Differentiating Instruction: Customizing Teaching Methods Based on the Multiple Intelligences

This research paper investigates strategies for differentiating instruction to meet the needs of students whose abilities vary in accordance with Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. The paper discusses the current state of the education system, describing the need for change in instructional strategies. Teachers who consider the multiple intelligences work to meet the current requirement of passing standardized tests by consistently utilizing and developing students' abilities across the variety of skill areas. Previous efforts have been made to incorporate the theory into classroom strategies, activities and assessment, and these are compared to current research collected in a Kindergarten classroom in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The conclusion is an overview of benefits consequential to a shift in pedagogy from traditional methods to differentiated, reflective instruction that considers the multiple intelligences and constantly changes to better meet student needs.