Last Updated31 May 2022

How People Learn explores how we can receive and give information, plus some of the things that may inhibit the ability to acquire new skills. There is endless literature out there on learning. The following will help to provide insight into several areas of learning that we need to be aware of and utilise when teaching snowboarding.

Becoming a skilled teacher takes time, experience and practice. Reflecting on your lessons should be done on a regular basis to help you understand and learn how to improve and evolve as a teacher.

The Eight Multiple Intelligences

In 1983 Howard Gardner, a Harvard education professor, published his groundbreaking book, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligence. This theory is a positive and inclusive model of intelligence that recognises all of our abilities to learn, understand and create. Not just the academic ones.

Within SBINZ, this is introduced as a teaching tool within the Children’s Teaching Certification. The theory suggests that by about the age of six, children begin to favour certain intelligences. They use these intelligences to help solve problems and learn new things. This continues throughout our lives to adulthood; however, we typically become much more balanced with our intelligences as we get older.

It is important to understand how to identify and then facilitate learning through these multiple intelligences. While getting to know your group, try to identify one of the preferred intelligences for each student. The following multiple intelligence characteristics can be witnessed…

Linguistic (word-smart)

These children like to hear stories and enjoy reading/writing. They will usually have a well developed vocabulary. With these students, try to be creative in the way you present information, they will often respond well to analogies.

Logical-Mathematical (number or logic-smart)

These children have the ability to reason and like things to follow a logical pattern. They may also be into counting things such as the number of runs or chairlifts. When teaching these students you could try using counting exercises or a scale system for explaining things.

Spatial (picture-smart)

These children tend to like pictures and images to help process information and will usually like some form of visual art. For these students, try using drawings in the snow, and look at tracks or the spray of snow from the board. An accurate demonstration is important for these children and they usually respond well to seeing video of themselves.

Bodily-Kinesthetic (body or sport-smart)

These children have great body awareness. They can feel things in their body to grasp a better understanding. Encourage these students to explore different feelings and sensations of a movement whilst stationary. Finding similarities in movement from one sport to another will be useful.

Musical (music-smart)

These children are tuned into different sounds and understand rhythm. They will usually have an interest in music and possibly play an instrument. With these students you could try humming different tunes to different size turns.

Naturalistic (nature-smart)

These children love to be outdoors, have a real interest in the environment and notice details or changes within it. They use this awareness to help make decisions. They often have a good understanding of how different animals move. For this student, you could try relating a movement in snowboarding to how an animal moves.

Interpersonal (people-smart)

These children like to seek the support and ideas of others. They enjoy working through problems with others in the group, will often ask questions and actively contribute answers. For these students, setting up a reciprocal learning environment will enhance learning. Group activities where everyone is involved will also work well.

Intrapersonal (self-smart)

These children like to work through things in their own heads and come to their own conclusions. For these students, allow time for them to develop understanding. Try using plenty of individual task practice time to give them the chance to develop their understanding.

VIDEO: Multiple Intelligences with Claire Dooney

All people will have several intelligences that help to process information. We also have intelligences that are not as developed as others. Students may not respond or learn through these particularly well. The intelligences being used by each individual may vary from task to task.

Have you ever had an experience of trying to teach someone and they just couldn’t get it? There is a high chance that you were utilising intelligences that were weaker within that student and that they could not process the new information efficiently. It can be likened to speaking a different language. They simply do not understand what you are talking about.

Example

Identifying and using the multiple intelligences: Your student had a lesson the previous day and did not really understand what the instructor was trying to get her to do to stop her from falling over at the start of her toe turn. This was because the previous instructor presented accurate but complex explanations, being particularly strong in logical-mathematical intelligence himself. The new instructor asks the child what she likes to do after school. She tells him she likes music and plays the clarinet in the school orchestra. He adjusts his presentation to suit the student and says; “Making a turn is like playing a piece of music and all that is happening is you have played a note that is off key. We just need to find the right note (or movement) and when to use it, so that the music (or turn) flows.”

When we communicate and, more importantly, teach people, we tend to utilise intelligences that align with our own strengths. If you find that a student is not responding well, invest time into finding out some of the intelligences they utilise most. Asking questions like “What is your favourite subject at school?” and “What do you like to do in your spare time?” will provide answers to help guide your understanding of their intelligences. The table below will also help in understanding the different intelligences.

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