Adapting Teaching Methods Based on Male Students’ Multiple Intelligences: A Case Study in a Public Secondary School in Shiraz
Keywords:
multiple intelligences, learner-centered instruction, differentiated teaching, Iranian educationAbstract
The present qualitative case study looks at teacher practice of Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences (MI) in one male public secondary school in Shiraz, Iran. Based on the Gardner’s wish to understand intelligence as a galaxy of distinguishable cognitive processes, the research examines how the knowledge of MI profiles of the students can influence the adjustments in instructional practice by the teacher and define the pattern of interactions in the classroom. Eight teachers were purposively sampled and were observed systematically in classes, interviewed semi-structurally, and documents analyzed. The results reveal that learning methods that matched with the predominant intelligences of students-especially interpersonal, bodily-kinesthetic, and logical-mathematical intelligences were related with prolonged motivation, antecedent, and understanding. However, its success was limited by the systemic barriers such as the fixed national curricula, lack of teacher training and inadequate classroom time. The findings provide evidence of the pedagogical merits of MI-informed practice in facilitating the promotion of learner-centered education in the exam-intensive contexts, and have implications that contribute to the improvement of the potential for teacher professional development and curriculum redesign to foster differentiated instruction within the context of Iran.
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