Evaluating Myself on Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence

Name:
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Instructor's E-mail address:
Date:


Read these items and rate yourself on a 4-point scale. Each rating corresponds to how well statement describes you: 1 = not like me at all, 2 = somewhat unlike me, 3 = somewhat like me, and 4 = a lot like me.

  Total  
Verbal Thinking

1

2

3

4
1. I do well on verbal tests, such as the verbal part of the SAT.  
2. I am a skilled reader and read prolifically.  
3. I love the challenge of solving verbal problems.  
Logical/Mathematical Thinking        
4. I am a very logical thinker.  
5. I like to think like a scientist.  
6. Math is one of my favorite subjects.  
Spatial Skills        
7. I am good at visualizing objects and layouts from different angles.  
8. I have the ability to create maps of spaces and locations in my mind.  
9. If I had wanted to be, I think I could have been an architect.  
Bodily-Kinesthetic Skills        
10. I have great hand-eye coordination.  
11. I excel at sports.  
12. I am good at using my body to carry out an expression, as in dance.  
Musical Skills        
13. I play one or more musical instruments well.  
14. I have a good "ear" for music.  
15. I am good at making up songs.  
Insightful Skills for Self-Understanding        
16. I know myself well and have a positive view of myself.  
17. I am in tune with my thoughts and feelings.  
18. I have good coping skills.  
Insightful Skills for Analyzing Others        
19. I am very good at "reading" people.  
20. I am good at collaborating with other people.  
21. I am a good listener.  
Naturalist Skills        
22. I am good at observing patterns in nature.  
23. I excel at identifying and classifying objects in the natural environment.  
24. I understand natural and human-made systems.  

Scoring and Interpretation
Total your scores for each of the eight types of intelligence and place the totals in the blank that follows the label for each kind of intelligence. Which areas of intelligence are your strengths? In which are you the least proficient? It is highly unlikely that you will be strong in all eight areas or weak in all eight areas. By being aware of your strengths and weaknesses in different areas of intelligence, you can get a sense of which areas of teaching students will be the easiest and most difficult for you. If I (your author) had to teach musical skills, I would be in big trouble because I just don't have the talent. However, I do have reasonably good movement skills and spent part of my younger life playing and coaching tennis. If you are not proficient in some of Gardner's areas and you have to teach students in those areas, consider getting volunteers from the community to help you. For example, Gardner says that schools need to do a better job of calling on retired people, most of whom likely would be delighted to help students improve their skills in the domain or domains in which they are competent. This strategy also helps to link communities and schools with a sort of "intergenerational glue."