A Study On English Instructional Activities At English Class In Junior Middle School From The Perspective Of Multiple Intelligence Theory

Multiple Intelligence Theory is a typical education theory to integrate and to promote theory and practice. It is put forward by Howard Gardner, an American famous psychologist of Harvard University. The theory mainly involves eight kinds of intelligence, which are Verbal- linguistic intelligence, Logical- mathematical intelligence, Visual-spacial intelligence, Body-kinematics intelligence, Musicrhythmic intelligence, Interpersonal intelligence, Intrapersonal intelligence, Naturalistic intelligence. With the implementation of English Curriculum Standard(2011), English teaching in junior middle schools in China has changed dramatically. Most English teachers have changed their concepts of teaching and are attempting to try various methods and theories. Multiple intelligence theory and its unique values have received attention of English teachers. This theory and English Curriculum Standard(2011) share a similar view on learners’ language skill development and suggestions in English teaching.This thesis aims at analyzing the current situation of instructional activity designed in junior middle school, the results achieved and existing problems from the perspective of MI theory. The research subjects are 6 teachers in Grade 8 and 180 students from Class 10, Class 9, and Class 4 of Grade 8 in Quan Cheng Middle School in Ji Nan. Questionnaires(MI questionnaires, the interest and confidence questionnaire), classroom observations and some interviews have been conducted to find out an effective way to use MI theory in classroom activities design in junior middle school.The research questions in this paper are listed as follows:1. In junior middle school how are students’ achievements(development of multiple intelligence, learning interest and test score) influenced by English teachers’ instructional activity design at varying degree from the perspective of multiple intelligence theory?2. From the perspective of MI theory,what problems still exist when teachers in junior middle school design instructional activities ? And why?The study found that the intelligence types involved in each class period and the efficiency of MIT-based classroom activities can influence students’ achievements(development of multiple intelligence, learning interest and test score). Classroom observation shows that teachers of Class 10 and Class 9 tend to involve more multiple intelligences types in their teaching activities. These classroom activities are more easier to arouse students’ learning interest and build up their confidence. The questionnaire on students’ multiple intelligence shows that the diversified classroom activities in English teaching can contribute to the development of students’ intelligence. Besides, teachers’ different teaching styles can also exert effect on students score in the examination.The survey data shows that the efficiency of MIT-based classroom activities instead of the richness of MIT-based classroom activities is important for students’ development. The study shows that although the intelligence types involved in Class 10 are less than that in Class 9, students in Class 10 have a better performance in terms of interest and confidence, and their scores of final exam are higher, and there is no big difference related to MI between the students in the two classes. This illustrates that the efficiency of MIT-based classroom activities in Class 10 is higher and there have been some problems in Class 9. Further classroom observation and analysis of teaching plans discover that the teacher of Class 9 tries to involve all kinds of intelligence in each class teaching period, but she puts the priority on the active classroom atmosphere instead of Verbal-linguistic intelligence. This tells that even MIT-based classroom activities can contribute to the implementation of English Curriculum Standard(2011), however, if MIT-based classroom activities are just a superficial form, the theory will be unimportant to the quality of English classroom teaching. Therefore this theory can be extended to English teaching. It is believed that the effective way to use MI theory in classroom activities design is not to pursue richness of intelligence types involved, but to choose the appropriate intelligence type which is in accordance with the language points of each unit. Thus it is not the quantity of MIT-based activities, but the quality and efficiency of these activities that matter.