The Role of Multiple Intelligences in Vocabulary Retention via Storytelling of Elementary EFL Learners

Individual needs have highlighted the importance of multiple intelligences theory which was put forward by Gardner (1983). According to this theory all human possess at least eight intelligences which one or two of them are dominant. Vocabulary retention is one of the areas of difficulty especially at the beginning stages for children. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between multiple intelligences- kinesthetic, visual/spatial and linguistic intelligence and Vocabulary retention via storytelling.The three intelligences were chosen according to the dominant intelligence of the participant of the study. The participants were sixty young male learners in Noor-e-Danesh elementary school. They were between 10 to 14 years old. This age group was chosen according to MIDAS Test for kids. They were grouped into three different experimental groups and one control group. The researcher used descriptive and inferential statistics to compare the groups. Inferential statistics which was mainly the analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) revealed there applying MIs through using storytelling in EFL classroom for 7 sessions positive relationship between MI and Vocabulary retention was obtained. Thus, Applying storytelling considering the dominant intelligence of the learners considered to be positive.

Keywords:

Multiple Intelligence , Vocabulary Retention , Storytelling