The Effect of an Instructional Program Based on Multiple Intelligences on Jordanian EFL Students’ Speaking Skills

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the effect of an instructional program based on Multiple Intelligences on Jordanian EFL students’ speaking skills. Methods: The participants were two classroom sections of seven grade students in Success Story School in Irbid, who were distributed into two groups; control and experimental. The experimental group was taught the speaking skills through a Multiple Intelligences-Based instructional program while the control group was taught though the conventional method. Findings: A pre-post-test was developed by the researchers and was distributed to the participants of the experimental group to find out the the effect and the academic significance of the Multiple Intelligences instructional program on their speaking skills. The results showed that there are statistically significant differences at (a= 0.05) in the post speaking skills test scores due to the teaching method in favour of the experimental group (Multiple Intelligences). This study recommends that Multiple Intelligences be integrated into the EFL classroom to improve students’ speaking skills. Practical Implications: The results of the study would be of assistance to school teachers. The positive effect of an instructional program paves the way for more incorporation of technology-based teaching. Originality/Value: This study is different from previous studies in the sense that it investigates the effect of three intelligences; verbal, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligences, on three speaking subskills; vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, in contrast to other studies which investigate the effect of multiple intelligences on speaking skill in general.