Puchta, Herbert/Rinvolucri, Mario: Multiple Intelligences in EFL. Exercises for secondary and adult students. Helbling Languages 2005; pp. 157 (The Resourceful Teacher Series): a review by Christian Holzmann

It must be fifteen years now that Herbert gave a workshop for the ARGE Anglistik in Vienna, in which he used lots and lots of material that Mario and he had been writing. Then Herbert went on prioritising, and Mario did his diversifying, and the book they were planning never got published. I also remember that some of the material we can now find in this book was there 'in nuce', as we clever reviewers like to say.
It is a curious thing to observe the following: How long does it take for an important theory that affects learning and education to find its way into schools? Longer than you might think, if you go by etiquetting theories. Shorter than you might think when you look at it from the perspective of a teacher's natural instincts. Gardner's famous book on MI was published in 1983, and it was only in the middle 90ies that teachers knowledgably referred to his theories. But as Herbert and Mario point out: good language teachers have always been aware of the fact that there is more than a linguistic intelligence. Maybe they did not have the words for the other intelligences, but they prioritised and diversified like hell anyway.
With this book they can do so and have a clear focus. The authors have a no-nonsense approach to MI. They do not promise heaven and earth, they do not claim that everything will be easier, more fun – whatever. They just offer – and it's a good offer. The theory part is short and clear, gives you an idea of what you are to expect and what you have missed so far), the exercise part is well-structured and meets the toughest 'variatio delectat' standards.
After briefly describing the seven well-known intelligences and the two candidate intelligences (natural and existential), the authors outline a theory of MI in the EFL classroom, and make it all seem both exciting and familiar. Then comes the offer: "The book offers you now a choice of activities to enable you to invite your students to use their strongest intelligences as well as to develop their weaker ones." (18) And the offer comprises: 74 exercises with a clear pattern: language focus, proposed MI focus, level, time, preparation – and a thorough guide through the exercise. You probably know the format from similar teacher resource books and will feel quite at home with it. (A little stroke of genius is the quick reference guide at the end for the stressed teacher who keeps forgetting where to find what focus…)
The exercises come under five headings: General MI exercises, Teaching from your course book (very helpful, indeed), Looking out (interpersonal focus), Looking in (intrapersonal focus), and Self-management (the most demanding part of the book). In all sections fun is a key element, and so it does not come as a surprise that something like "Spatialising language" (ex. 45) was a success both with my pupils and my students. In fact, they were keen to create their own exercises after they got the hang of it – something I enjoyed even more than their participation in the activity.
Let me also add that this is also a well-made book as far as the side of publishing is concerned – no fancy stuff but high usability. Hopefully, we see more titles in the series soon.
And now? It does not need multiple intelligences to get your copy. Simply check out www.helblinglanguages.com and order it.

(English Language Teaching News, Vienna 2007)