Application of Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory for the Effective Use of Library Resources by K-2 Students: An Experimented Model

Abstract

How can school libraries and librarians be apart of the culture of promoting books and reading? Can we go beyond organizing author talks, book fairs, book presentations etc.? Can we target the Kindergarteners and the primary school students and do some experiment to inculcate this virtue called Reading? An effort has been made in this direction and be considered successful to a great extent by the author in her school Zydus School for Excellence, Ahmedabad, India where she has been working for the last four years. This paper provides a viewpoint of applying Dr. Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences namely, verbal/linguistic, logico-mathematical, musical, body/kinesthetic, visual/spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalist intelligence in evaluating a resource by a student. This process can help a great deal in overall development of a child’s/students personality. The approach used here is the practical application of Multiple Intelligence Theory in evaluating a resource by students of K-2 students. The student selects a particular resource and checks whether all the above mentioned intelligences developing activities are available in the resource. If at least 4-5 such activities are available, the student can take home the resource and share it with his/her parents. Then an effort is made to collect the feedback from parents as to how the child and the parent utilized the resources effectively and what was the learning outcome. Based on the feedback, the child can be reinforced to choose the right resources. Since this exercise involves both children and parents and is structured in approach, there has been an observation that they look forward for the library periods in the school quite enthusiastically. The author is of the opinion that Multiple Intelligence Theory helps in developing skills to analyze a resource logically & use it effectively to increase the success level of the students.