HOW DO STUDENTS DIFFER IN INTELLIGENCE AND LEARNING

STYLES?
What is intelligence?
- Intelligence can be defined as a general aptitude for learning or an ability to
acquire and use knowledge or skills. A consensus definition expressed by
Sternberg (2008) is that intelligence is the ability to figure out how to get what you
want out of life by purposefully using your strengths to compensate for your
weaknesses.
The concept of intelligence has been discussed since before the time of the ancient
Greeks. Still, the scientific study of this topic began with the work of Alfred Binet, who
devised the first measure of intelligence in 1904 (see Esping & Plucker, 2015). The
French government asked Binet to find a way to identify children who were likely to
need special help in their schooling. His measure assessed a broad range of skills and
performances but produced a single score, called intelligence quotient (IQ), set up so that
the average French child would have an IQ of 100 (Hurn, 2002).

INTELLIGENCE AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

Individual differences pertain to the deviation of individuals from their average or
from one another which includes all social, personal, intellectual, and academic
characteristics. On the other hand, intelligence is a psychological construct that is
difficult to define. Through the years, psychologists differed in their definition and
explanation of the concept. Today, the debate over the nature of intelligence continues.

THEORIES OF INTELLIGENCE
1. Alfred Binet’s Theory of Intelligence
For Binet, intelligence is the general ability to solve problems in different
situations. He based this on the assumption that good students tend to perform all the
tasks included in the Binet-Simon scale, while poor students tend to do poorly on all
tasks.
In the early 1900s, the French government passed a law requiring all children to
attend school. Faced with the need to educate children from a wide variety of
backgrounds, the French government commissioned psychologist Alfred Binet to develop
procedures to identify students who might require special help.
With the help of French psychiatrist Theodore Simon, Binet devised a series of
tests to measure different mental abilities. Binet deliberately did not test abilities, such as
reading or mathematics, that the students might have been taught. Instead, he focused on
elementary mental abilities, such as memory, attention, and the ability to understand
similarities and differences. Binet arranged the questions on his test in order of difficulty,
with the simplest
tasks first. He found that the brighter children performed like older children. That is, a
bright seven-year-old might be able to answer the same number of questions as an
average nine-year-old, while a less capable seven–year–old might demonstrate a mental
age of five.

2. Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Gardner thinks that there are nine types of intelligence. He believes each of us has
all of the nine types of intelligence to varying degrees. These multiple intelligences are
related to how an individual prefers to learn and process information. Each person has a
different intellectual composition. We can improve education by addressing the multiple
intelligences of our students. These intelligences are located in different areas of the
brain and can work independently or together.
The first three types of intelligence are mostly incorporated in traditional
intelligence tests while the other five ability tests are not assessed by traditional tests.
1. Verbal-linguistic intelligence – involved in reading, writing, listening, and talking.
This linguistic intelligence can be demonstrated by writers, lawyers, novelists, teachers,
authors, journalists, poets, etc.
2. Logical-Mathematical intelligence – involved in most scientific thinking including
solving logical puzzles, deriving proofs, and performing calculations (scientists,
engineers, accountants).
3. Visual-spatial intelligence – involved in moving from one location to another or
determining one’s orientation in space; ability to think three-dimensionally (architects,
engineers, sculptors, chess masters, sailors, artists, designers).
4. Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence – involved in singing, composing, conducting or
performing with a musical instrument demonstrated by musicians and composers.
5. Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence (Body Smart) – involved in using one’s body or
each various part to perform skillful and purposeful movements as dancers, athletes,
surgeons, and actors.
6. Intrapersonal intelligence – involved in understanding one’s self and having insights
into one’s thoughts, emotions, and actions in carrying out successful activities. The most
private of the intelligences which is necessary to gain evidence of one’s feelings through
language, music, visual arts, or some other forms of expression (theologians, novelists,
psychologists, and therapists).
7. Interpersonal Intelligence (People Smart) – involves the ability to understand
other individuals – their actions and movements as demonstrated by teachers, therapists,
salespeople, and politicians.
8. Naturalistic intelligence (Nature Smart) – involves the ability to appreciate nature
and to interconnect oneself with God’s creations (farmers, botanists, ecologists,
landscapers, environmentalists).
9. Existential – sensitivity and capacity to tackle deep questions about human
existence such as, What is the meaning of life? Why do we die? How did we get here?

3. Sternberg’s Triarchic theory of intelligence

His theory goes beyond those that are conventional/traditional which are confined
to mental abilities and skills. His theory is three-part which include:
a. Componential (or Analytic) intelligence – refers to the ability of the person to use
plans and execute them. Students high in analytical intelligence do well in class with
lectures and objective tests. They are considered smart, get good grades, do well on
traditional tests, and go to competitive colleges.
b. Experiential (or Creative) Intelligence – The ability to solve new problems quickly;
the ability to learn how to solve familiar problems automatically so the mind is free to
handle other problems that require insight and creativity; how people approach familiar
or novel tasks and compare new information with what they already know and to come
up with new ways of putting facts together. Students high in creative intelligence might
not conform to traditional schools. They tend to give unique answers for which they
might get reprimanded.
c. Contextual (or Practical) Intelligence – The ability to get out of trouble; The ability
to get along with other people; how people deal with their environment; how to size up a
situation and decide what to do – to adapt to it, to change it, or to get out of it. Students
high in practical intelligence don’t relate well in traditional schools. They do well outside
the classroom walls with good social skills and common sense.

Distinguish between learning styles and learning preferences. Learning styles are the
characteristic ways a person approaches learning and studying. Learning preferences
are individual preferences for particular learning modes and environments.

Should teachers match instruction to individual learning styles?

Results of the research indicate that students do not learn more when they study in their
preferred setting and manner. Many students would do better to develop new and perhaps
more effective ways to learn.

Students with Learning Challenges

What is a learning disability?
Specific learning disabilities are disorders in one or more of the basic psychological
processes involved in understanding or using spoken or written language. Listening,
speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities might be affected. These
disorders are intrinsic to the individual, presumed to be the result of central nervous
system dysfunction, and may occur across the lifespan. Students with learning disabilities
may become victims of learned helplessness when they come to believe that they cannot
control or improve their learning and therefore cannot succeed. A focus on learning
strategies often helps students with learning disabilities.

What defines intellectual disabilities?

Before age 18, students must score below about 70 on a standard measure of intelligence
and must have problems with adaptive behavior, day-to-day independent living, and
social functioning.

What are some signs of visual and hearing impairments?

Holding books very close or far away, squinting, rubbing eyes, misreading the
chalkboard, and holding the head at an odd angle are possible signs of visual problems.
Signs of hearing problems are turning one ear toward the speaker, favoring one ear in
conversation, or misunderstanding conversation when the speaker’s face cannot be seen.
Other indications include not following directions, seeming distracted or confused at
times, frequently asking people to repeat what they have said, mispronouncing new
words or names, and being reluctant to participate in class discussions.
How does autism differ from Asperger syndrome?
Asperger syndrome is one of the autism spectrum disorders. Many students with autism
also have moderate-to-severe intellectual disabilities, but those with Asperger syndrome
usually have average-to-above-average intelligence and better language abilities than
children with autism. There is a move today to replace the diagnosis of Asberger
syndrome with the diagnosis of high-functioning autism spectrum disorder.

Students Who Are Gifted and Talented

What are the characteristics of students who are gifted?

Truly gifted students do more than learn quickly with little effort. The work of gifted students is
original, extremely advanced for their age, and potentially of lasting importance. These children
may read fluently with little instruction by age 3 or 4. They may play a musical instrument like a
skillful adult and become fascinated with algebra when their friends are having trouble with
simple addition Teachers should make special efforts to support underrepresented gifted
students—girls, students who also have learning disabilities, and children living in poverty.

Is acceleration a useful approach with students who are gifted?

Many people object to acceleration, but most careful studies indicate that students who are truly
gifted and who are accelerated do as well as and usually better than students who are not gifted
and who are progressing at the normal pace. Gifted students tend to prefer the company of older
playmates and may be bored if kept with children their age. Skipping grades may not be the best
solution for a particular student, but for students who are extremely advanced intellectually (with
a score of 160 or higher on an individual intelligence test), the only practical solution may be to
accelerate their education.

Prepared by:

Mary Claudine N. Pineda, RPm