Friday, May 1, 2009

A critical analysis of the "Multiple Intelligences" theory

A segment from Christopher Chabris' review in the Wall Street Journal of Daniel Willinghams' Why Don't Students Like School:

The trendy notion that each person has a unique learning style comes under an especially withering assault. "How should I adjust my teaching for different types of learners?" asks Mr. Willingham's hypothetical teacher. The disillusioning reply: "No one has found consistent evidence supporting a theory describing such a difference. . . Children are more alike than different in terms of how they think and learn."

Teaching at a public high school, I've certainly heard my fair share of proponents of the 'learning styles' approach. It's refreshing to see the orthodoxy challenged once in a while.

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