THE THEORY OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

The theory of multiple intelligences is a model proposed by Howard Gardner in which intelligence is seen as unitary, which includes various specific capacities at different levels of generality, but as a set of multiple intelligences, different and independent. Gardner defines intelligence as "the ability to solve problems or make products that are valued in one or more cultures."

First, it broadens the scope of what is intelligence and recognize what was known intuitively: that the academic brilliance is not everything. When developing life is not enough to have a great academic record. There are people of great intellectual capacity but unable to, for example, choose their friends wisely and on the contrary, people are less bright in school that succeeds in the business world or in your personal life. Succeed in business, or sports, needs to be smart, but in each field using a different type of intelligence. Not better or worse, but different. In other words, Einstein is neither more nor less intelligent than Michael Jordan, just their minds belong to different fields.

Second, and not least, Gardner defines intelligence as an ability. Until very recently, intelligence was seen as something innate and unchangeable. Are born smart or not, and education could not change that fact. So much so that in times very close to the mentally handicapped are not educated, because they considered it a wasted effort.

Considering the importance of the psychology of multiple intelligences, has to be more rational to have a purpose for everything we do, not only through these intelligences. Since leaving aside the objectivity, which is the order to capture the world.

Considering the importance of the psychology of multiple intelligences, has to be more rational to have a purpose for everything we do, not only through these intelligences. Since leaving aside the objectivity, which is the order to capture the world.

There are different types:

     * "Music Intelligence
     *-body-kinesthetic intelligence
     *-linguistic intelligence
     * "logical-mathematical intelligence
     * "Special Intelligence
     * "interpersonal intelligence
     * "intrapersonal intelligence
     * "Naturalist Intelligence.

HOW CHILDREN ACQUIRE LANGUAGE

Four Theories about Language Acquisition

1.   Imitation (modeling)

2.   Reinforcement (Rewards and Punishment)

3.   Constructing grammar from input/experience

          (1- 3  are all learning theories)

4.   Absorption of a specific language into an already existing general language structure in the brain:  “innateness hypothesis”

Imitation :  Children memorize words and sentences they hear from a language.

•         Language symbols are arbitrary and not logically connected to the things they represent

•         Children only learn the language people around them speak

•         Children use forms of words that adults never say

•         The mistakes children make are consistent between children and between language groups

•         Children produce words and sentences they have never heard.

•         Children undertand words and sentences they have never heard.

Reinforcement:  Children learn to speak by being praised or corrected by adults.

•         Corrections are rare when total number of speech events is considered.

•         Praise is rare when the total number of speech events is considered.

•         Even without ANY praise or corrections children acquire language

•         Praise or corrections  frequently don’t change child language.

Input/Experience :  Children figure out and learn grammatical patterns from hearing adult language patterns

Children make systematic mistakes in grammar by “over regularizing” forms

The speed with which children acquire all of the grammatical patterns of a language is so rapid that is is difficult to see how they can figure out all grammar from experience in so short a time

Over Regularized Forms

Verb Forms

Children learn such past tense patterns as           e.g. walked, hugged, wanted,

     then apply the rules to irregular verbs

          e.g.“bringed”, “eated”, “runned”

Nouns

                   Given nonsense nouns like “wug” children make them plural by adding “s”

and

Children regularize plurals of      irregular nouns  e.g. womans, mans

Innateness Hypothesis

1.  Children’s brains have a “language acquisition device” that already contains the full range of structural possibilities inherent in language (“universal grammar”) .  This device absorbs the specific language the child hears.

2.  Children use the structural patterns they hear and discard the structural patterns they do not hear.

3.  Children do not have to learn structural patterns.  They only have to choose between them.

Arguments for Innate Language Acquisition Device

–       Perception for speech sounds is better than perception for other sounds

–       Congenitally deaf children will learn sign language at about the rate that normal children learn spoken language, and will progress through roughly the same stages.

–       Children are not exposed to as rich a variety of speech as they are able to develop.

–       Parts of the brain seem to be specialized for language processing

–       Parts of our physiology (larynx, highly manipulable tongue) seem to have no purpose except to facilitate the use of speech.

Lenneberg’s  Six Components of Innate Behavior

1.   Emerges before it is necessary.

2.   Is not the result of a conscious decision.

3.   Is not triggered by external events.

4.   Teaching and practice have little effect

5.   There is a regular developmental sequence

6.   Emerges during a critical period of development

Language emerges before
it is necessary.

•         Language emerges between the ages of 12 and 24 months while the child is completely dependent on parents for survival.

•         Although language will be an important survival tool, it is not important to survival at this age.

Language acquisition is not the result of a conscious decision.

•         There is no evidence that children decide to learn language.

•         Early language is an spontaneous game that happens between babies and their caretakers, not a conscious goal.

Language acquisition is not triggered by external events.

•         There is nothing that causes the emergence of language to begin.  All children begin playing with sound and language regardless of the context in which they live.

•         Children require input, but even children who do not interact with others begin the stages of language acquisition.  Without external input they may not succeed in acquiring language, but they still initiate the same behaviors as isolated children.

Teaching and practice have little effect on language acquisition.

•         Parents do not give lessons to their children to get them to acquire language.

•         Praise and correction do not occur with enough frequency to account for language proficiency

•         Praise and correction may have little effect on language acquisition.

•         Children produce language they have not heard from others

•         Children learn language too rapidly to logically derive all linguistic rules from experience

LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

 Is the process by which humans acquire the capacity to perceive, produce and use words to understand and communicate. This capacity involves the picking up of diverse capacities including syntax, phonetics, and an extensive vocabulary. This language might be vocal as with speech or manual as in sign. Language acquisition usually refers to first language acquisition, which studies infants' acquisition of their native language, rather than second language acquisition, which deals with acquisition (in both children and adults) of additional languages.

The capacity to acquire and use language is a key aspect that distinguishes humans from other organisms. While many forms of animal communicationexist, they have a limited range of nonsyntactically structured vocabulary tokens that lack cross cultural variation between groups.^[1]

A major concern in understanding language acquisition is how these capacities are picked up by infants from what appears to be very little input. A range of theories of language acquisition has been created in order to explain this apparent problem including innatism in which a child is born prepared in some manner with these capacities, as opposed to the other theories in which language is simply learned.

ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or AD/HD or ADD) is a neurobehavioral^[1] developmental disorder. It is primarily characterized by "the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone" and symptoms starting before seven years of age.

ADHD is the most commonly studied and diagnosed psychiatric disorder in children, affecting about 3 to 5 percent of children globally and diagnosed in about 2 to 16 percent of school aged children.^[ It is a chronic disorder with 30 to 50 percent of those individuals diagnosed in childhood continuing to have symptoms into adulthood. Adolescents and adults with ADHD tend to develop coping mechanisms to compensate for some or all of their impairments. It is estimated that 4.7 percent of American adults live with ADHD.

ADHD is diagnosed two to four times more frequently in boys than in girls, though studies suggest this discrepancy may be partially due to subjective bias of referring teachers. ADHD management usually involves some combination of medications, behavior modifications, lifestyle changes, and counseling. Its symptoms can be difficult to differentiate from other disorders, increasing the likelihood that the diagnosis of ADHD will be missed. Additionally, most clinicians have not received formal training in the assessment and treatment of ADHD, particularly in adult patients.

ADHD and its diagnosis and treatment have been considered controversial since the 1970s. The controversies have involved clinicians, teachers, policymakers, parents and the media. Topics include the actuality of the disorder, its causes, and the use of stimulant medications in its treatment. Most healthcare providers accept that ADHD is a genuine disorder with debate in the scientific community centering mainly around how it is diagnosed and treated. The American Medical Association concluded in 1998 that the diagnostic criteria for ADHD are based on extensive research and, if applied appropriately, lead to the diagnosis with high reliabilit

Useful electronic Gadgets for the classroom

Technology and education have always seemed to go together. In order to prepare students for the workplace or college they need to be able to be exposed to it. Teachers in the classroom use technology believing that the students are gaining valuable information and retaining the concepts taught but in reality the students need to be involved in the lesson and actively participating in activities that include technology. Student engagement is critical to student motivation during the learning process. The more students are motivated to learn, the more likely it is that they will be successful in their efforts. (Beeland, 2002).

Uses of Technology

            There are numerous uses of technologies that are available to teachers to include students into the classroom’s lesson. These include Interactive Whiteboards, Proximas, PowerPoint games, interactive DVDs, Ventrilo chat software, Myspace, Blackboard, and scavenger hunts. To put the uses of technology into an effective practice, teachers need to help students set achievable goals; encourage students to assess themselves and their peers; help them to work co-operatively in groups and ensure that they know how to exploit all the available resources for learning (Hall, 2006). The following are how some technology is used to help students learn.

Interactive Whiteboards

            There are two different types of whiteboards. The first is a virtual version of a dry erase board. It allows students to see what the instructor or other students write or draw using a special pen. The second functions similar to a normal whiteboard but also contains a projector screen, an electronic copy board or as a computer projector screen on which the computer image can be controlled by touching or writing on the surface of the panel instead of using a mouse or keyboard. They function by connecting a projector to the whiteboard panel with the use of a computer and software. It is important to know the different functions in order to determine which whiteboard is right for the educator. By knowing the difference you can also learn the terminology and understand the basic functions of each.

How technology has changed my life

Technological activity influences the social and economic progress, but his character is overwhelmingly commercial makes more oriented to satisfy the desires of the most prosperous (consumerism) that the essential needs of the poor. As an intensive use, directly or indirectly, the environment (biosphere) is the main cause of rising depletion and degradation of the planet's natural resources.

The technologies used in general, different methods of scientific experimentation but is also used by science. Methods differ according to whether the technology or industrial scale production of artifacts, providing services, conducting or arranging for tasks of any type.

A common method for all manufacturing technologies is the use of tools and instruments for the construction of artifacts. Technology services such as power supply system make use of complex systems by specialized staff.