A comparative approach to the plural intelligences concept and the Montessori pedagogy

Abstract

In the course of my work as a kindergarten trainee many practical questions occured to me
regarding children’s IQ tests as I found it essential to fi nd new potential in the concept of
multiple intelligences and news ways to explore children’s individual as well as their group
work skills.The purpose of my article is to try to answer these questions and to investigate the
correlations between the Montessori Method and Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory
by analysing the results published in relevant studies available in Hungarian and in English.
I carried out my research in a kindergarten where the local educational program is based on
the Montessori Method. During this research I observed the two concepts in a comparative
fashion and I tried to fi nd the possibility to apply the Multiple Intelligences Theory in this
environment. As a practical framerwork I planned two thematic weeks - which are based on
Gardner’s ’multiple intelligences concept’ – and in the realization of this I used Montessori
methodology. Fifteen children participated in the research and I focused on different intelligences
each day.