| Summary: | 博士 === 淡江大學 === 英文學系 === 93 === The major purpose of this study was to apply Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory to teaching literature and to compare the teaching efficiency of the MI-based approach with the traditional approach implemented in the foreign literature classrooms. The subjects were 79 English majors in the Department of Applied Foreign Language in one Junior College of Continuing Education. Students were randomly divided into the experimental group and the control one. The former was instructed with the Multiple Intelligences approach while the latter was instructed with the traditional approach, Grammar-Translation Method.
The study employed a 2 treatment (Traditional Approach, Multiple Intelligence Approach) x 7 (four exams and three post-instructional questionnaires) factorial design. The scores of the mid-term test, the final test, and the pretests and posttests for English reading proficiency, Harry Potter literacy, reading motivation questionnaire, reading strategies questionnaire, and Multiple Intelligences Inventory were analyzed by using one-way ANOVA, repeated measure t-test and ANCOVA (analysis of covariance). In addition, Pearson correlation was conducted to measure relationships between variables, establishing the strength of relationships of continuous variables. Qualitative tools such as an open-ended questionnaire and portfolios were used to better understand students’ learning process.
In terms of the academic performance, the results showed that the Multiple Intelligences approach to EFL literature instruction contributed to a better performance on literature tests than the traditional approach did for the subjects. In terms of English reading ability, the Multiple Intelligences approach to EFL literature instruction did not contribute to a better performance on English reading proficiency test than the traditional approach did for the subjects. As for reading motivation, the Multiple Intelligences approach to EFL literature instruction maintained junior college students’ learning motivation, while traditional approaches bored them and decreased their learning motivation. On top of this, the Multiple Intelligences approach to EFL literature instruction contributed to using strategies (particularly for the linguistic, kinesthetic, interpersonal and intrapersonal strategies) more in reading literature than traditional approaches did for the subjects. In addition, English reading proficiency, reading motivation, and reading strategies were positively related to Harry Potter literacy. Students who were instructed with a Multiple Intelligences approach responded more satisfactorily than students instructed with traditional approaches in terms of teaching material, teaching method, and the ways of assessment. Implications of the findings for the EFL literature classroom were suggested.
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