Abstract

This paper aims to examine the relationships between the teaching styles and the multiple intelligence types of the primary school teachers in İzmir and Lefkosa. The study encompasses 245 subjects, 164 primary school teachers from İzmir and 81 primary school teachers from Lefkosa. In the study, The “Teaching Styles Scale” developed by Serin, Bulut Serin and Serin (2005) and the “Multiple Intelligence Inventory” developed by Saban (2002) were administered to reveal the teaching styles and multiple intelligences of the teachers, respectively. In the analysis of the data, t-test and multiple regressions have been used. The results indicate that there are statistically significant differences between the primary teachers working in İzmir and those working in Lefkoşa when the relationships between their strengths in multiple intelligences and the sub components of their teaching styles such as courageousness, being a model, and planning are considered. There is also a significant difference between gender and planning, but no significant differences between the multiple intelligence types and the other subcomponents of the teaching styles. The t-test results on the regression coefficient depict that variables such as spatial/visual, naturalistic, and interpersonal intelligences play a predictive role on teaching strategies.

Introduction

Teachers employ some strategies in the learning and teaching processes in order to facilitate the leaning process and make teaching more effective. There is no single and absolute method in the teaching process. Teachers in selecting methods and implementing them in their courses should take into consideration some issues such as the content of the topics and lesson plans proper to their students’ profile. Those teachers who do not choose the right method or not implement them in an efficient way in learning and teaching processes waste their time. In order to provide an efficient learning process, teachers should use the most appropriate and reliable method by spotting and recognizing their students’ aptitude, interest, motivation and learning pace. In the beginning of learning and teaching process, teachers should acknowledge what and how to teach.