Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence: Meaning, Characteristics and Activities to Develop It
The ability to speak and express ourselves is an element that distinguishes us as human beings. Since childhood, we listen and observe the relationship sounds have with their meaning. Currently, verbal and linguistic skills are constantly evaluated in schools. Yet, little we know about the possibility of its stimulation and so its development. We will be discussing what verbal-linguistic intelligence is and how we can develop it during the course of our lives.
Verbal-linguistic intelligence is one of the eight intelligences that make up Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. It is important to remember that Gardner defines intelligence as “the ability to solve problems, or to create products, that are valued within one or more cultural settings.”Gardner defines intelligence as “the ability to solve problems or develop products, which are important in a cultural context or in a given community.”
In his theory, Gardner states there are eight types of intelligences. They work together, but at the same time, they are independent. All of them have the capacity for development based on stimuli. In this article, we will be describing one of them, verbal-linguistic intelligence.
To learn more about Multiple Intelligences and it’s application in daily life, access 8 Ways of Learning: Guide to Understand Multiple Intelligences
Verbal-linguistic intelligence enables people to communicate through language. It is related to the capacity and ability to handle the mother tongue or other languages, either orally or in writing, in order to communicate and express one’s thoughts. This intelligence understands the ability to manipulate syntax, phonetics, pragmatics, and semantics of the language. It is one of the most studied intelligences along with logic mathematical intelligence and is considered the universal intelligence.
Verbal-linguistic intelligence handles the production of language, including poetry, metaphors, similes, grammar, literature, tongue twisters, and abstract reasoning. It is important to know that verbal-linguistic intelligence is not synonymous with bilingualism, but, it can influence how easy a person can learn new languages.
Like the interpersonal intelligence, verbal-linguistic intelligence is based on one of the pillars of human adaptation: social interactions. Its development depends on activities such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Characteristics that people with developed verbal-linguistic intelligence show:
Think in words.
People with a developed verbal-linguistic intelligence use words as a way to express their thoughts and make use of composition, syntax, and visualization of writing. They turn abstract thoughts into meaningful complete sentences. They use the grammatical organization to organize their ideas.
Like to read and write.
They are excellent readers and writers. People with verbal-linguistic intelligence read several books a year, fragments of stories or tales, comic strips, etc. They write to show what they think, what they observe, and what they feel.
Excellent speakers.
People with verbal-linguistic intelligence are capable of being organized, objective, and wisely select the words to carry a message. They have power conviction and know how to lead groups because of their ability to handle words.
They are excellent interpreters of the language.
Interpreting poems, works and other elements of literature is their hobby. They like to practice riddles, word games, and interpret texts. Figurative meaning and metaphors are part of what people with developed verbal-linguistic intelligence easily interpret.
Like to learn new languages.
They love to watch and listen to programs in other languages, even if they don’t understand them. People with verbal-linguistic intelligence love to expose themselves to different ways of expression through the language. They like to challenge themselves to learn new languages.
Strategies and materials used by people with developed verbal-linguistic intelligence:
Books, newspapers and articles readings
Through reading, they increase their vocabulary and learn to apply words in different contexts.
Discussions
They discuss present ideas or defend their positions related to a specific topic.
Word games
Through different word games such as word searches and crossword puzzles, they develop their ability to identify words.
Podcast
Through the podcast, they use the words and manage the vocabulary to carry a clear and effective message. They use the words to entertain and convince the people who listen to them.
Storytelling
They use storytelling to entertain, educate, and motivate people toward reading and writing.
Activities you can do to develop your verbal-linguistic intelligence:
Write a diary.
Writing about personal experiences, facts and stories promote the acquisition of vocabulary and the development of expression through language.
Read a book.
Reading develops understanding and encourages the use of new vocabulary. Through reading, you can develop the capacity for interpretation and imagination.
Join a book club.
Book clubs encourage discussion, debate, and interpersonal relationships based on reading. It is an opportunity to interact with people who share the same interests and to speak about them.
When reading, circle a word you do not understand and look for its meaning.
The purpose of this exercise is to increase vocabulary. By looking up words in the dictionary, you not only learn meanings, but you can also work with the organization of words in alphabetical order.
Learn a new language.
Learning a new language fosters the development of verbal-linguistic intelligence and interpersonal intelligence. Through the exchange of words, people can expose themselves to other cultures while traveling.
Take part in debates.
Debates stimulate the organization of ideas and coherent expression. Furthermore, debating with others encourages the development of the ability to use language orally.
If you want to learn about activities for the development of all the intelligences, we recommend: ACTIVITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MI
Verbal-linguistic intelligence is known as one of the universal intelligences since almost the entire population of the world is able to speak and a large part of it is able to read and write. The development of verbal-linguistic intelligence is of utmost importance in the formation of the human being since childhood. We live in a globalized world where the ability to communicate and listen has become essential skills to succeed both in the personal and work environment. These skills can be developed from childhood both in the classroom and at home. The more we expose ourselves to reading, socializing, and listening, the better we will be able to solve problems, be empathetic, and use the language to solve problems. When you develop this intelligence, you have the ability for better communication and, thus, good relationships with others.
We invite you to take the course Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom. In it, you can learn about the use and application of the theory of multiple intelligences in the classroom, its benefits, and the importance of achieving meaningful learning.
To learn about activities related to the use of Multiple Intelligences in the classroom, we recommend: 48 Multiple Intelligences Classroom Activities.
References
Armstrong, T. (1993). 7 Kinds of Smart: Identifying and Developing Your Many Intelligences. Plume.
Armstrong, T. (2006). Inteligencias múltiples en el aula. Barcelona: Paidós.
Bartolomei-Torres, P. (2018). Inteligencias múltiples en el aula, un recurso para el aprendizaje significativo en la Enseñanza de una Lengua Extranjera (Ph.D). Universidad de Granada. Recuperado de http://hdl.handle.net/10481/52430
Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind. New York: Basic Books.
Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.
Suazo-Díaz, S. (2006). Inteligencias múltiples: manual práctico para el nivel elemental. San Juan, Puerto Rico: La Editorial, Universidad de Puerto Rico.
