The Impacts of Multiple Intelligences on Tolerance of Ambiguity and English Proficiency—A Case Study of Taiwanese EFL College Students

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate how students' multiple intelligences were related to their tolerance of ambiguity and English proficiency. Subjects were 173 English major students in a private university in northern Taiwan, including 49 males and 124 females. They helped to fill out questionnaires of Multiple Intelligences (MI) (Gardner, 1983) and Second Language Tolerance of Ambiguity Scale (SLTAS) (Ely, 1995). In addition, students' English scores and English levels of Taiwan College Entrance Exam were used as their English proficiency. All available data received from the returned questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics derived from SPSS 17. The results revealed that a correlation among students' multiple intelligences, tolerance of ambiguity, and their English proficiency did exist. In addition, by using t-test, findings showed that genders made a difference in students' multiple intelligences, tolerance of ambiguity, and English proficiency as well. Furthermore, implications derived from the study were provided for more effective English teaching and learning.

Revisit Multiple Intelligences with the Roles of Motivation, Strategy, and Anxiety in Foreign Language Learning—A Case Study in Taiwan

“…Since the MI theory was created, many bright, intelligent children have longer been limited by IQ tests, and logical/mathematical intelligence and verbal/linguistic intelligence have no longer been the traditional dominant factors to judge how smart the children are. Particularly, the MI theory helps educators be aware of working with such unique and diverse learners and need to expand their horizon of available teaching/learning tools [12] [13] [14]. Consequently, many studies related to MI have been blooming not only in America but also in many others; including Hou, et al in Taiwan [14], Kim in Korea [15], Saeidi et al in Iran [16], and dealing with different issues and consequences of "who, when, where, what, and how" [17].…”

The Use of The Theory of Multiple Intelligence in Learning English Pronouncing When Suffering from Learning Difficulties

“…In this way, the delayed consequences of the Cronbach's Alpha inward consistency immovable quality .960 showed that the investigation instrument of the audit were extremely strong. The finding was presented in Table (3).…”

“…The paper moreover advocates the presence of a fresh out of the plastic new insight, Moral Knowledge. (Hou, 2016).…”

Avoiding the Gap of College Students’ Internship Expectations and Perceptions—A Case Study in Taiwan

“…Firstly, regarding to gender differences in multiple intelligences, males were normally found to be stronger with Logical/Mathematical Intelligence, Spatial Intelligence, Bodily Intelligence, and Interpersonal Intelligences; while females were stronger in Verbal/Linguistic Intelligences and Musical Intelligences [42] [43]. Secondly, males, especially in many Asian countries, are expected to have higher education to take more responsibilities for their family; hence, many parents are ready to invest more cost relative in their sons' education, as Hou [35] pointed out that "gender matters from the beginning", when early in elementary schools, boys were provided with more parental homework guidance, but girls were found to have stronger motivation and better English performance as well. Thirdly, as more and more females have been entering into the work force, it has generated considerable interest in the issues relevant to gender differences in the job market, for example, salary, position, performance, satisfaction, etc.…”

“…Since Gardner's Frame of Mind (1983) [21], many studies referring to MI, together with other factors relevant to learning performance in many fields, have been blooming worldwide, such as Visser, Ashton, & Vernoon [23], in Canada; Akbari & Hosseini [24] (2008) in Iran; Kim [10] in Korea; Dastgoshadeh & Jalizadeh's [25] in Singapore; Carlin, Salazar, & Cortes [26] in Mexico; Saeidi & Karvandi [27] in Iran; Maria del Mar Palenzuela Perez & Noemi Reina Ruz [28] in Spain; and Taiwan is not an exception. Recently, many studies dealing with MI and other factors relative to learning performance were conducted in Taiwan, for example: focusing on genders [29] [30] [31], majors [29], learning behaviors (motivation, attitude, belief, learning styles, strategy, anxiety, and ambiguity tolerance) [31] [32] [33] [34] [35], and even students' birth rank, caregivers' education, family atmosphere and parenting styles [31]. Not surprisingly, in light of gender difference, findings revealed that males were stronger in Logical/Mathematical intelligences and Bodily intelligence, while females were with stronger Verbal/Linguistic intelligence and Musical intelligence [30] Rosander, et al [41] were quite different from that of Ackerman and Heggestad [37], who found the strongest link between intelligence and Openness (O), and weaker links between intelligence and the other four personality traits of Neuroticism (N), Extraversion (E), and Agreeableness (A).…”