You're Smarter Than You Think: A Kid's Guide to Multiple Intelligences

by Thomas Armstrong

Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences has revolutionized the way we think about being smart. Teachers are using multiple intelligences curricula in their classrooms. Multiple intelligences schools have been established in several states. No longer are teachers asking about students, "How smart are they?" Instead, they're asking, "How are they smart?"

In his latest book, Thomas Armstrong takes a refreshing new approach to the topic: teaching kids themselves about multiple intelligences. In clear, simple language, he introduces the theory, explains the eight intelligences in school, expand their multiple intelligences at home, and draw on them to plan for the future. Resources point the way to books, software, games, and organizations that can help kids develop the eight intelligences. This timely, important book is recommended for all kids, their parents, and educators.

Genres: Nonfiction, Education, Psychology, Childrens, Parenting, Inspirational, Self Help

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

I am the author of 20 books, including my latest The Power of Neurodiversity: Unleashing the Advantages of Your Neurodivergent Brain (Completely Updated and Revised Second Edition), which is a complete rewrite of a book I wrote with a similar title but slightly different subtitle in 2010.

My other books include: The Myth of the ADHD Child, 7 Kinds of Smart, Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, and The Power of the Adolescent Brain. I've also written for Family Circle, Ladies Home Journal, and the AMA Journal of Ethics.

I see myself as a reader as much as, or even more than, a writer. Some of the books which I've enjoyed recently include Joseph and His Sons by Thomas Mann, The Story of the Stone/Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin, the complete Arabian Nights (3 volumes), translated by Malcolm C. Lyons, The Studs Lonigan Trilogy by James T. Farrell, and From Here to Eternity by James Jones.

Beyond literature and writing, my hobbies and pursuits include improvising on the piano, doing mindfulness meditation, watching great movies on The Criterion Channel, doing yoga, and cooking Mediterranean cuisine.

Married for twenty-five years, and now divorced, I live in a cute Victorian style home on a hill in Sonoma County, California with my dog Daisy.

Reviews

[Alex ☣ Deranged KittyCat ☣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

You're Smarter Than You Think: A Kid's Guide to Multiple Intelligences is about the multiple intelligence theory, first approached by Howard Gardner. Gardner critiqued the notion that there is only one human intelligence.

Thomas Armstrong writes about 8 types of intelligence: musical–rhythmic, visual–spatial, verbal–linguistic, logical–mathematical, bodily–kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic. The book is very easy to read, so as to enable both adults and children to enjoy it.

I recommend having this book in your library. It helps parents enhance their children's MI.

[Plateresca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I liked the book more than my daughter did, but she uses some of the techniques described, and we ordered more books based on the extensive 'additional reading' list, so in the end, it didn't change our life, but it was worth reading.
(I regret to say that the cover of the Spanish version is not quite aesthetically pleasing).

[Nhất Nobita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trong bản thân mỗi người, họ đều thông minh. Điều đấy lý giải việc có nhiều người không thành công trong học tập lắm, nhưng họ lại thành công trong cuộc sống.
Cuốn sách này đáng ra nên độc trong độ tuổi từ 13-18 tuổi. Mình đã đọc nó chậm 10 năm. Do đó, nó không gây quá nhiều cảm xúc và hứng thú lắm. Trong quá trình đọc, mình cũng tự so sánh với bản thân, xem biểu hiện của mình như nào, mình muốn ra sao, mình có thể làm gì.
Là cuốn sách thú vị.

[Roger Smitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Armstrong is a radical about education. This revolutionary book challenges us to think about lots of different ways children learn. It’s not reading, writing, and arithmetic anymore.

Some time ago, Howard Gardner wrote about multiple intelligences. Maybe some school systems have picked up on this revolutionary idea.

Armstrong translates Gardner’s ideas into action for the classroom. For example, some students excel at being Word Smart. Others are “Music Smart.” His radical idea: Intelligence in one mode of learning can be used to learn in another mode. Armstrong provides advice and resources for making this happen. Not every piece of advice will work with every student. However, there’s a bountiful array of ideas and strategies to make the book worthwhile.

The problem with the book is its focus on students. Too often the analysis is too complex for young students who could best benefit from the book. Perhaps junior high students could benefit from it, assuming parental or other outside help.

This book belongs in the hands of teachers and students in teaching prep courses in college. I would even suggest this book for college professors!

[Oliver Tran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nhờ quyển sách này mà tôi hiểu rõ những gì mình còn thiếu để trở thành người giỏi giang hơn chẳng hạn
1. Để tăng cường trí thông minh ngôn ngữ: tôi sẽ năng viết nhật ký, đọc sách, chơi word games, học thêm ngôn ngữ
2. Để tăng cường trí thông minh âm nhạc: tôi sẽ học chơi một loại nhạc cụ như Guitar, nghe nhiều thể loại nhạc hơn
3. Để tăng cường trí thông minh logic: tôi sẽ chơi tường, luyện não bộ qua app
4. Để tăng cường trí thông minh không gian: tôi sẽ sử dụng trí tưởng tượng của mình nhiều hơn
5. Để tăng cường trí thông minh cơ thể: tôi sẽ tập gym, bơi lội và trong tương lai là học võ
6. Để tăng cường trí thông minh tương tác cá nhân: tôi sẽ luyện đọc body language qua app
7. Để tăng cường trí thông minh nội tâm: tôi sẽ viết nội dung giấc mơ của mình sau khi ngủ dậy, ngồi thiền
8. Để tăng cường trí thông minh thiên nhiên: tôi sẽ để ý tới mọi thứ xung quanh, tìm hiểu về cây cỏ, vì sao nhiều hơn

[Thị Lệ Gạo Đen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thật ra cuốn này không được tính là mình đã đọc. Mình chỉ thật sự đọc đúng chapter đầu tiên, còn lại thì lướt lướt qua và chương cuối mình không đọc luôn.
Sách nói về 8 loại hình trí thông minh: ngôn ngữ, âm nhạc, logic, không gian, vận động cơ thể, tương tác cá nhân, nội tâm và thiên nhiên. Sách này trẻ em hoặc học sinh cấp 2 đọc thì hợp lý. Mình thì thấy nó chán vcđ, lý thuyết tầm thấp (kiểu dành cho HS ý, người lớn sẽ thừa hiểu những điều sách viết). Phí thời gian ạ :((((

[Lilia Purnamawati · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book when I was in junior high school. We often think that a smart person is someone who gets a perfect score in math or excels in science. However, this book made me realize that every individual has their own unique intelligence, whether it’s in social skills, music, sports, or other areas.

[Michael Bievenouer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for parents

This is a great book for parents to use to encourage their children to explore new fields they may be neglecting. We all tend to stick to our areas of success and not reach out to new experiences.

It can even be a source of encouragement when a child comes home thinking he/she is a failure due to poor performance in one area. It can lead to increased self-esteem by finding skills previously not noticed or valued.

I had a parent conference with a mom who complained that she could not get her girls interested in anything. The family was wealthy, and she said she could afford any activity but the girls kept refusing. A book like this could have given her a way into expanding their lives.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a great theory . . . wish it were true. So-called 'researchers' (otherwise known as academics who need to publish something) push multiple intelligence onto an unsuspecting public and into our educational system and tout it as gospel. The bad news is that multiple intelligence is not based on any real scientific evidence, it's simply a great story that has created it's own market.

Here's the quiz to find out what kind of 'SMART' you are.

WORD SMART
I love to read
I like to tell stories
I write stories or poetry
I enjoy learning foreign languages
I have a good vocabulary
I spell well
I like to write letters or email
I enjoy talking about ideas with others
I have a good memory for names or facts
I play word games such as word scrambles, hidden word puzzles, Scrabble, or crossword puzzles
I like to do research and read about ideas that interest me
I have fun playing with words (puns, tongue twisters, and rhymes)

MUSIC SMART
I enjoy singing
I like listening to music
I play an instrument
I read music
I remember melodies or tunes easily
I easily recognize many different songs
I hear the differences between different instruments being played together
I hum or sing while thinking or doing tasks
I easily pick up rhythms in the sounds around me
I like making musical sounds with my body (humming, clapping hands, snapping fingers, or tapping feet)
I make up or write my own songs or raps
I remember facts by making up a song for them

LOGIC SMART
I find numbers fascinating
I like science
I easily do math in my head
I like solving mysteries
I enjoy counting things
I like estimating or guessing the amounts of things
I remember numbers and statistics easily (sports scores, height of the worlds tallest building)
I enjoy games that use strategy like chess and checkers
I notice the links between actions and their results (know as cause and effect)
I spend time doing brainteasers or logic puzzles
I enjoy discovering how computers work
I love to organize information on charts and graphs
I use computers for more than playing games

PICTURE SMART
I remember faces better than names
I like to draw out my ideas or make sketches to help me figure out problems
I think in pictures and easily see objects in my mind
I enjoy building things
I like taking things apart and putting them back together
I work with art materials like paper, paint, and markers
I enjoy watching movies or video
I play lots of video games
I notice the styles of clothing, hairstyles, cars, bikes, or other everyday things
I read or draw maps for fun
I enjoy looking at photos and pictures and talking about them
I see patterns in the world around me
I draw or doodle a lot
I draw things in great detail or realistically
I remember in pictures or images things that I have learned
I learn by watching people do things
I do visual puzzles, mazes, and optical illusions
I like building models or things in 3D

BODY SMART
I like to move around and be active
I learn physical skills easily and quickly
I move while I think
I enjoy acting in skits or plays
I mimic or imitate people’s expressions
I play sports or do well in one particular sport
I do crafts or build models with skill
I dance gracefully
I use movement to help me remember things
I have good coordination or a good sense of timing
I love being outside and running at recess

PEOPLE SMART
I like to watch people
I make friends easily
I offer to help when someone needs it
I enjoy group activities and lively conversations
I help other people around me get along better
I feel confident when meeting new people
I like to organize activities for my friends and myself
I easily guess how people are feeling just by looking at them
I know how to get people excited about working together or get them involved in things I’m interested in
I prefer to work and learn with other rather than alone
I enjoy getting people to see things my way
I get concerned about issues of fairness and right and wrong
I enjoy volunteering for causes that help other peoples

SELF SMART
I prefer to work on my own rather than with others
I like to set and meet my own goals
I stand up for my beliefs, even if they’re not popular
I worry less about what other people think of me than most kids
I know how I feel and why most of the time
I spend time thinking deeply about things that matter to me
I have a strong sense of what I’m good at and not so good at
I enjoy keeping a diary or writing in my journal
I write about my ideas, memories, feelings, or personal history
I have a good sense of who I am
I think about the future and what I’d like to be someday

NATURE SMART
I like animals
I have a “green thumb” ( I am good at growing plants)
I care about nature and environmental causes
I like going to parks, zoos, and aquariums
I enjoy camping or hiking in nature
I notice nature wherever I am
I have a garden at home or in my neighborhood
I adapt to different places and events well
I enjoy taking care of pets (at home or in the class)
I have a good memory for details of places I’ve been and the names of animals, plants, people, and things
I ask a lot of questions about people, places, & things I see in my environment or in nature to understand them
I have “street smarts” (the ability to understand and take care of myself in new or different situations or places
I pay attention to my environment in and around my neighborhood, school, and home
I enjoy figuring out what things are and then placing them into categories (keeping lists - bird watching or cars)

[Phung Le Trang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Đọc cuốn sách này xong thì cũng nhận ra được rằng mình có những trí thông minh nào. Và trí thông minh nào là nổi bật nhất trong con người mình!
Hiểu được bản thân là 1 điều không hề đơn giản, vì thế khi hiểu được bản thân thì mình sẽ phát triển bản thân theo những thứ mình có và hạn chế những thứ không phải thế mạnh. "Trí thông minh" là công cụ để bản thân đạt tới thành công dễ hơn khi sử dụng nó!
Bản thân thấy mình có trí thông minh logic, tương tác cá nhân, âm nhạc, nội tâm và vận động. Nổi trội nhất là trí thông minh logic và tương tác cá nhân.
Cũng thấy khá thú vị khi tự mình tìm hiểu về bản thân thông qua cuốn sách này!

[Sourav Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Being Self Smart is your greatest key to success!"
All though the subtitle of the book says that it's a children's guide, but after reading this book, i can say that it's not only for children but the adults have a lot to learn from this book. The book talks about so many aspects by which people can be more smart and improve their intelligence, like: Word Smart, Music Smart, Logic Smart, Picture Smart, etc.
The best thing about this book is it's simple language. The way the author narrated everything with simple language with proper explanation is just amazing.
The narration is easy to understand. That's the best thing about this book!

[Trinity Burch]

This book is good and nice and great. Very easy to skim through due to its repetitive nature, it has simple sentences, and because I’m definitely above the age of its intended audience, it was very easy to read. This is just a manual for kids on how to understand themselves better, break out of societal norms, and become a well-rounded person. It’s neat. Would highly recommend to kids or parents of kids in the elementary school years.

[Megan Everitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ kindle - own copy. Read aloud w girls and we all found it interesting to learn about the different intelligences and which ones come naturally and which ones we have to work to develop. I mostly enjoyed that it gave us a vocabulary for talking about different ways of being smart and how being “smart” isn’t exclusively doing well academically, rather there are lots of other ways we are smart.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed. I think it needs a test in it to help you know which intelligence you have. I have been very interested in this multiple intelligence. It has made me understand my dghts learning style. I use to think things she liked were very random and varied. Now I realize she is "picture- spatial" learner.

[Trần Duy Hiếu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Phải đặt lại tên cuốn sách là: "Bạn thông minh hơn bạn nghĩ?"
Đừng mù quáng, đừng tự ảo tưởng sức mạnh. Hãy cứ nhận mình ngu ngốc đi rồi còn có động lực phấn đấu. Kẻ tự nghĩ mình là thông minh chính là kẻ ngu nhất đó.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Used for school but very enlightening

[aarifa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could relate to the People smart. Enjoyable read.

[Dinerzade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Có cái nhìn bao quát hơn về các loại hình trí thông minh

[Christine Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences has revolutionized the way we think about being smart. Teachers are using multiple intelligences curricula in their classrooms. Multiple intelligences schools have opened in several states. But it's not enough for adults to know about multiple intelligences. In true Free Spirit style, this new book helps kids understand Gardner's theory, what it means to them, and how to make the most of their own abilities and potential. In clear, simple language, Thomas Armstrong introduces the theory, explains the eight intelligences, and describes ways to develop each one. He tells young readers how to use all eight intelligences in school, build them at home, and draw on them to plan for the future. Resources describe related books, software, games, and organizations. As kids read the book, try Tom's ideas, and check out the resources, they stop asking "How smart am I?" and start asking "How am I smart?"

***This powerful learning tool is recommended for all kids-and all adults committed to helping young people do and be their best.


Subjects

Multiple intelligences

Learning strategies

Multiple intelligences

Although this is not geared specifically toward students who are dyslexic it would be a good resource for those with learning disabilities.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great! As a teacher, I am using it to help design a unit for the beginning of the year and throughout the year to help the children realize, there's more ways to be smart than just the reading and math way that school demands of them. It focuses on Gardner's 8 intelligences. The thing I like too is that it frames intelligence in our areas of strength, but also states that if you are not as smart in another way, it gives suggestions to help you improve your intelligence in that area. This idea of all of the intelligences being different, but equal and the notion that one can "get smarter" in other areas will be helpful to children. If we all realized this, we would value each other a lot more. My daughter read this book on her own and told me she really liked it. It is suppose to be a children's book, but really for strong readers in older elementary school, ideal for junior high school. Adults may find it really interesting too.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read about multiple intelligences while doing some research for something else. I decided to pick up Armstrong's book from the library as a helpful resource for my oldest son. He is in grade ten this year and we have been talking a lot about his educational and career path going forward.

He is not a reader (He is very Body Smart and learns better by doing 😊) so I read it first. My younger son was interested, and being my reading buddy, he read it next. (We are both Word Smart 😊) The three of us then thought about, talked about, and decided on some additional ways we could learn more and maybe learn a little bit differently. This was just what I was hoping for. The book is geared for kids and this made the concepts easy to read with plenty of examples and scenarios.

We all agreed that we were intelligent in lots of ways we knew about (deep down) and lots of ways we hadn't thought about before. 6 thumbs up from us!

[Nhung Pham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to recommend this book for anyone who are parents, teachers, educators. The book introduces various ideas to discover and nurture different intelligences that can be applied to children and self-improvement. Having acquired a particular intelligence can benefit someone expand his competence into other kinds of smart. The book reminds me a thought that the most talented persons are not those who are at their best of doing something but manipulate many different abilities to reach achievement.

[Mónica Gareta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libro reccomendable para familias que se sienten a veces perdidas porque el sistema educativo no acaba de hacer florecer las destrezas o habilidades de vuestros hijos y vuestras hijas y hay una falta de coherencia entre lo que se enseña en las escuelas y cómo aplicar ese conocimiento para desarrollar aptitudes que le hagan conseguir qué se propone en la vida y qué orientación laboral y vocacional quiere elegir.

[Tru Nhu · Rating 3 out of 5]

đọc nhanh nhưng chắc đủ ý rồi, tất cả con người đều thông minh hết, hôm nay nhân tiện còn nhìn kĩ con gà và thấy nó ăn ngu quá haha (cúi mỏ uốn cổ xuống giữa hai chân để mổ khoai), và thấy quá đúng rằng là con người là loài vật bậc cao nhất nên thảm nào chẳng thông minh, tất cả, cố phát triển thêm nào

[Niena Rachmaliah]

SALAM HORMAT BUAT BUNG THOMAS... MANY THANKS FOR YOUR BOOKS...

[Jen Lilienstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tips for parents looking for ideas to stretch & strengthen their kids' MIs.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting information!

[HaiMy Tran · Rating 5 out of 5]

A trust-worthy guidance for the mind.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read in conjunction with a writing project.

[Chi Pham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Một cuốn sách giúp vực lại niềm tin vào bản thân của mình. Trí thông minh chia thành 8 laoị, bao gồm: trí thông minh ngôn ngữ, trí thông minh âm nhạc, trí thông minh logic, trí thông minh không gian, trí thông minh vận động cơ thể, trí thông minh tương tác cá nhân, trí thông minh nội tâm và trí thông minh thiên nhiên. Theo đó, mỗi người chúng ta ai cũng có thể trở thành thiên tài trong một lĩnh vực nào nếu biết đào sâu, luyện tập.
Cuốn sách giúp mình nhận định rõ ràng hơn trí thông minh mạnh nhất của mình là thông minh không gian và thông minh nội tâm. Tuy nhiên, phản phất đâu đó, chính bản thân mình (và cũng như nhiều người khác - mình nghĩ vậy haha) đều có những trí thông mình khác, tuy không nổi trội bằng.
Chúc mọi người tìm được trí thông minh nổi trọi nhất của bản thân và có những bài tập rèn luyện và kết hợp các loại thông minh để đặt được mong muốn cũng như định hướng trong tương lai của mình.