Customer Reviews

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

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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.

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.

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.

I bought this book for all my adult Bible study teachers. Great tool to explain multiple intelligience theory and its application in teaching God's word.

Shane Garrison
Alexandria, KY

This book is a little like a picture book with no pictures. A person leafing through it may find some helpful ideas, but it is not interesting enough to hold one's attention for very long.