7th Teaching & Education Conference, London

APPLYING THE MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES APPROACH TO TEACH ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ALGEBRA: IN INDIA

SUMAYYA KHAN

Abstract:

Mathematics remains a challenging subject till date for elementary students even when it is a compulsory subject for students in tenth class in many countries still including India. Teachers too bear the brunt of students not enjoying or performing in the subject. It is not the first time that attempts have been made to use different strategies to teach mathematics. To maintain the inclusive aspect in our education system the present research attempts at applying the Multiple Intelligence Approach to teach the Algebraic component of Linear Equation to students in eighth class. The researcher has used different self-developed strategies for carrying out the teaching-learning process catering to the eight intelligences that the students posses (albeit in varying degrees). The sample of the study were two sections of eighth class of a school in India, which followed National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) books. This sample comprised total of sixty three students. There were thirty students in the experimental section and thirty three students in the control group section. A pre-test in the form of an achievement test was conducted to assess students' previous knowledge in the area. After the implementation of strategies, during which observations and students' feedback were done, the researcher also carried out interviews with the students regarding the same. After conducting the post-test which was also in the form of an achievement test, it was revealed that there was a slight difference (increase) in the marks scored by students. Students who were logical-mathematically and linguistically high tend to perform better on assessment tools such as achievement tests. students who possess other intelligences in dominance tend to perform well during the class, when the strategies are being carried out, but fail to perform equivalently in the achievement tests. The same was inevitably observed for the control group. It can be concluded from the research that mathematics can be made more enjoyable and accessible to the students using the Multiple Intelligence Approach but the process of education remains incomplete without a suitable mode of assessment which will allow teacher to assess and evaluate how much the child has learned during mathematics classes. We have to shift from sole reliance on paper pencil tests as mode of assessment towards a more child centered mode at least till the elementary classes.

Keywords: Multiple Intelligence Approach, Mathematics, Linear Equation

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