VIDEO | MYP Study Skills Workshop

MYP students are learning that having a high IQ isn’t the only factor when it comes to intelligence. In a Study Skills workshop, Grade 6 students learned about Dr Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences and how people can be intellectually smart in a variety of ways. 

theory of multiple intelligences

• Logical-Mathematical: people who are good at tests and logic. This has a lot to do with critical thinking as well as organization.
• Verbal-Linguistic: people who are good at poems and rhyming, reading, writing and learning other languages.
• Interpersonal: people who are good at understanding other people’s emotions and social norms.
• Body-Kinesthetic: those who are good at handling their own bodies and other objects like dancers, actors and many athletes. 
• Musical: associated with rhythmic and harmonic music. 
• Visual-Spatial: you can visualise something well, judge distances or read a map. 
• Intrapersonal: how you understand yourself, knowing your strengths and weaknesses.
• Naturalistic: people with real-world recognition, can identify plants and animals. Hunters, people who fish and people involved in biological sciences. 

Learning Support Coordinator Judith Azran helps students with studying through metacognition, which is the awareness of one’s own thought processes and understanding their patterns. It’s basically learning about learning. Study skills are a variety of mini-workshops Ms Azran delivers to these students about every 6 weeks. Study skills are an important set of transferable life skills, and Grade 6, which is a transition year, is the perfect time for students to engage in this learning process. 

Study skills help students maximize the learning process. They are meant to help students develop their own approach to studying and learning. Workshop topics include time management and organisation, finding the right time and place to study, test-taking, taking notes and more. Grades 7 and 8 also participate in some of these workshops. 

In all MYP subject groups, students are encouraged to develop their approaches to learning skills (ATLs). Independent learning is encouraged through the various communication, thinking, research, self-management and social skills students acquire.