http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28606

Cheers,

Phil

Just to share what I’ve gained so far:

On the one hand, MI remains a theory. However, having read what’s here and my albeit limited understanding of how Gardner’s work may be applied in ELT, I still find it useful insomuch as it offers and encourages different perspective-taking and creativity in the creation and implementation of learning/teaching materials.

http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/teaching/tefl/alt-techniques/tefl-bullshit-detector-one/

Or even the notorious Six Conspiracy Theories and Rumours in ELT here at Six Things

http://sixthings.net/2009/05/21/six-rumours-and-conspiracy-theories-in-elt/

Enjoy!

Homeopaths are charlatans (at least) because they do far more than “try to understand patients’ individual circumstances.” In brief, the peddle an absolutely ridiculous brand of snake oil for hugely inflated prices to people who need some sort of medical help. That pretty much cancels out any good will they get for taking people’s individual circumstances into account (which, incidentally, they only do up to a point before they try to pigeon hole you into one of their diagnostical categories).

Ye gods. I am planning to try and think of some equally ludicrous ways of earning an easy life without doing very much. Looking around the breakfast table, I am beginning to develop my theory of crumbology. Essentially, I will feed people toast (which will need to be rebranded as a Superfood) and then design an exclusive and individual (for we are all individuals) learning plan informed by the pattern of crumbs that fall upon a sheet of Special Kitchen Towel. Both bread and towel will be available to buy at a special price and I am thinking of perhaps launching my own brand of toaster (a la George Foreman).
Who will buy?

It seems that people are saying that MI has served a great purpose in helping us see that the education system is all a bit crap really. Well, I got that from watching “The Wall”. I notice that Mi has done pretty much nothing to address the actual root causes of the crapacity of the education system. Instead, it dressed up the most obvious possible statement (We Are All Different) in some pseudo-scientific mumbo jumbo and spawned a new religion. In his defence, I can only imagine the horror that Howard Gardener must have felt.

Karenne sees MI at work in her success story with the carpenter. I see a placebo effect and a researcher who is looking to confirm her own hypotheses. Who’s right? Does it matter? Of course people are free to believe what they want and to act accordingly, but do we really have to read stuff and nonsense about MI in our journals and periodicals? Who edits the editors?