, and let student have a all-round development.

4.2 In the teaching of primary English lesson

Primary English classroom teaching mainly consists of phonetic teaching, vocabulary teaching and oral teaching. First of all, the primary school students learn phonetics mainly by imitation, and a large amount of listening. In order to cultivate students’ sense of language, improve the level of pronunciation in the process of listening and speaking, teachers should let students have adequate opportunities to practice. The application of Multiple Intelligences Theory to phonetic teaching is to make full use of the rhythm, effectively arouse the students" multiple sensory to participate the study, develop the students" language intelligence, musical intelligence and other kinds of intelligence. Specific methods include, singing rhyme which the rhymes are simple in text, easy to understand, and bright in rhythm. As a voice training material, a cheerful and lively nursery rhyme can be used to exercise pronunciation, rhythm, liaison, intonation and so on. It is easy to stimulate students" interest in learning English, and to strengthen the memory of similar sounds. Music and rhythm can improve children"s musical intelligence. Another way is speak tongue twisters which can be used to train vowel, consonant and special speech phenomenon, help students distinguish between similar sounds and can also play the role of waking children"s musical intelligence.

Secondly, vocabulary teaching is an integral part of language teaching and plays a very important role in foreign language teaching. The amount of vocabulary a person master has a direct influence on his language expression ability, and also reflects the level of his English. The rich vocabulary can help students get more information from English, express their thoughts freely, and make their language easier and smooth. In English vocabulary teaching, we can carry out multiple classroom activities to help different students to memorize words. For example, puzzle games, it is the crossword games related to teaching content which can help students consolidate their vocabulary. From these riddles, students" language centres receive a stimulus, and they try to establish a link between riddles and the knowledge they master, so students’ verbal intelligence is activated. Teachers can also teach words by performance. Students use gestures and actions to enhance their understanding of the words. This not only accords with the characteristics of the pupil, but also can well drive the development of their bodily intelligence.

At last, apply Multiple Intelligences Theory in oral teaching should use pictures and videos, and performances to stimulate the students" interest, to make the students express their thoughts of adapting to the specific situations happily, realize the fun at last. For example, look and say which uses a visual image such as pictures, photos, slide and so on to enlighten the students to practise speaking, so that students can directly link or visualize the contents of the picture with English, and give children a good chance to practice oral English. Besides, through role-playing, students" ability to communicate with language is developed. In addition to the development of language intelligence, students will also use several other intelligence, such as bodily intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence, etc. Story telling is one of the commonly used ways to train students" verbal intelligence. The students make a coherent speech based on the language content that is heard or read, which helps to exercise students" oral expression, thinking ability and listening ability.

5. The Suggestions and Significances of MI Theory in Priamry English Teaching

5.1 Suggestions of MI Theory in priamry English teaching

Firstly, the calss activities should conform to the characteristics of students. The primary English teaching is elementary. The purpose of English teaching in this stage is not to understand or master esoteric grammar in primary schools, but to arouse their interest in learning English, and cultivate their enthusiasm for learning English. Therefore, the use of Multiple Intelligences Theory for teaching should implement the principles of interest, practicality, intuition and flexibility.

There are many ways to stimulate intelligence. When we design the lesson plan, teachers should take into account the age and characteristics of pupils. They are curios, good to imitation, but language accumulation is not rich enough, lack of social experience. Therefore, teachers should choose the way conform to pupil’s characteristics. For example, by letting students write stories, poems, have debates and lectures, etc. students can wake up their verbal intelligence, and practice students" oral expression and written expression ability. However, it is obviously difficult for pupils who have not enough language accumulation, teachers provide some pictures to make them look and say, role-play and reading aloud, so that the pupils can say and understand the words.

Secondly, the teacher carry out class activities should according to actual situation. Multiple Intelligences Theory always advocates the use of various ways to present teaching content in order to promote the development of students’ variety of intelligence. By using some modern technical way to support multiple intelligent teaching, such as slide, projector, some software and network, it will be more likely to inspire students and promote students" thinking, which can help to arouse students" multiple intelligence, enhance teaching effect, improve students" learning. But these are established on the basis of technical conditions. Some schools do not have the corresponding environment, so teachers can choose other ways instead of, can also achieve teaching effect. In the lesson of shopping, multimedia display teaching content is selected, and there is a vivid and intuitive advantage, if limited by the condition, the teaching content can be displayed in a picture, which the color is bright, lively and interesting. It can also awake the students" visual-spatial intelligence, and help the students understand the teaching content. When learning animal and plant words, bringing students to the outside can help to deepen their understanding of the new words. If the condition is not allowed, the student cannot be brought to nature, and it is also possible to simulate the nature by displaying specimens, photographs, paintings and videos on the classroom. In short, teachers should choose an intelligent tool with strong operability based on teaching practice, not to pursue dazzling application.

5.2 Significances of MI Theory in priamry English teaching

After we learn the Multiple Intelligences Theory, we find that there a great of significance in primary English teaching of our country.

Firstly, the Multiple Intelligence Theory advocates teachers to pay attention to the differences of students, through the use of diversified teaching strategies, to promote students" individual potential development through the use of diversified teaching strategies. Gardner believes that each child is a gifted child, teachers should pay attention to the diversity of students" intelligence and respect for individual differences.

Secondly, the Multiple Intelligence Theory helps teachers to change their view of education. Teachers can carry out scientific analysis, control and improve their teaching behavior according to the Multiple Intelligence Theory, and help students to maximize their potential of intelligence.

Thirdly, the Multiple Intelligence Theory is a scientific theory, which accords with the physiological and psychological characteristics of primary school students and benefit to their own development needs. Using Multiple Intelligences Theory in primary English learning can stimulate students" interest in learning English and find a good way to learn English.

Fourthly, the Multiple Intelligence Theory is conducive to the promotion of individualized teaching. The Multiple Intelligence Theory goes beyond the traditional concept of intelligence, strengthens the link between intelligence and education, that is, intelligent development as the tool of English teaching to promote the development of students" comprehensive quality, personality and comprehensive language use ability. So we should apply Multiple Intelligences Theory to primary English teaching according to the practice.

6. Conclusion

Through the combination of Multiple Intelligences Theory and primary English teaching, it can help students to develop comprehensive development and comprehensive thinking, which will good for students" future development and individual growth. When we apply MI theory to primary English teaching, first of all, the teacher should change their concept of education recognize the differences and highlights of students so as to carry out more targeted teaching. Secondly, teachers should recognize the important role played by the teaching methods and try to ensure that they are in line with the students" ability when conducting questions such as class questions, and that students" self-confidence can be strengthened, thus promoting the development of teaching.

Works Cited

Altan, M. Assessment for Multiple Intelligences. Modern English Teacher, 11(2002)：56-60.

Gardner, H. Frames of Mind: the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Book, 1983.

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