The Theory of Multiple Intelligences emerged out of contemporary cognitive research, research that studied how humans get to know the world, how we solve problems, and how we come to understand our own actions and the actions of those around us. Specifically, the research showed that people learn, primarily, in seven distinct ways, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, linguistic, and logical-mathematical. When using this theory to design your personal Chinese language learning strategy, it is important to note that every person, including you, uses every intelligence, to some degree. This particular article will present useful Chinese language learning strategies for those who are strong linguistic learners.
What Are Linguistic Learners
Linguistic learners are people who are great at using words. They display highly developed auditory skills, and they typically think in words, as opposed to other types of learners who think in more abstract or emotional ways. They enjoy playing word games and reading and writing stories. They learn best when they are encouraged to see and say words, which means reading is a very effective way for them to learn.
Learning Strategy 1
As words have a strong impact on your mind, traditional flashcards are a great tool for you. Just write a Chinese vocabulary word on one side of a card and the English equivalent on the other. Be sure that you write the words in large, clear type, as it is the visual impression of the individual letters, as well as the word as a whole, that stimulates your brain. Spend an hour a day with these flash cards and you will be well on your way to developing a deep and usable Chinese language vocabulary.
Learning Strategy 2
If you are a linguistic learner, you will love to read, and not only will you love it, but you will be good at learning from it. Due to this, you should start out reading books written in Chinese from day one. In the beginning, you can get story books that were written for children. The vocabulary is simple and easy to learn but very useful. As you progress, you can choose books that are more difficult to read, until, eventually, you will be able to read a Chinese newspaper. In addition, look for sets of story books that have been converted into Chinese language learning textbooks. They are numerous and include comprehension questions and vocabulary games.
Learning Strategy 3
Linguistic learners often enjoy writing as much as they do reading, and, again, this is an activity that helps them learn. If you're a linguistic learner, first build up your vocabulary using flash cards. Then read as many books as you can, and, finally, begin writing your own stories and poems using the Chinese language. Obviously, they will be very simple at first, but the combination of memorizing, reading, and writing will forge a path of learning that will allow you to pick up Chinese quickly and easily.
Learning Strategy 4
Of course, the goal of studying a language is to develop the ability to communicate with it verbally, and you need to practice this skill a lot. For linguistic learners this is not difficult. You can write your own speeches in Chinese and then recite them. You can speak with your classmates, join language learning groups, or use Skype to find an online language learning partner. The particular methods you choose are not that important, as you have the ability to use any of them. Just make sure that you don't neglect this part of the learning process, focusing only on reading and writing.
Summary
Using Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences is a powerful way to design your personal Chinese language learning strategy. When using it, you must understand that the particular learning styles best for you are the ones that you will gravitate towards naturally. In addition, you must understand that you can, and should, use more than one style. Finally, only you can decide which learning styles are best for you.
Linguistic learners are people who like and relate to words, and, as such, they should plan to use them heavily when developing a Chinese language learning strategy. If you are a linguistic learner, spend your time reading, writing and memorizing words, but be careful not to neglect the speaking practice you need in order to become a well-spoken learner of Mandarin Chinese.
Bye for now, and good luck with this and all of your future language learning endeavors!
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