Intelligence Inventory

Here is a useful check list I have adapted from one I found on the web. This might help you decide where your natural preferences lie - and also suggest some activities you can do to develop them!

Copy and past the list into a word document, then print it out. Tick those statements that apply to you in each intelligence category.

Use these intelligence categories to help you understand the types of intelligence you possess and your strengths and weaknesses. It is not an exhaustive list but it will give you an idea of the intelligence area that rules your preferences. Remember, it is 'normal' to have several intelligence areas and all areas can be developed!

Body/Kinesthetic Intelligence

♥ I engage in at least one sport or physical activity on a regular basis.

♥ I find it difficult to sit still for long periods of time.

♥ I like working with my hands at concrete activities such as sewing, weaving, carving, carpentry, or model building.

♥ My best ideas often come to me when I'm out for a long walk or a jog, or when I'm engaged in some other kind of physical activity.

♥ I often like to spend my free time outdoors.

♥ I frequently use hand gestures or other forms of body language when conversing with someone.

♥ I need to touch things in order to learn more about them.

♥ I enjoy daredevil amusement rides or similar thrilling physical experiences.

♥ I would describe myself as well coordinated.

♥ I need to practice a new skill rather than simply reading about it or seeing a video that describes it.

♥ I get easily bored in lessons that do not get me up and moving around

Interpersonal Intelligence

♥ I'm the sort of person that people come to for advice and counsel at school or within my circle of friends.

♥ I prefer group sports like badminton, volleyball, or softball to solo sports such as swimming and jogging.

♥ When I have a problem, I'm more likely to seek out another person for help than attempt to work it out on my own.

♥ I like group discussion/project work in lessons and for homework.

♥ I have at least three close friends.

♥ I favour social pastimes such as board or card games over individual recreations such as video games and solitaire.

♥ I enjoy the challenge of teaching another person, or groups of people, what I know how to do.

♥ I like preparing and delivering peer presentations.

♥ I consider myself a leader (or others have called me that).

♥ I feel comfortable in the midst of a crowd.

♥ I like to get involved in social activities connected with my school, church, or community.

♥ I would rather spend my evenings at a lively party than stay at home alone.

Intra-personal Intelligence

♥ I regularly spend time alone meditating, reflecting, or thinking about important life questions.

♥ I have attended counseling sessions or personal growth seminars to learn more about myself.

♥ I like to do self-analysis questionnaires.

♥ I am able to respond to setbacks with resilience.

♥ I have a special hobby or interest that I keep pretty much to myself.

♥ I have some important goals for my life that I think about on a regular basis.

♥ I have a realistic view of my strengths and weaknesses (borne out by feedback from other sources).

♥ I would prefer to spend a weekend alone or just with close family and friends in a cabin in the woods rather than at a fancy resort with lots of people around.

♥ I consider myself to be strong willed or independent minded.

♥ I keep a personal diary or journal to record the events of my inner life.

♥ I would like to be self-employed when I leave school or start my own business.

♥ I like lessons to give you time to reflect on the material before you are asked to discuss it.

♥ I prefer to have freedom of expression when doing a homework rather than be directed in exactly how to present my findings.

Logical/Mathematical Intelligence

♥ I can easily compute numbers in my head.

♥ Maths and/or science are among my favorite subjects in school.

♥ I enjoy playing games or solving brainteasers that require logical thinking.

♥ I like to set up little "what if" experiments (i.e. "What if I double the amount of water I give my rosebush each week?")

♥ My mind searches for patterns, regularities, or logical sequences in things.

♥ I'm interested in new developments in science.

♥ I believe that almost everything has a rational explanation.

♥ I sometimes think in clear abstract, wordless, imageless concepts.

♥ I like finding logical flaws in thing that people say and do at home and school.

♥ I feel more comfortable when something has been measured, categorized, analyzed, or quantified in some way.

Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence

♥ have a pleasant singing voice.

♥ I can tell when a musical note is off-key.

♥ I frequently listen to music on the radio, cassette tapes or compact discs.

♥ I play a musical instrument.

♥ My life would be poorer if there were no music in it.

♥ I sometimes catch myself walking around with a jingle or other tune running through my mind.

♥ I can easily keep time to a piece of music with a simple percussion instrument.

♥ I know the tunes to many different songs or music pieces.

♥ If I hear a musical selection once or twice, I am usually able to sing it back fairly accurately.

♥ I often make tapping sounds or sing little melodies while working, studying, or learning something new.

Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence

♥ Books are very important to me.

♥ I can hear words in my head before I read, speak, or write them down.

♥ I get more out of listening to the radio or a spoken-word cassette than I do from television or films.

♥ I enjoy word games like Scrabble, Boggle, Anagrams, or Password.

♥ I enjoy entertaining myself or others with tongue twisters, nonsense rhymes, or puns.

♥ Other people sometimes have to stop and ask me to explain the meaning of the words I use in my writing and speaking.

♥ English, social studies, and history are easier for me in school than maths and science.

♥ When I am in a car I pay more attention to the words written on signs than to the scenery.

♥ My conversation includes frequent references to things that I've read or heard.

♥ I've written something recently that I was particularly proud of or that earned me recognition from others.

Visual/Spatial Intelligence

♥ I often see clear visual images when I close my eyes.

♥ I'm sensitive to colour.

♥ I frequently use a camera or camcorder to record what I see around me.

♥ I enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles, mazes, and other visual puzzles.

_I have vivid dreams at night.

♥ I can generally find my way around unfamiliar territory.

♥ I like to draw or doodle.

♥ Geometry is easier for me than algebra.

♥ I can comfortably imagine how something might appear if it were looked down upon from directly above in a bird's-eye view.

♥ I prefer looking at reading material that is heavily illustrated.