This example illustrates many different ways to approach spelling. Practitioners are not expected to use all of the strategies at once, but are encouraged to use a variety in the learning environment and/or offer the list to the learners and have them choose what they would like to try. The basic principles can be adapted for many literacy skills. For example, if a learner is working on math: offer math games, objects to manipulate, sequencing activities, and software; highlight the operations with different colours; and use visual pictures to represent numbers, etc.52
"When practitioners give learners choices in how they learn and demonstrate what they have learned, they are effectively giving some control to learners. Over time, as learners experience diverse MI/learning style-based learning activities, they begin taking more initiative and control over the content or direction of the activities."53
Using this approach may require practitioners to take some risk and perhaps step out of their comfort zone. Practitioners who have taken this risk found they were rewarded with an increase in learner engagement and level of output. They found that sharing some of their insecurities with the learners and taking the time to learn about and discuss the learning style theories led to a greater willingness by the learners to try the enhanced activities. Building trust and mutual respect enables learners to take risks and try new activities such as role-playing, telling a story or building something. Practitioners who took this approach acknowledged that change did take time, but the results were well worth the planning and risks taken by all.54
To access sample lessons/strategies and resources for reflection go to
the following websites:
for each of the 8 MI
interactive form to assess your MI - it emphasis that everyone has
some degree of the 8 intelligences, but some are stronger than others
strategies - ways to incorporate music