Running Head: LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 1

Lesson Plan Design Based on the Integration of Multiple Intelligences

By

Jessica Newton Castellanos Bonilla

Submitted to the school of human science in partial

Fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of B.A in English and Spanish

Linguistics and Language Department

English and Spanish Program

University of Nariño

May 2016
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 2

Las ideas y conceptos expresados en el siguiente Trabajo de Grado son responsabilidad del autor.

Artículo 1ro del Acuerdo No. 324 de octubre 11 de 1966 emanado del Honorable Consejo

Directivo de la Universidad de Nariño

LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 3

Nota de Aceptación:

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_______________________________

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FIRMA DE JURADO

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FIRMA DE JURADO

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FIRMA DE ACEPTACION

San Juan de Pasto, Mayo de 2016

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Acknowledgments

First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to God for giving

me the ability and strength to accomplish this important academic achievement as the beginning

of a successful and fulfilling future.

Thanks to my parents for raising me to be a strong, independent and hardworking woman, and to

my sisters for always being by my side.

I am also indebted to all my dear Professors and the members of the Department of Linguistic

and Languages for their help and encouragement. Among them, I had the good fortune of

enjoying the guidance of such great professors: my Advisor Ana Clara Sánchez, and my Readers

Gabriel Obando and Juan Esteban López. All of them have been an unfailing source of

inspiration to me.

I would never forget the wonderful moments I shared with my best friends Paola, Angela and

Sebastian throughout my years

of study. I am very grateful to them for believing in me.

Finally, I would like to make a special mention of the contribution made by Jorge. He was

always there to give me good advice and help me make the right decisions. My goal is also

dedicated to him.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

his love endures forever”. (Psalm 107, 1).

LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 5

Resumen

Este documento de investigación presenta ideas relevantes acerca de la teoría de las

Inteligencias Múltiples y sus orígenes. Posteriormente, describe las ventajas de la teoría aplicada

a la educación, como un desafío a las prácticas pedagógicas tradicionales desde que ésta fue

postulada. Sumado a lo anterior, el documento propone la integración de esta alternativa teórica

específicamente a la enseñanza del Inglés como lengua extranjera dentro del contexto

Colombiano. Finalmente y con el fin de soportar la viabilidad del diseño de planes de clase a la

luz de la Teoría de las Inteligencias Múltiples, son abordados algunos pasos que fácilmente

pueden ser aplicados dentro del aula por los docentes de la lengua extranjera interesados en este

enfoque de enseñanza. Dentro de los pasos mencionados, cabe destacar la creación de

actividades y estrategias de evaluación, que adaptadas al contexto educativo Colombiano,

pueden aportar numerosos beneficios tanto a los estudiantes como a los docentes involucrados en

el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje del Inglés.

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Abstract

This research paper presents relevant ideas about the Theory of Multiple Intelligences

(MIT) and its origins. Subsequently, it describes the advantages of MIT applied to education, as

a challenge to traditional teaching practices since it was postulated. Additionally, the document

proposes the integration of this theoretical alternative specifically to English language teaching

in Colombian educational contexts. Finally, in order to support the feasibility of designing lesson

plans in the light of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences, some steps, which can easily be applied

in the classroom by foreign language teachers, are explained. These steps include the creation of

activities and assessment strategies that can be adapted to Colombian educational contexts, and

bring numerous advantages not only for students, but also for teachers of English to speakers of

other languages.
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Table of Contents

Lesson plan design based on the integration of multiple intelligences…………………......……..9

Contextualizing Multiple Intelligences Theory………………………………………………….10

What is Intelligence?..........................................................................................................10

Defining M.I Theory……………………………………………………………………..12

Types of Intelligences……………………………………………………………………13

Linguistic Intelligence…………………………………………………………...13

Logical-Mathematical Intelligence………………………………………………14

Musical Intelligence……………………………………………………………...14

Spatial Intelligence...……………………………………………………………..15

Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence………………………………………………….15

Interpersonal Intelligence……...…………………………………………………15

Intrapersonal Intelligence………………………………………………………...16

Naturalistic Intelligence………………………………………………………….16

Educational implications of the theory of Multiple Intelligences………………………………..16

The Application of Multiple Intelligences Theory to English Language Teaching……..19

Lesson Plan………………………………………………………………………………………21

Definition………………………………………………………………………………...21
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 8

Components……………………………………………………………………………...21

How to integrate the Multiple Intelligences in the Lesson Plan Design…………………………22

Conclusions………………………………………………………………………… ……………30

References………………………………………………………………………………………..33

Appendices……………………………………………………………………………………….39
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 9

LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON THE INTEGRATION OF MULTIPLE

INTELLIGENCES

Becoming a successful English Foreign Language (EFL) teacher today involves more

than providing learners with high quality information, training and instruction. Effective teachers

must acquire relevant knowledge about their students’ individual differences in the learning

process, because every one of them is unique in cognitive and affective development, motivation,

learning styles, needs, interests, personality and other social factors, that influence the way they

learn a foreign language. The mentioned aspects and others have been the subject of different

research works in foreign language studies, becoming important contributors to success in

mastering this field. In this sense, a number of researchers (Oller, 1981; Brown, 1984; Liao,

1996; Lujan-Ortega, 2000; Bond, 2002) have considered intelligence as a significant factor of

foreign language achievement, arguing the positive correlation between both. Oller (1981)

asserts that language acquisition is the result of genetic and neurological development, that is, the

intelligence in itself. In the same way, Brown (1994) points to the importance of memory in

Second Language Acquisition (SLA). In this regard, intelligence could facilitate the

memorization of vocabulary lists that was characteristic of early methods of English Language

Teaching (ELT).

Among the others who have spoken about intelligence, Howard Gardner (1983) offers a

contemporary perception. The author proposes the Multiple Intelligences Theory (MIT), which is

referred to a conglomerate of different components of cognition that exist in all individuals, and

even those components that differ in strengths from one to another, can be enhanced through

training and practice.

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It is worth considering that Multiple Intelligence Theory has been applied to many

aspects of education. Richards and Rodgers (2001) have ventured to distinguish MIT as an

approach to language teaching that allows teachers to integrate different disciplines and aspects

of communication. Similarly, Christison (1996) states that MIT gives EFL teachers an

opportunity to look at their teaching practices from diverse areas of learning and the perspective

of individual differences. Aside from the advantages gained by educators, MIT practices offer

many benefits to EFL learners. For instance, they have the opportunity to reach the learning

goals using their strengths and potential. In other words, students learn the foreign language

effectively meanwhile they enjoy that process.

Following the earlier ideas, this paper aims to highlight the importance of involving

Multiple Intelligences Theory in a Colombian EFL context. Taking into account that the Ministry

of National Education in Colombia has implemented a goal of bilingualism for high school and

university students by 2019, it is important that EFL educators are equipped with the appropriate

tools to help them become proficient in English. With this purpose, some literature related to the

Theory will be presented, in order to provide teachers with clear ideas about what it represents as

a challenge for the traditional concept of intelligence and the standard view of the tests to

measure it. Then, some steps to design a lesson plan will be suggested as a useful guide for

teachers interested in integrating MIT in their EFL classroom. Finally, this Research will provide

an example of a lesson plan for English classes based on the Theory mentioned here.

Contextualizing the Multiple Intelligences Theory

What is Intelligence?

There are different points of view from psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists and

other researchers about the term intelligence, which have been explained mostly by their
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particular training, methodology, and strongly determined by culture. For instance, in Eastern

cultures, the sense of the word intelligence includes aspects such as benevolence or right

judgment, whereas in Western countries the term tends to be related to social competence or

problem solving (Sternberg, 2000). In order to explain these differences, Ruzgis and Grigorenko

(1994) argue that in Africa the concept of intelligence is reflected by skills that promote

harmonious intragroup/intergroup relations. Super and Harkness (1986) assert that participation

in family and social life are considered as important aspects of intelligence for Kenyan parents.

In contrast, the Western definition of intelligence has a close connection to the performance in

academic contexts. In the Western world, people who give value to scientific knowledge and put

forth great effort into lifelong learning are considered intelligent (Stenberg, 2000).

This last concept goes back to the Greeks, who mainly emphasized the importance of

logical-language skills, which were reinforced by the appearance of the first intelligence tests

early in the 20th century designed by the French psychologist Alfred Binet. He argued that

intelligence consists of complex mental processes involving the ability to demonstrate memory,

judgment, reasoning and social comprehension, and also focused his attention on the

measurement of language abilities (Sternberg 2000). The purpose of that first IQ (intelligence

quotient) test was to measure the so-called general factor of intelligence, “g”, that is still

supported by some influential psychologists such as Herrnestein and Murray (1994) who stated

that “intelligence is a reasonably understood well-construct, measured with accuracy and fairness

by any number of mental standardized tests” (p.1).

However, this view has been analyzed and increasingly questioned by some researchers,

such as Fagan (2000) who has considered other aspects different than merely linguistic, logical

and mathematical skills in order to define the term intelligence as “the processing that can be
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measured by performance on elementary cognitive task and influenced by cultural setting”

(p.168). Similarly, Sternberg and Ben-Zeev (2001) declare that intelligence is “the ability to

learn from experience and to adapt to the surrounding environment” (p. 368), associating the

concept with abstract reasoning, problem solving, judgment in decision making, or even certain

social skills. Sternberg (2001), like other psychologists such as Guilford (1967) and Thurstone

(1939), goes beyond the monolithic conception of intelligence, adopting a pluralistic view of the

term. As a result, he proposed the Triarchic theory that considers three different dimensions of

intelligence: a) Analytical intelligence, that includes the ability to learn how to do things, solve

problems and acquire new knowledge; b) Creative intelligence, that takes into account the

capacity to respond well in new situations; c) Practical intelligence, that is referred to select

contexts in which people can excel and solve practical problems (Smith, 2001).

Among those contemporary perceptions, Gardner (1983) challenges the traditional

concept of intelligence through his proposal of the Multiple Intelligences Theory. Not only does

this affect the way intelligence is viewed, but it also confronts the standard view of the tests to

measure it. This innovative definition will be presented in the next section.

Defining the Multiple Intelligences Theory

Gardner (1983) defines intelligence originally as “the ability to solve problems, or

fashion products, that are valued in one or more cultural or community settings” (p. 7), and later

as “a bio-psychological potential to process information that can be activated in a cultural setting

to solve problems or create products that are of value in a culture” (Gardner, 1999, p. 33-34). In

agreement with other researchers (Feuerstein, Rand, Hoffman and Miller, 1980), Gardner

confirms that intelligence is the result of the interaction between heritable potential and

environmental factors and, therefore, it is educable. That means, intelligence can be developed in
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 13

diverse ways through relevant experiences, as well as influenced by the environment and culture,

in contrast with some psychological views (Herrnstein and Murray, 1994) in favor of a stable and

unchangeable intelligence from birth.

In addition, Gardner (1983) suggests a pluralistic view of the human mind rather than

unitary. That is, human beings have many ways to know, understand and learn about the world.

He initially categorized seven different types of intelligences: Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical,

Musical, Spatial, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Interpersonal and Intrapersonal. In 1997, he added the

Naturalistic and one more, “spiritual”, which requires further investigation (Gardner, 1999).

Gardner states that all individuals have different levels of these types of intelligences, and

through specific practice and training the skills mentioned can be developed and strengthened.

Having defined the theory, the eight intelligences outlined above will be described in the

following section.

Types of Intelligences

Gardner considered different aspects of human beings in order to postulate the eight types

of intelligences. The first two abilities are Linguistic and Logical-Mathematical which

correspond to the general intelligence and psychometric tradition. Additionally, Musical, Spatial

and Bodily-Kinesthetic, can be seen like artistic disciplines. Finally, Personal intelligence is

closely related to emotional dimension, and the naturalistic intelligence which all refer to the

relationship of individuals with the natural world. To demonstrate the characteristics of each one,

they will be outlined below in more detail.

Linguistic Intelligence. It involves both brain hemispheres but it is mainly located in the

temporal cortex’s left hemisphere called Broca's area (Lazear, 1991; Morchio, 2004). It is related

to the ability to use spoken and written language effectively and creatively.
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According to Armstrong (2003), students with this type of intelligence prefer to spend time

reading, telling stories or jokes, watching movies, writing in a journal, creating works, writing

poems, learning foreign languages, playing word games, or researching things of interest.

Gardner (1999) emphasizes that individuals who have Linguistic Intelligence are able to use

language to convince others of their own position and to understand patterns of language; also,

people who possess this intelligence in a greater degree can memorize and recall detailed or

complex information, and be better than others at explaining or teaching concepts and ideas.

Lazear (1993) adds that Linguistic intelligence helps learners to use grammar and syntax in

speaking and writing appropriately.

Logical-Mathematical Intelligence. According to Laezar (1991), this intelligence

involves both hemispheres of the brain. The left one allows for the ability to solve logical

problems, produce, read, and understand mathematical symbols, and the right one enhances the

ability to understand numerical concepts in a more general way. Furthermore, Gardner (1983)

claims that this intelligence implies the capacity to use numbers effectively, analyze problems

logically and investigate problems scientifically. People who have this intelligence enjoy solving

mysteries, working with numbers and complex calculations, counting, organizing data in tables,

fixing computers, assembling puzzles, and playing video games; they can also estimate, guess,

and remember numbers and statistics easily (Armstrong, 2003). It is the intelligence of

mathematicians, scientists, engineers, and logicians (Gardner, 1983).

Musical Intelligence. It concerns the ability to understand music. It is mainly located in

the right frontal and temporal lobes (Lazear, 1991). People who are strong in this intelligence are

able to recognize musical tones and rhythms and have the ability to express emotions through the

music, showing “sensitivity to rhythm, pitch and melody” (Christison, 1996, p.11). These
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 15

students enjoy spending time singing, listening to music, playing instruments, attending concerts,

creating music or rap, and humming when they study (Armstrong, 2003).

Spatial Intelligence. It includes the ability to form two and three-dimensional drawings

(Armstrong, 2000), and the potential to understand, manipulate and modify the settings of large

and limited space (Gardner, 1983). For people who have this type of intelligence, it is easy to

remember pictures and objects instead of words; they can focus their attention on the types of

cars, bicycles, clothes, and hair (Armstrong, 2003). It is the intelligence of architects, pilots,

navigators, chess players, surgeons, artists, painters and sculptors (Gardner, 1999).

Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence. It involves the ability to use the body (totally or

partially) to express ideas, learn, solve problems, make activities, or build products (Gardner,

1983). These people learn physical skills quickly and easily; they can dance gracefully, act, and

imitate gestures and expressions of several people (Armstrong, 2003). “Sample skills are

coordination, flexibility, speed and balance” (Christison, 1996, p.11). According to Gardner

(1983), this is the intelligence of athletes, mimes, dancers, actors, surgeons, artisans, inventors

and mechanics.

Interpersonal Intelligence. It refers to the ability to communicate with people

effectively. Lazear (1993) emphasizes the capacity to engage in verbal and nonverbal

communication for people who have this type of intelligence. They can also be good leaders,

express empathy and motivate others (Snider, 2001). This intelligence also includes the ability to

consider what things are important for other people, as well as to remember their interests,

motivations, perspectives, personal backgrounds, intentions, and often predict their decisions,

feelings, and actions (Armstrong, 2003; Gardner, 1983; 2006). Besides these traits, people with

interpersonal intelligence like talking, learning in groups or in pairs, and working with others;
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they have many friends, spend a lot of time helping people and enjoy enlisting as volunteers for

several important reasons (Armstrong, 2003). It is the intelligence of teachers, therapists,

counselors, politicians, marketers, and religious leaders (Gardner, 2006).

Intrapersonal Intelligence. It entails self-reflection, self-awareness, self-consciousness,

and introspection. As Gardner (1999) states, it “involves the capacity to understand oneself, to

have an effective working model of oneself including one’s own desires, fears and capacities-

and to use information effectively in regulating one’s own life” (p.43). That is, they have a good

sense of their strengths and weaknesses, and the ability to think deeply about important things for

themselves (Armstrong, 2003).

Naturalistic Intelligence. It is the ability to “understand the natural world” (Stefanakis,

2002, p.2). These people enjoy camping, hiking, taking care of pets, and finding and categorizing

the names and details of people, animals, plants, and objects in their environment (Armstrong,

2003). It is the intelligence of natural and social scientists, poets, and artists, who are able to

recognize little details and use their perception effectively (Gardner, 1999).

Taking into account that the theory of Multiple Intelligences has had a positive impact in

different areas, it is essential to mention specifically its role in the education with a focus on

foreign language teaching and learning. In the following sections, that fact will be further

explored as well as the manner of how MIT can be integrated into Colombian EFL classrooms.

Educational Implications of the theory of Multiple Intelligences

As mentioned before, the theory of Multiple Intelligences has contributed to change the

traditional views on human intelligence focused excessively on IQ and teaching methods based

on rote learning. In contrast to previous theories, MIT recognizes that each student is a unique

individual and consequently all of them learn in different ways.

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However, MIT was not intended to be a teaching method. Initially, Gardner, student of

Psychology at Harvard University, was fascinated by the neurologist Geschwind’s discussion of

what happens when normal or gifted individuals have a cerebrovascular accident or some other

form of brain damage (Gardner, 2003). This fact led the author to work for 20 years in a

neuropsychological unit trying to understand the organization of human abilities in the brain,

which would later motivate him to develop his theory.

In the first decade after the publication of his book Frames of Mind (1983), a number of

teachers started to revise their educational system in the light of the MIT, finding that

implementing it in the classroom can benefit both the teacher and all of the learners. According

to Kornhaber (2001), the theory allows students to think and learn in many different ways, and at

the same time it gives teachers the facility of organizing their teaching practices and reflecting on

their effectiveness. Moreover, some investigators from the Project SUMIT (Schools Using

Multiple Intelligence Theory), after collecting data during a three-and-a-half year period, from

41 diverse schools that implemented MIT, announced improvements in standardized test scores,

in learning, motivation, and social adjustment for students with learning disabilities, in students

discipline and in parents’ participation (Kornhaber, Fierros, & Veenema, 2004). Aside from the

advantages already mentioned, Greenhawk (1997) discusses the implementation of the Theory at

White Marsh Elementary School in Maryland, finding that MIT based curriculum helps students

understand their abilities as learners, build confidence, take educational risks, and retain more

knowledge.

When addressing the Colombian educational context, similar advantages as the discussed

above can be found. As it can be perceived, the traditional system has been taken for granted in

Colombia for a long time. In this system of conventional education, teachers are in charge of
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controlling the learning environment, focusing mainly on the cognitive development of the class,

so the students who are considered intelligent are those who are more capable to complete

linguistic and logic tasks in most cases. The implementation of MIT can be a good solution to

these ineffective traditional methods of teaching, because it considers many different ways to be

intelligent, and if it is applied in educational instruction and evaluation, students would be able to

express their understanding through various modes.

Furthermore, in Colombian classrooms most of the teachers are the center of the process,

as knowledge providers, who give academic instruction in front of the class. On the contrary, in

MIT the role of the teacher can be transformed from the owner of knowledge to an instructional

manager who guides students through individualized learning pathways and value students’

differences. About this matter, Emig (1997) claims that it has “put magic” (p.50) into teaching,

due to teachers’ increased interest in how children learn beyond what they learn. This does not

necessarily imply the increase of the curriculum content. Instead, teachers have the opportunity

to highlight what themes are truly significant and approach them from many different points of

view, using class materials that are appropriate for most or all of the intelligence types.

Consequently, children are actively involved in their learning process, to either capitalize on

their strengths or compensate for their weaknesses, and they discover their true intellectual

profile.

In brief, the theory of Multiple Intelligences can be a very helpful "vehicle for broadening

the remit of education” (Chen, Gardner and Moran, 2009, p. 14), due to the encouraging

premises on which it is based, and without doubt, it can be applied effectively in foreign

language classrooms, which will be addressed in the next section.

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The Application of Multiple Intelligences Theory to English Language Teaching (ELT)

In an increasingly globalized society, learning a second language has become one of the

main tools in order to facilitate communication across international borders. It is estimated that

English is spoken by about 1.5 billion people all over the world, and due to this trend its

acquisition has been promoted in some educational contexts, becoming the language most

widely taught as a foreign language in over 100 countries (Crystal, 2003).

It is clear from the evidence above that it has been necessary to generate some global

English as a foreign/second language (EFL/ESL) teaching methods and approaches around the

world. With regard to this, Richards and Rodgers (2001) have distinguished Multiple

Intelligences Theory as an approach in ELT. The authors define MIT as “a learner-based

philosophy” (Richards & Rodgers, 2001, p. 115), in which students have the opportunity to get

the language learning goals without getting worried about its complexity, in opposition to

traditional teacher-centered methods. In accordance, Cluck and Hess (2003) in their study

“Improving Student Motivation through the Use of the Multiple Intelligences”, found that

implementing MIT in the EFL classroom led to a higher level in students’ participation and

motivation in opposition to traditional teaching methods.

Given that in the context of Colombia, where students’ indifference to learn a foreign

language is observed, the integration of MIT in lesson plans can be one possible way to enhance

their attitudes and motivate them to be “actively involved in their own learning process” (Nunan

and Lamb, 1996, p. 9). As a result, when students are makers of their own knowledge they are

driven to immerse themselves in the foreign language, not only to complete academic goals, but

to use it effectively in real life situations.

LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 20

Through the application of MIT, Colombian EFL teachers are called to identify their

students’ intelligences and adapt some activities that speak to each one of them. Larsen-Freeman

(2000) suggests that teachers can determine what intelligences are catered to in the activities they

normally use, or they can also create new lessons that address all the intelligences during every

session; although the latter might be laborious, it will offer a change from traditional lectures. At

this point, it is worth mentioning that all intelligences have strengths in different aspects of the

foreign language learning process as it is proposed by Brown (1994):

Musical intelligence could explain the relative case that some learners have in perceiving

and producing the intonation patterns of a language. Bodily kinesthetic models have

already been discussed in connection with the learning of the phonology of a language.

Interpersonal intelligence is of obvious importance in the communicative process. (…) .

One might even be able to speculate on the extent to which spatial intelligence, especially

a “sense of direction”, may assist the second culture learner in growing comfortable in

new surroundings. (p. 94)

Finally, in an EFL context, MIT can promote innovative benefits not only in relation with

an increasing of student performance, but it has made special contributions to the application of

new assessment methods (Hoerr, 2002). The consideration of MIT can help educators to assess

students’ knowledge beyond standards, so that they can demonstrate what they know through

their skills rather than strict test scores. As previously mentioned, the Colombian educational

system is traditional, therefore its methods of calculating student’s skills are restricted. Learners

are forced to display limited intelligences, which does not measure their proficiency accurately.

If MIT was reflected in the evaluation of knowledge in Colombia, students would feel more

comfortable in demonstrating their abilities in a foreign language.

LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 21

Before proposing how to apply MIT in lesson plan design for EFL teachers, it is

important to explain what a lesson plan is and which components are necessary to include.

Lesson Plan

In theory, lesson plans can be designed in different ways, depending on what steps

teachers choose to follow in order to accomplish the main learning purpose. For a better

understanding of the lesson plan design based on the theory of Multiple Intelligences, readers

will be provided, first, with some key information related to the Lesson Plan in general.

Definition

According to Ur (1996), a lesson plan is an organized event with different goals and

contents, but whose main objective is learning. They are useful for both, experienced and novice

teachers, a guide to know what to do inside the classroom (Jensen, 2001).

Some authors recognize the important use of lesson plans in language teaching, like

Farell (2003), who argues a lesson plan describes what students should do in order to attain a

learning objective, and the role of the teacher as their guide in this purpose. In addition, a lesson

plan helps teachers to have a clear idea of the lesson’s objectives and to establish the appropriate

activities to achieve those (Brown, 1994).

Components

According to Brown (1994), a lesson plan should contain the learning goal, objectives,

materials, procedures and evaluation. The goal refers to the purpose to be achieved at the end of

the lesson that is sometimes given by the lesson topic (Brown, 2001). This goal, according to

Farell (2003), should be described appropriately and clearly through the objectives that indicate

the students’ path to the learning target. In order to develop these objectives, applying different

activities or procedures, Brown (2001) considers the materials as a component that helps to
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 22

remind teachers to bring all the things to be used in the class, even the handouts for students and

workbooks that have been already corrected.

Aside from this, Brown (2001) suggests that the lesson plan should also include a warm-

up activity, a set of many other exercises or techniques such as “whole-class work, small-group

and pair work, teacher talk and students talk” (p. 151), and closure. Finally, the author mentions

the importance of assessing the learning of students, as well as the effectiveness of the lesson

plan, in order that teachers can improve for the next class session (Brown, 2001).

How to integrate the Multiple Intelligences in the Lesson Plan Design

Indeed, Multiple Intelligences approach can make the language learning process more effective

and individualized. That implies teachers design lesson plans in such a creative way, so that the

class is relevant for each student. In this section, some steps will be suggested as a useful guide

for teachers interested in integrating the theory of Multiple Intelligences in their EFL class:

1. Determine learning objectives

2. Identify your intelligences

3. Know your students’ intelligences

4. Select activities that appeal to multiple intelligences

5. Propose different ways to assess

With this in mind, the five steps mentioned previously will be detailed below:

Step 1: Determine learning objectives

Before thinking about the type of intelligence that can be enhanced in the lesson, it is

fundamental to define the learning purpose that will be achieved at the end of the lesson,

according to the content that will be taught.

LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 23

Step 2: Identify your intelligences

Teachers should recognize and understand their own intelligences, not only for knowing

their particular learning preferences, but also to determine how those tendencies can influence

their pedagogical choices or condition the way their students learn. Then, it will help teachers

avoid showing preference to students who have similar cognitive inclinations to them.

In addition, as it is suggested by Armstrong (2000), it is important that teachers start with

applying the theory they will use inside the classroom to themselves, in order to have a better

understanding of it and become actively engaged in its application with students.

At this point, Christison (1998) proposes a questionnaire for teachers who are planning to

implement multiple intelligences in language teaching. (See appendix: A Multiple Intelligences

Inventory for EFL Teachers)

Step 3: Know your students’ intelligences

Once teachers have identified their own intelligences, they should consider the strongest

intelligence in every student, with the purpose of helping all of them achieve a language learning

goal. Teachers can do this diagnostic through a test that can be adapted to the age of students

(see Appendix: B Multiple Intelligences Inventory for EFL Students)

Step 4: Select activities that appeal to multiple intelligences

Language learning tasks can be developed around different types of intelligences, as it is

proposed by Richards and Rodgers (2001) “language is not seen as limited to a ‘linguistics’

perspective, but encompasses all aspects of communication” (p. 117). By utilizing diverse

activities, each student is able to optimize existing intelligence types, and encourage the

undeveloped ones (Gardner, 1983).

LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 24

Next, some activities to highlight each intelligence will be proposed to help teachers

choose which they consider appropriate for the sake of developing the content and achieving the

specific learning goal. Teachers should notice that it is not necessary that all of the intelligences

are promoted in the same lesson plan, but those can vary from one session to another, benefiting

in this way, all the students.

With this in mind, some specific examples of activities that speak to each intelligence

could be:

Linguistic Intelligence: As it can be perceived, almost all activities in the Colombian EFL

classroom are appropriate for this type of student. However, authentic sources are not always

used by teachers. Therefore, it is essential they create activities incorporating the use of native

literature and media to grasp the actual usage of the language itself. According to Harmer (1994),

this can make learners more confident to deal with real life situations, learn new vocabulary and

expressions, acquire the language faster and produce it better. Also, promoting discussions of

issues that students consider interesting and encouraging creative writing could be beneficial

linguistic activities.

Logical- Mathematical Intelligence: An example of this type of activity could be a logic

game such as deciphering a riddle, associating scattered or complementary data; these activities

elicit the ability to solve problems and to help students focus their attention on the meaning; also,

an exercise that enables students to acquire familiarity with vocabulary and grammar structures

is to re-read a text looking for specific answers (Arnold & Fonseca, 2004). In this way,

Colombian learners could develop or improve reasoning in the context of a foreign language as a

way to address problem solving that is implicit in any type of learning and in the situations they

will confront with native English speakers. By developing language through logical-
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 25

mathematical activities, Colombian learners are more likely to be able to express understanding

and their point of view in encounters with foreigners and deal with critical thinking situations in

English.

Musical Intelligence: Teachers can include reception activities such as listening to songs

in order for students to comprehend the input; also, they can encourage them to create original

melodies or interpret lyrics, which will develop their production skills. By using these dynamic

exercises in the classroom, learners can become more capable to perceive and produce the

intonation patterns of a language (Brown, 1994). Most importantly, as it can be seen, Colombian

culture is saturated with music, and by appealing to this interest, teachers are able to benefit

learners’ concentration and creativity, as well as to spark their curiosity for the English language.

Spatial Intelligence: This type of intelligence can include activities such as visualization,

painting and using mind maps (Christison, 1997). The use of visual materials such as pictures,

videos, PowerPoint presentations, posters, and cards can be interesting and attractive to EFL

learners, and according to Arnold and Fonseca (2004), these can make language input more

comprehensible to students. In contrast to traditional instructional methods in Colombia, by

giving EFL students an opportunity to absorb and express information visually would greatly

expand their ability to comprehend and express themselves in English.

Bodily- Kinesthetic Intelligence:

The use of role-plays, drama, games, project work, shadow puppets, and many

activities related to group dynamics directly address the bodily-kinesthetic

intelligence in the language classroom. Non-verbal aspects of communication are also

very relevant in language teaching. For example, gestures are movements of the body

used to communicate an idea, intention or feeling. (Arnold and Fonseca, 2004, p. 128)
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 26

The activities proposed above can be suitable for Colombian contexts where some

students show a lack of interest and lethargy in the classroom. These strategies provide an

alternative to classical teaching approaches, that in current society are guaranteed to leave

students bored and uninterested. In contrast, with physically stimulating exercises, EFL teachers

are able to help to rouse energy and focus students’ attention and participation. Furthermore,

various non-written prompts are useful in several aspects of learning a foreign language and if

these are used in EFL classrooms in Colombia, students would have the ability to absorb

vocabulary in a different form.

Interpersonal Intelligence: The importance of the emotional dimension of education is

evident in the work of the neurobiologist Damasio (1999) and Schumann (1994) who explained

how emotion and reason are distinct but inseparable facets to learning in general. It can be

noticed that in some cases Colombian students prefer fulfilling tasks with others and are more

likely to achieve the language goals within this cooperative classroom atmosphere. With this in

mind, activities such as group brainstorming, board games, pair work and conflict meditation

(Christison, 1997) can be useful in EFL Colombian contexts. Through encouraging their capacity

to understand others, work as a team and socialize effectively (Hymes, 1971; Canale & Swain,

1980), students can increase their confidence and reduce their anxiety to develop communicative

competence.

Intrapersonal Intelligence: Robles (2002) proposes intrapersonal activities such as

thinking and talking about feelings and the use of a questionnaire to reflect on self-performance.

Additionally, Smith (2001) argues that through self-expression and reflection students are able to

improve their foreign language proficiency. In the light of Colombian EFL classrooms, these

activities can enhance students’ intrinsic motivation so that they think about what they really
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 27

want to achieve and how they can do it. In this way, intrapersonal reflection will provide students

with the chance to assess how they believe they are progressing related to the learning targets,

and motivate themselves to improve their language skills, without being pushed for success by

teachers or the educational system.

Naturalistic Intelligence: Arnold and Fonseca (2004) suggest some activities such as

semantic maps related to nature, brainstorming on naturalist topics or descriptions of scenes in

nature; the authors say these can help students not only to develop sensitivity to the vegetal and

animal world, but also to improve their lexical knowledge. Apart from these classroom exercises,

it is important to recognize that in Colombia there is an incredible capacity to learn English

through exploring nature. Although leaving the classroom could generate more work for the

teacher, it is well worth the results. When students go outdoors they have less pressure to ‘learn’,

but instead, they are inspired by curiosity and are stimulated to discover things that are

applicable to everyday life. Arnold and Fonseca (2004) also confirm that appealing to naturalistic

intelligences not only develops sensitivity to the vegetal and animal world, but also improves

students’ lexical knowledge.

Step 5: Propose different ways to assess

First of all, teachers should take into account that it is not about assessing the multiple

intelligences development, but the initial language objectives of the lesson plan by the means of

the intelligences. That is to say, students will demonstrate their proficiency using the

intelligences they have.

Traditionally, linguistic intelligence has been the most popular mode used in evaluations,

but because it is restricted to writing essays and taking multiple choice tests, students are not able

to display their understanding in distinct ways. Unfortunately, conventional EFL testing methods
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 28

in Colombia also follow this strict pattern. For students in Colombia, memorization of verb

tenses and grammatical structures consumes their learning and their common fear of making

mistakes prevents them from immersing themselves in English as a living language. Instead of

imposing stringent tests that exclude different expressions of comprehension, Colombian

students would benefit greatly from being able to show what they have learned in various ways

through dynamic forms of evaluation.

There is no doubt that it is possible to integrate different types of intelligences in

evaluation (Gardner 2006). For instance, students who have spatial intelligence could be

evaluated through mind maps or interpreting pictures and photographs; those who have bodily-

kinesthetic intelligence could be prompted to do demonstrations; students with naturalistic

intelligence could have the opportunity to classify, identify and recognize details in natural

settings, and musical students can be given the chance to sing or interpret lyrics; for interpersonal

learners, interviews or debates would be useful tools for assessing, and finally, those who have

intrapersonal intelligence could be required to make independent projects (Armstrong, 2000).

Although not all students have the same strengths, this does not imply that the teacher

will have to make many forms of a test to evaluate student by student. The most important thing

here is to take into account that the students learn in different ways in order to create a dynamic

test that enables students to express knowledge in varying forms.

Given these points, proposing different ways of evaluation will bring lots of advantages

for students in Colombian settings. MIT applied to assessment would represent a change from

testing methods that only appeal to a small percentage of students. Evidently, it can create a

stress-free environment where all learners feel comfortable to demonstrate the knowledge they

really have acquired beyond merely memorizing the mechanics of the language. As a result, the
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 29

focus of EFL in Colombia would not be on high marks on traditional exams, but instead, on

guiding students to be able to communicate effectively in the English language.

Finally, having seen these five steps to integrate the theory of Multiple Intelligences in

EFL classes, this Research paper will provide a Lesson plan on Comparative Adjectives that can

be an useful example for English teachers interested on that (See appendix: C Lesson Plan).
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 30

Conclusions

The main purpose of this paper was to point out how the integration of MIT in the design

of EFL lesson plans enables Colombian teachers of this subject to be more effective and

increases the capacity of students to become proficient in the English language.

With this in mind, the most important characteristics of the Theory were presented in the

paper, in order to guide EFL teachers who are interested in applying it in their classrooms. It was

mentioned the innovative definition of intelligence by Howard Gardner (1983), as the result of

the interaction between heritable potential and environmental factors, which can be educable and

developed through relevant experiences, special training and practice, in contrast to some views

of intelligence as a stable and unchangeable factor from birth. In addition, it was described the

pluralistic view of the human mind of Gardner, through eight different types of intelligences:

Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Musical, Spatial, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Interpersonal,

Intrapersonal and Naturalistic, which all individuals possess to a greater or lesser extent.

As it was shown within this work, MIT was not intended to be a teaching method

initially. However, in the first decade after the publication of Frames of Mind by Howard

Gardner (1983), in which the author challenged the traditional concept of intelligence and the

standard view of the tests to measure it, a number of teachers started to revise their educational

system in the light of the MIT, finding that implementing it in the classroom can benefit both the

teacher and all of the learners.

Following these ideas, it is worth summarizing some benefits of applying the Multiple

Intelligences Theory in EFL classrooms. First of all, the role of the teacher can be transformed

from the owner of knowledge to a guide who promotes an individualized learning, which is

based on the abilities and interests of each learner. Consequently, the role of students from the
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 31

traditional classroom also changes, because they become the center of the language learning

process and gain self-esteem and confidence to participate actively in class without getting

worried about making mistakes. Aside from this, MIT empowers students to acquire a better

knowledge of themselves, become more aware of their strengths and weaknesses, and discover

what motivates them, what they like and what kind of learning works best for them. In this sense,

MIT is closer to the real world and, because it allows students to discover their true intellectual

profile as an important tool for their daily lives and their future.

Another advantage of MIT in EFL classrooms is that the learning environment becomes

encouraging and stress-free. In such a classroom climate, students feel motivated to learn and

comfortable to demonstrate the knowledge they really have acquired beyond merely completing

complex academic tasks. As a result, discipline problems can be significantly reduced.

Finally, MIT applied to assessment would represent a change from testing methods that

only appeal to a small percentage of students. Nowadays, EFL teachers know that students are

able to achieve the language learning goals apart from linguistic and logical/mathematical

approaches. Due to this, they can now recognize that if a student has difficulty learning the

language, it is probably necessary to innovate their conventional teaching strategies in order to

appeal to a wider variety of interests. At this point, this paper emphasized the idea that teachers

must understand individual differences with the goal of providing the students with several facets

to learn the foreign language. By offering students different ways to express what they have

learned, academic achievement can improve and students, who had previously been

unsuccessful in linguistic and logical skills, have the opportunity to achieve good levels in

new areas, which can also have a positive impact on reducing school dropout.
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 32

When addressing the Colombian educational context, similar advantages as the discussed

above can be found. Therefore, it is advisable for Colombian EFL teachers to consider the steps

for planning a lesson that were presented in this paper. These steps can be adapted to any

learning situation and different groups of learners. In addition to their versatility, they also focus

on the development of communicative competence, which is the main goal of language learning,

rather than the rigid use of grammatical structures.

However, some possible obstacles that Colombian EFL teachers might find when

applying the lesson plan design suggested in this paper, are the limited class time and large

classes. For that reason, to design activities and evaluations for every student according to his/her

strongest intelligences would make teachers’ work more complicated and stressful. In order to

deal with this fact, this paper suggests that not all lesson plans need to include procedure and

assessment specifically targeting each type of intelligence, but these can vary from one session to

another, so that all the students have the opportunity to use their strengths to demonstrate their

understanding, and it is not more laborious for teachers.

In brief, after reviewing the theory, it can be noticed that the use of MIT in foreign

language teaching supports the need for inclusive education, in which all students are considered

intelligent and their strengths are valued. Thus, by applying their natural abilities in Colombian

settings, students can feel drawn to learning a foreign language, and enjoy the classes instead of

being mere spectators. When they are given an opportunity to participate actively in their

learning process, results will increase and consequently educators will be one step closer to

reaching the goal of bilingualism by 2019.

LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 33

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LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 39

Appendix A

Multiple Intelligences Inventory for EFL/ESL Teachers

Christison (1998)

Directions: Rank each statement below 0, 1, or 2. Write 0 next to the number if the statement is
not true. Write 2 in the blank if you strongly agree with the statement. A score of 1 places you
somewhere in between. Compare your scores in different intelligences. What is your multiple
intelligence profile? Where did you score highest? lowest?
Linguistic Intelligence:
_____ I write and publish articles.
_____ I read something almost every day that isn't related to my work.
_____ I pay attention to billboards and advertisements.
_____ I often listen to the radio and cassette tapes of lectures and books.
_____ I enjoy doing crossword puzzles.
_____ I use the blackboard, the overhead projector, or charts and posters when I teach.
_____ I consider myself a good letter writer.
_____ If I hear a song a few times, I can usually remember the words.
_____ I often ask my students to read and write in my classes.
_____ I have written something that I like.
Total: _____
Musical Intelligence:
_____ I have no trouble identifying or following a beat.
_____ When I hear a piece of music, I can easily harmonize with it.
_____ I can tell if someone is singing off-key.
_____ I have a very expressive voice that varies in intensity, pitch, and emphasis.
_____ I often use chants and music in my lessons.
_____ I play a musical instrument.
_____ I listen to music frequently in the car, at work, or at home.
_____ I know the tunes to many songs.
_____ I often hum or whistle a tune when I am alone or in an environment where I feel
comfortable.
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 40

_____ Listening to music I like makes me feel better.

Total: _____
Logical-Mathematical Intelligence:
_____ I feel more comfortable believing an answer is correct if it can be measured or calculated.
_____ I can calculate numbers easily in my head.
_____ I like playing card games such as hearts, gin rummy, and bridge.
_____ I enjoyed math classes in school.
_____ I believe that most things are logical and rational.
_____ I like brain-teaser games.
_____ I am interested in new developments in science.
_____ When I cook, I measure things exactly.
_____ I use problem-solving activities in my classes.
_____ My classes are very consistent; my students know what to expect.
Total: _____
Spatial Intelligence:
_____ I pay attention to the colors I wear.
_____ I take lots of photographs.
_____ I like to draw.
_____ I especially like to read articles and books with many pictures.
_____ I am partial to textbooks with illustrations, graphs, and charts.
_____ It is easy for me to find my way around in unfamiliar cities.
_____ I use slides and pictures frequently in my lessons.
_____ I enjoy doing puzzles and mazes.
_____ I was good at geometry in school.
_____ When I enter a classroom, I notice whether the positioning of the students and teacher
supports the learning process.
Total: _____
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence:
_____ I like to go for long walks.
_____ I like to dance.
_____ I engage in at least one sport.
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 41

_____ I like to do things with my hands such as carve, sew, weave, build models, or knit.
_____ I find it helpful to practice a new skill rather than read about it.
_____ I often get my best ideas when I am jogging, walking, vacuuming, or doing something
physical.
_____ I love doing things in the outdoors.
_____ I find it hard to sit for long periods of time.
_____ I often do activities in my classes that require the students to move about.
_____ Most of my hobbies involve a physical activity of some sort.
Total: _____
Intrapersonal Intelligence:
_____ I regularly spend time meditating.
_____ I consider myself independent.
_____ I keep a journal and record my thoughts.
_____ I would rather create my own lessons than use material directly from the book.
_____ I frequently create new activities and materials for my classes.
_____ When I get hurt or disappointed, I bounce back quickly.
_____ I articulate the main values that govern my life and describe the activities that I regularly
participate in that are consistent with these values.
_____ I have hobbies or interests that I enjoy doing on my own.
_____ I frequently choose activities in the classroom for my students to work on alone or
independently.
_____ I encourage quiet time and time to reflect in my classes.
Total: _____
Interpersonal Intelligence:
_____ I prefer going to a party rather than staying home alone.
_____ When I have problems, I like to discuss them with friends.
_____ People often come to me with their problems.
_____ I am involved in social activities several nights a week.
_____ I like to entertain friends and have parties.
_____ I consider myself a leader and often assume leadership roles.
_____ I love to teach and show someone how to do something.
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 42

_____ I have more than one close friend.

_____ I am comfortable in a crowd or at a party with many people I don't know.
_____ My students help decide on the content and learning process in my classes.
Total: _____
Naturalistic Intelligence:
_____ I am good at recognizing different types of birds.
_____ I am good at recognizing different types of plants.
_____ I like to garden.
_____ I enjoy having pets.
_____ It's easy for me to tell the make and year of most cars.
_____ I often look at the sky and can tell you the different types of clouds and what kind of
weather they bring.
_____ It's easy for me to tell the weeds from the plants.
_____ I like to spend time in the outdoors.
_____ I enjoy learning about rocks.
_____ I have plants in my home and office.
Total: _____
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 43

Appendix B

Multiple Intelligences Inventory for EFL Students

Laura Candler (2015)

Directions:
Fold the paper on the dark vertical line so that the eight
columns on the right are folded back. The read each

Mathematical-Logical

Bodily-Kinesthetic
statement below. Rate each statement from 0 to 5

Musical-Rhythmic
Verbal-Linguistic

Visual-Spatial
according to how well the description fits you (0=Not at

Interpersonal

Intrapersonal
Naturalist
all to 5= Very True). Next unfold the paper and transfer
each number over to the outlined block on the same row.
Finally, add the numbers in each column to find the total
score for each multiple intelligence area. The highest
possible score in one area is 15. How many ways are you
smart?

Which of the following are true about you?

I enjoy singing and I sing well.
I love crossword puzzles and other word games.
I like spending time by myself.
Charts, maps, and graphic organizers help me learn.
I learn best when I can talk over a new idea.
I enjoy art, photography, or doing craft projects.
I often listen to music in my free time.
I get along well with different types of people.
I often think about my goals and dreams for the future.
I enjoy studying about the earth and nature.
I enjoy caring for pets and other animals.
I love projects that involve acting or moving.
Written assignments are usually easy for me.
I can learn new math ideas easily.
I play a musical instrument (or would like to).
I am good at physical activities like sports or dancing.
I like to play games involving numbers and logic.
My best way to learn is by doing hands-on activities.
I love painting, drawing or designing on the computer.
I often help others without being asked.
I enjoy being outside in all types of weather.
I love the challenge of solving a difficult math problem.
Having quiet time to think over ideas is important to me.
I read for pleasure every day.
Totals
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 44

Appendix C

Lesson Plan

Let’s celebrate Halloween

TOPIC AUDIENCE GROUP TIME

Comparative adjectives This lesson is designed for a group of 14 2 sessions of 50

fourth graders at “LA CASITA DE minutes
BELÉN”, who range in age from 8 to 9.

AIM

Students will be able to express their ideas by using correct comparative form of adjectives.

OBJECTIVES

• To enable students to use the comparative form of adjectives correctly.

• To familiarize students with some vocabulary about Halloween celebration through a
listening exercise.
• To offer a writing activity so that students can make descriptions using comparatives.
• To provide oral practice in order that students can use the language learnt in a real
situation.

MATERIALS

Board, markers, lyrics sheets, flashcards, costumes.

VOCABULARY

Nouns: Snow white, witch, angel, devil, prince, monster, red riding hood, wolf, beauty, beast
Cinderella, stepmother, hare, turtle
Adjectives: nice/ nasty, good/bad, handsome/scary, innocent/tricky, beautiful/ugly, kind/ mean,
fast/slow
PROCEDURE ACTIVITIES
First session:

WARM UP: 15’

Students should reflect about how they celebrate Halloween, and what costume they would like
to be this year. Then, the teacher asks them to share their opinions.
Later, they listen to a song about Halloween, and sing along with the lyrics; students are asked to
circle the Halloween characters they find in the song.
LESSON PLAN DESIGN BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 45

DURING: 20’
The teacher motivates the students to play a memory game. There are 28 cards face-down
forming a rectangle on the board (14 different characters of a Halloween party and their names:
Snow white, witch, angel, devil, prince, monster, red riding hood, wolf, beauty, beast
Cinderella, stepmother, hare, turtle). The student selects two cards and turn them over, if they are
a matching pair, the student is awarded another turn for making a new match. If the cards are not
a match they are turned back over and it is now the next players turn.

WRAP UP: 15’

After completing all the matches, every student chooses one character to be for the next session
(they should wear costumes). Then, the student writes a short description of his/her character
using basic adjectives, after the teacher presents a simple example.

Second session:

WARM UP: 10’

Initially, the students sing the song that they learned last class.

DURING: 30’

The teacher demonstrates how to contrast characters, using short and long adjectives in the
comparative form. Taking into account that each character already assigned has an opposite,
students are organized into pairs to formulate comparative sentences based on the examples
provided by the teacher.

The teacher takes the students outdoors to have a Halloween celebration, and ask them to
report back to the class the comparison of the characters by pairs (the students wear their
costumes).

WRAP UP: 10’

Finally, the teacher presents awards to the characters, using the superlative forms of the
adjectives, in order to introduce the topic for the next session. (For example, the most beautiful
character, the ugliest one, etc)

ASSESSMENT

The teacher will take into account:

• The exercise with the lyrics sheet
• Students’ interaction
• Fluency and accuracy in the oral activity
• Class participation