Every classroom is composed of a diverse group of learners, each with different needs, interests, abilities and learning styles. It becomes a teacher’s challenge to create a classroom which addresses the needs of each child; providing extra support for struggling students and advanced activities for students that excel. When the education of children is approached by using the experiences and strengths they bring to the learning situation, success can be achieved. Academic difficulties begin when students do not have the hooks with which to connect the information given with their own experiences and strengths.

Research shows that a uniform approach to education: children sitting in desks, silently and independently completing worksheets all day, and blindly following a standard curriculum, is simply ineffective. A one-curriculum-fits-all approach assumes all learners are the same. This is just not the case.

In order to accommodate the vast diversity in learning styles, curricula and classrooms need to be designed to approach learning in a multi-sensory and multi-disciplinary way. This means learning occurs through a variety of approaches, weaving together, merging, and integrating multiple subjects creating an inter-disciplinary curriculum, while utilizing all sensory pathways: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling. Engaging children in a variety of experiences, which benefits all students, increases the likelihood of learning and retaining information.

Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory is a very useful model for developing a systematic approach to nurturing and teaching children and honouring their individual needs and strengths within a classroom setting. The theory of Multiple Intelligences includes the notion that each person is smart in all eight types of intelligence. Every person is smart to varying degrees of expertise in each of the intelligences, stronger in some ways and less developed in others.

Because research now shows that we can become more intelligent in more ways, both students and teachers can become more adept in all eight intelligences. This is possible by providing a planned cycle of experiences and opportunities which foster each and every type of intelligence and by making these opportunities available to every child in our classrooms. By broadening our view of intelligence and valuing and nurturing abilities other than mathematics and reading, we can open doors by using the strengths of children as a means of complementing their less developed areas.

The eight human intelligences proposed by Gardner are Linguistic (able to use language fluently), Logical-mathematical (able to work well with logic or numbers), Musical (able to appreciate music in all forms), Bodily-kinesthetic (able to skillfully use small-motor and large-motor muscles), Spatial (able to creatively visualize by taking “mental pictures”), Naturalist (able to accurately categorize and classify things found in nature), Interpersonal (able to read people and understand relationships), and Intrapersonal (able to understand oneself and know how to use one's talents).

The following is a brief description of each type of intelligence and how teachers can foster each type of intelligence in the classroom.

Linguistic
Learners of this classification think in words and use language to express meanings. They like to tell jokes, read and write stories, and play word games.
Teachers can create reading and writing projects, help students prepare speeches for sharing time, make word games and word searches.

Logical-Mathematical
Learners approach problems logically and understand numbers and abstract patterns. They like to work with numbers, ask questions, and know how things work.
Teachers can construct Venn diagrams, record and organize information on graphs, draw maps, and make time lines.

Musical
Learners are aware of patterns in rhythm and music. They like to listen and play music, sing, hum, and move to music.

Teachers can rewrite song lyrics to teach a concept. Teachers can encourage students to make songs about what they are learning. Teachers can have students learn dances and music from different countries.

Bodily-Kinesthetic
Learners use their body to communicate and solve problems.

Teachers can provide tactile and movement activities, offer role-playing activities, and allow students to move while working rather than just sitting on a desk. For example, when teaching the alphabets, have the children work together to make the letters with their bodies.

Spatial
Learners create mental images and think three-dimensionally. They like to draw, paint, and work puzzles.

Teachers can Provide opportunities for children to show understanding through drawing or painting. For example, after children read a book they can create their own shadow box of their favorite scene in the story to demonstrate their understanding of what they read.

Naturalist
Learners are sensitive to the natural world and can see patterns and connections with the plant and animal kingdoms. They like to spend time outdoors, observe nature, and listen to nature sounds.

Teachers can use outdoors as a classroom, taking frequent nature walks to stimulate curiosity. Teachers can also conduct hands-on science experiments and have plants inside the classroom for students to observe.

Interpersonal
Learners are sensitive to the feelings and moods of others. They enjoy sharing, working as a team member, and like working in large groups. Teachers can encourage cooperative learning, assign group projects and give students the opportunity for peer teaching.

Intrapersonal
Learners are sensitive to their own moods and feelings and they know their own strengths and weaknesses. They like to learn through observing and listening.