Howard Gardner

A note from Howard Gardner:

Almost every day, I receive questions about multiple intelligences
theory. Some of the questions concern the theory itself, though
many more deal with recommended practices or with questionable
applications. The questions come from professors, teachers,
parents, college students, high school students, and elementary
school students; they emanate from many states and many lands.
The questions used to arrive primarily by letter and phone; now,
of course, they arrive as well by FAX and by e-mail. And whenever
I speak publicly about the theory, whether in person or on radio
or television, a new set of questions greets me upon my return
to the office.

I field questions about other topics as well. Sometimes these are
answered at www.goodworkproject.org or www.pz.harvard.edu
(see the bottom of this page for further references).

Initially, I sought to answer each question individually. There
were not that many; I learned from and enjoyed the process.
More recently, however, it has become impossible to answer
all of the questions individually, even with staff help. Routinely,
I refer individuals to my writings or those of other persons
familiar with the theory. I have drafted generic letters that
answer the most frequent questions-for example, "Is there a
test for multiple intelligences?" (Answer, "Not one that I
endorse"); and "Are there multiple intelligence high schools?
(Answer, "Many but each has been developed by a group of
practitioners, not by me"). When an interesting and novel
question arises, I sometimes write an answer of some length
and then include it in a future publication.

In the pages that follow, I respond to a number of common
questions that have been raised frequently by those interested
in the theory. I also respond to some other frequently asked
questions about my work. Some of these answers were initially
developed in conjunction with Joseph Walters and Margaux
Wexberg, to whom I give thanks. Others draw on material from
my books Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice, and
Intelligence Reframed.

- Howard Gardner

For ease, we have provided Dr. Gardner's FAQ responses in a
PDF document, below. Be reminded that you can use the Find
feature in Adobe Acrobat Reader to locate a specific word or
term in the document.

Dr. Gardner FAQ Responses PDF (will open new browser window)

via howardgardner.com