7 Ways of Teaching the Bible to Adults: Using Our Multiple Intelligences to Build Faith [Paperback]

Barbara Bruce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2000

This book shows teachers of adults how to use styles of learning to enhance the student's experience and enrich their own teaching. A chapter is devoted to each of the seven styles: verbal, independent, social, visual, physical, musical and logical. Each chapter includes: suggestions for blending the style into lessons, questions to help teachers determine their own preferences, a lesson focusing on the learning style, and a prayer demonstrating the style. A bibliography, appendices and a self-discovery sheet are included. Appropriate for group or individual study and teacher training.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Barbara Bruce has worked as a Christian educator for nearly twenty years. She is the owner of “Process: CREATIVITY,” a consulting firm offering workshops in creative and critical thinking. She is the author of Teaching Children Bible Basics, 7 Ways of Teaching the Bible to Children, Standing Up Against the Odds, Start Here; Teaching and Learning With Adults, 7 Ways of Teaching the Bible to Adults, and Our Spiritual Brain.  Her most recent publication is Mental Aerobics: 75 Ways to Keep Your Brain Fit.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (September 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0687090849
• ISBN-13: 978-0687090846
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #501,165 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Using Multiple Intelligence Theory in Adult Religious Education, January 6, 2006

By 

Thomas E. Leuze "Book Nerd" (Louisville, KY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 7 Ways of Teaching the Bible to Adults: Using Our Multiple Intelligences to Build Faith (Paperback)

Barbara Bruce takes Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory seriously and tries to apply it to the task of teaching the Bible to adults. Although her book is modest (112 pages including appendices), she does a nice job of presenting a usable tool for Bible teachers of adult learners.

Multiple Intelligence theory argues that there are at least seven different brain based types of intelligence: verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical, spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, musical, intrapersonal, and interpersonal. Everyone possesses some ability in each of these areas, but everyone tends to favor one or two over the other areas. The tendency has been to treat all adult learners as preferring verbal/linguistic intelligence and the chosen teaching method has been lecture. Bruce presents a chapter on each of the types of intelligence, providing an overview and making suggestions for teaching/learning activity that is oriented towards that type of intelligence. She does well in her application of the theory in the Adult Bible class environment.

One of the problems found in application of Multiple Intelligence Theory is the attempt to either include all seven types of intelligence in a lesson plan or to orient teaching towards one specific intelligence to the exclusion of all others. The first is impossible to do without creating an incredibly messy lesson plan that accomplishes nothing. The latter creates a lesson plan that usually one student (or fewer) enjoys. Bruce's techniques are much more "hybrid" in their approach--while a technique may be mathematical/logical there will be secondary elements of other intelligences as well. (A "MI" purist might criticize her techniques for this, but, in fact, most normal activity involves a variety of the intelligences.) Thus, her techniques are usable for a variety of types of learners rather than for one particular type of learner.

If you want to know about Multiple Intelligence Theory, you need to read Howard Gardner or Thomas Armstrong. If you want to know how to use Multiple Intelligence Theory in your adult Sunday School class, this is a great resource. Recomended for lay leaders and ministers.

4.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing, October 9, 2010

By 

johno_m - See all my reviews

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This review is from: 7 Ways of Teaching the Bible to Adults: Using Our Multiple Intelligences to Build Faith (Paperback)

I have known about Howard Gardner's intelligences and taught on them in Australia, but the book brought a refreshing and focused element to the MI in light of bible studies and specific application in this area. Recommend for people wanting first time introduction, as reference materials in not just bible studies but other areas of training in the class or at home. Great.

4.0 out of 5 stars how easy it is to teach to the normal and miss all the fringe students, May 1, 2010

By 

leslie krahn "Therapist in Training" (hawaii of course) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 7 Ways of Teaching the Bible to Adults: Using Our Multiple Intelligences to Build Faith (Paperback)

I loved the way the author included so many ways to teach so many. Not just the normal verbal linguistic students but all of us who learn in other ways.