AMERICAN  CORNERS
INDONESIA

   American Corner Universitas 
Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY)

Highlights in October 2004: 

• A number of International Relations students of State University of Jember visited us on October 6, 2004. 
  

• In collaboration, American Corner Central Library UMY, Student English Activity (SEA) UMY, and RELO, US Embassy Indonesia invited Damon Anderson on One Day Seminar "Applying Multiple Intelligences in Teaching English" on October 12, 2004 at. It drew 110s audiences of English Teachers and Instructors of High Schools and English Courses, Students around Yogyakarta Province, Reporters and so. 
  

• October 18, 2004, we started four new English Conversation Class (ECC) classes named PRORISMA (Program Bahasa Inggris Romadhon). It's available at 3.30 pm - 5 pm.

ONE DAY SEMINAR ON “APPLYING MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE APPROACH IN 
TEACHING ENGLISH”

Report by Endro Dwi Hatmanto
American Corner UMY director

Multiple intelligence (MI) theory has received much attention over the past 20 years. Almost 80 years after the first intelligence test was found, Howard Gardner questioned the notion that intelligence is something that can be objectively measured and reduced to a single quotient or score.Explaining that our culture has defined intelligence too simplistically, Gardner proposed in Frames of Mind (1983) the existence of at least eight basic intelligences, namely; linguistic intelligence, logical intelligence, visual intelligence, kinesthetic intelligence, musical intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence and naturalistic intelligence.
Caption 1: Damon Anderson delivered speech.

Proposing the MI concept, Gardner sought to broaden the perception of human potential beyond the confines of traditional IQ scores. Thus, Gardner suggested educators view intelligence as the capacity for solving the problems and fashioning products in context-rich and naturalistic settings rather than place the traditional importance on the ability to produce a large quotient. Gardner's theory has encouraged educators to view children as equals regardless of a quotient produced form an intelligence exam.MI theory can be described not only as a philosophy or an attitude toward learning but as possible techniques to be developed in the classroom as well. The teacher's role in an MI classroom, for example, contrasts sharply with that of a teacher in a traditional classroom (Gardner, 1997). In the traditional classroom, the teacher lectures while standing at the front of the classroom, writes on the board, questions students about the assigned readings or handouts, and waits as students finish written work. In comparison, in the MI classroom, the teacher continually shifts method of presentation from linguistic to spatial to musical and soon. Teachers can also combine intelligences in creative ways. And this is especially true for those of us who work in the field of education. [complete text]   

The American Corner UMY Yogyakarta visitors ask to the UMY AmCorn librarian .