Assessing the Relevance of Multiple Intelligences-Based Learning Methods for Seventh Grade Students

An optimal learning environment is one where students feel at ease, enjoy the learning process, and can readily absorb and apply the taught material in their daily lives. This study investigates the suitability of implementing Multiple Intelligences-Based Learning Methods to enhance the learning experience. A qualitative research approach, specifically a case study design, was employed to explore this topic. The findings reveal that the utilization of Multiple Intelligences-Based Learning Methods aligns well with the learning needs of seventh-grade students at MTs Al Hikmah Bandar. This method diversifies teaching and learning activities, effectively capturing students' attention and engagement. By discerning students' preferences and matching them with relevant learning approaches, educators can group students with similar interests. Leveraging these aligned interests and appropriate learning methods results in more effective learning outcomes and the achievement of learning objectives. Ultimately, this approach empowers students to apply their acquired knowledge in their everyday lives.


Introduction
Education is a very important indicator in the process of development and character building of every human being, especially in terms of the development and development of nations and countries.The culture that develops in society depends on how to recognize, appreciate and utilize human resources to manage existing natural resources.This is not possible without education that is relevant to the local community environment.
We need to know together that education has a very important role in human life.It is said that education is the most important and strategic instrument to achieve individual and social goals.Along with the times in this modern era, many emerging learning strategies and methods are packaged with the best possible innovation with the aim of developing the potential of students (Supriyanto & Tawil, 2018).However, not many schools implement learning strategies and methods that are packaged in an interesting and innovative way.This is because it is very necessary for teachers to learn to master these strategies and methods.
The process of teaching and learning activities is something very complex, Teaching and Learning Activities can take place effectively and efficiently if the chamistry between educators, students, and parents is well established, both at school, at home, and in the community.Education will be successfully implemented if parents and teachers can work well together in learning guidance.We all know and believe that God created human beings with different abilities, talents and intelligence.Basically, everyone is born with a number of potential intelligences that can be developed, to be able to improve their abilities and achieve their goals and goals in life (Purwati & Kunaefi, 2020).
The reality of the plurality of intelligence possessed by a child has made us all realize as parents and educators that every child is born with their own intelligence and potential.Unfortunately, the portrait of success or intelligence measured over the years is more about linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligence.Whereas if we look at the diverse intelligence of students and help explore it, pariative intelligences will definitely emerge (Ardani et al., 2017).
Howard Gardner uses the term multiple intelligences to show that basically humans have diverse intelligences, not only limited to IQ as it is known so far.According to Gardner, there are at least nine intelligences possessed by humans, namely linguistic intelligence, logicmathematical intelligence, visual spatial intelligence, physical kinesthetic intelligence, musical intelligence, inter-personal intelligence, intra-personal intelligence, naturalist intelligence, and existential intelligence.The nine intelligences exist in each individual and need to be developed optimally so that students who are less prominent in some intelligences can be assisted and guided to develop and improve their intelligence through education with effective learning methods (Ibrahim Rahman, 2018).
But when looking at the reality of education today, it is unfortunate that many students are found who do not find their talents or potential.Those who, if traced, actually have talent or potential but cannot be shown their abilities because they do not get attention and support from both school and parents at home.When their unique learning and thinking abilities are unacceptable to the dominant classroom, their ability to think in words and use language to express and appreciate complex meanings.Or in the ability to count, measure, and consider hypotheses, and complete mathematical operations (Setiawan & Ilmiyah, 2020).
Intelligence or intelligence is often defined as the ability to understand something and the ability to argue, the smarter a person is, the faster he understands a problem and the faster he can take steps to solve the problem.In this case it can be understood that intellectual intelligence is more emphasized on how students can use their logic to solve problems.A person's intelligence is usually measured through intelligence quotient (IQ) tests.Therefore, intelligence can be assessed in terms of a person's ability to answer standardized test questions in a classroom environment (Musfiroh, 2014).
Excessive assumptions on the results of IQ ability as a form of one's success still dominate learning and also education in schools and madrasah.(Firman, 2021).This can be seen in the methods used by teachers in delivering lessons.Not a few teachers teach using rational methods with mathematical logic that is more in line with mathematical-logical and linguistic intelligence and explain all lessons with lecture and story models that are more in line with linguistic intelligence.Such learning only benefits students who excel in mathematical-logical and linguistic intelligence, while students who do not have these intelligences tend to feel uninterested, bored, do not understand, and have no interest in listening, which ultimately cannot understand the material presented by the teacher (Rahadian & Hidayat, 2018).Based on the practice carried out in learning PAI elementary school class IV, it is explained that in implementing Multiple Intelligence-based learning methods, teachers must know and determine what themes will be applied in an interrelated PAI learning from several existing intelligences.With several steps taken by the teacher to achieve several intelligences, the teacher can then choose the right learning strategy (Anas et al., 2019).
In research on the development of multiple intelligences in madrasas, it is explained that after paying attention to multiple intelligences, it can be seen that the development strategy can be carried out comprehensively by exploring several components of the curriculum or learning materials provided to students by educators in diverse and varied subjects.The variety of subjects taught has significant potential in developing multiple intelligences in various dimensions and types of multiple intelligences (Zainal Abidin, 2017).

Method
The approach used by the author is a qualitative approach, which is a research approach that aims to understand the phenomena experienced by research subjects such as behavior, perceptions, motivations, actions and others by describing them through words and language (Nugrahani, 2008).This type of research is field case study research.Research with this case study design is carried out to study the object of research in depth and systematically either on an individual, group, or institution that is considered to have or experience certain cases in a long enough time span to be able to find alternative solutions to the problem.(Darmalaksana, 2020).In this study the authors intend to solve problems related to learning problems that occur in class VII MTs Al Hikmah Bandar, in this case the research discussed is the implementation of multiple intelligences-based learning methods.

Results and Discussion
The results show that learning using multiple intelligences-based methods is effective for students in grade VII of MTs Al Hikmah Bandar.Therefore, in class VII this is the initial period to find out what intelligences are owned by students, which can then be used to plan relevant learning according to what students want.
Based on the results of observations, researchers saw that by exploring students' intelligence through the implementation of multiple intelligences-based learning methods, it was successful to find out students' interests and preferences seen from students' expressions and acceptance when the teacher delivered the material.In this case, the teacher knows that they actually have varied intelligence tendencies, so that in carrying out fun learning, they must also use varied learning methods.
The implementation of multiple intelligences-based learning attracts students' attention.The results of researchers' interviews with students show that in the previous school students received learning that was still monotonous, meaning that the learning carried out in the previous school had not been varied.So that when given varied learning in a new school (in this case at MTs Al Hikmah Bandar) students feel happy and have a continuous curiosity, so this affects students' enthusiasm for learning.
Multiple intelligences-based learning is a concrete effort to maximize the multiple intelligences of each student in terms of achieving certain competencies by combining several intelligences owned by the student.In the application of this multiple intelligences (MI) based learning system (Fitriyani & Ma'mun, 2022), there are several things that must be considered, including the following;

Reasoning
Reasoning is how intellectual intelligence works.Someone who is intellectually intelligent, generally does reasoning as one of his hobbies (Aini & Suryowati, 2022).If a person's reasoning ability is well honed, it is very helpful in achieving success in school or in their daily relationships.

Experimentation
Experimentation is one of the steps to develop intellectual intelligence and is an activity most favored by intelligent and intellectual people (Okpatrioka & Ari, 2022).The drive of high curiosity makes them not care too much about failure in experimenting, even failure becomes a stepping stone for the improvement of their next findings.

Good Memory
Memory refers to the process of storing or maintaining information over time (Carolus Borromeus Mulyatno, 2022).Intellectually intelligent people usually have a good memory.Memory or the ability to remember is very important, both for the sake of learning, developing science, and others.

Diligent Reading
One of the ways people who are intellectually intelligent is by reading diligently, enjoying reading and always reading (Rohaeni & Sugiharti, 2022).By reading often, it can indirectly train the ability of the human brain and mind.The command to read is also clearly stated in the Quran, as well as the first revelation that Allah SWT revealed to the Prophet Muhammad SAW.
As for the practice of implementing this multiple intelligences-based learning method is to spur intelligence that looks superior to students in the maximum and optimal way possible, of course, by trying to maintain other intelligence according to the minimum standards set by the institution.The multiple intelligences-based learning system also aims to seek and optimize the multiple intelligences possessed by each individual (student) in terms of achieving certain competencies according to the curriculum standards that have been determined.
After we know that there is more than one type of intelligence, the next step is to develop its potential by trying to know the various intelligence models that can provide golden opportunities to be managed and developed.According to Gardner (Ibrahim Rahman, 2018) these intelligences include;

Logical-Mathematical Intelligence
Logical-Mathematical Intelligence is the ability to solve problems by using logical reasoning and using numbers well.This intelligence is used in terms of creating hypotheses and to test their accuracy with experimental data.(AuliaRahman et al., 2022).This intelligence uses the sensitivity of logical patterns to analyze a case or problem, and also in terms of performing mathematical calculations.A person who stands out for his or her logical mathematical intelligence naturally likes numbers, loves science, enjoys solving mysteries, spends time doing brain teasers or logic puzzles, enjoys organizing information in tables and graphs, and uses computers more than just for playing games.
Learning activities that can be done by teachers to develop mathematical-logical intelligence include: using a question-and-answer system, problem solving, constructing models of various key concepts, experiments, and presenting games that use strategy and logic.While the best way of learning for children who are mathematically-logically intelligent can be done through numbers, thinking, asking, trying, guessing, calculating, weighing, sorting, classifying, and constructing.

Linguistic Intelligence
Linguistic intelligence is the ability to use and process words in written or spoken form.Linguistic intelligence is closely related to how a student's ability to read, write, discuss, argue and debate is related to the use and development of language in general.(Tanjung et al., 2022) A person with linguistic intelligence naturally responds well to any sounds and rhythms.In terms of field application, they will usually become experts in word meaning (semantics), word rules (syntax), word expression and language function (pragmatics).Someone with high linguistic intelligence enjoys expressing themselves through language.
As for how to develop linguistic intelligence for learners, as well as teachers by conducting learning activities including word games, group discussions, skits/performances, debate teams, brainstorming, telling stories, crossword puzzles and writing journals, etc.The method can be done one of them by inviting children to a bookstore, giving them the opportunity to speak, providing many books, recordings, and creating opportunities for them to write, providing writing equipment, typewriters, keyboards, to learn to identify letters in words.

Visual-Spatial Intelligence
Spatial intelligence or visual intelligence is the ability to understand the concept of space, position, location and three-dimensional forms.A person in this intelligence model likes to describe ideas or sketches to help solve problems, think in the form of images and easily see various objects.(Sumiati et al., 2021).The model of learning activities that can be done to develop this spatial intelligence is by building a learning environment, pictorial presentations, card games, reproducing visuals both conventionally and with technology.
Students who are intelligent in visual-spatial applications are usually very creative, have the ability to imagine things, generate ideas visually and spatially in the form of images or shapes that can be seen by the eye.They have the ability to recognize the identity of objects when they exist from different perspectives.They are also able to estimate the distance and existence of themselves with an object.

Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence is a student's ability to combine vision and movement or to use the whole body to express ideas and feelings.(Hidayati & Watini, 2022).It is concerned with skillful use of the body.Kinesthetic intelligence can also be defined as the skill in using the hands to create or transform something into a work or craft.Someone who has kinesthetic intelligence likes to move and be active, easily and quickly learns physical skills, moves while thinking, likes to act, is good at imitating the gestures and expressions of others, excels in certain sports, is skilled at making crafts or building models, is good at dancing.The implementation of the learning process carried out on kinesthetic intelligence is by utilizing the physical as a whole in the learning process and accompanied by training through movements, using role-playing games and simulations.
The existence of stimulus stimuli to movement-kinesthetic intelligence helps the development and growth of children.In accordance with the nature of children, who like to move, the learning process should pay attention to this tendency.Students with kinesthetic intelligence tendencies in the learning process with techniques to touch, manipulate, and use Tadibia Islamika, Vol. 3, No. 1 May 2023 e-ISSN 2829-551X p-ISSN 2830-5566 movement.They need learning activities that are kinesthetic and dynamic.They also need access to playing fields, obstacle courses, swimming pools and sports halls.

Musical Intelligence
Musical intelligence is the ability to recognize and process tones by perceiving, distinguishing, transforming and expressing them.(Hasanuddin & Siregar, 2022) Someone who has musical intelligence usually likes to sing, likes to listen to music, likes to play musical instruments, easily remembers melodies or tones, easily recognizes many different songs, hears the differences between diverse instruments that can be applied or played together, drums, hums or sings songs while doing tasks / work, easily captures the rhythm and sounds around him, likes to make musical sounds with the body (humming, clapping hands, snapping fingers or stomping feet, composing or writing his own songs or raps).
To develop musical intelligence, teachers can do lessons including: packaging subject matter in a rhythmic format that can be sung, memorizing multiplication by singing in the rhythm of certain songs and teachers can also change song lyrics to teach concepts through rhythmic greetings, declamations, singing together, pitched claps and if possible, an orchestra of used cans and exercises to distinguish sounds and sounds around.

Interpersonal Intelligence
Interpersonal intelligence is intelligence in terms of establishing social interactions and maintaining social relationships by applying one's skills in building, creating, and maintaining social relationships as well as techniques in perceiving and distinguishing moods, giving intent, motivating the feelings of others.(Sumiati et al., 2021).Someone who has interpersonal intelligence usually likes to observe others, makes friends easily, likes to offer help when someone needs it, likes group activities, is confident, can guess how someone feels just by looking, encourages other friends, prefers to work and learn in groups rather than alone.The development of interpersonal intelligence in learning activities can be done by doing learning activities in groups, giving free time for students to interact with each other.The methodology that can be done is by problem solving through interaction with others such as giving tasks that must be completed in pairs or groups and playing together but still under the supervision of the educator.

Intrapersonal Intelligence
Intrapersonal intelligence is the ability to understand oneself, in the sense of understanding the desires, desires and interests as well as expectations that exist in oneself and doing something based on that understanding.(Timang et al., 2021).Indicators that show Intrapersonal intelligence are realizing and understanding about one's own and others' emotions, being able to develop a good and correct self-concept, preferring and being able to work alone, upholding self-confidence.To train and develop this intelligence in learning by teachers include providing time for self-reflection and appreciating feelings and providing motivation.
Intrapersonal intelligence is stimulated through tasks, trust and recognition by giving tasks that must be done alone, trusted to be creative and find solutions and encouraged to be independent.The encouragement of the growth of intrapersonal intelligence must be accompanied by the positive nature of the teachers in assessing each individual.Sincere praise, non-condemnation, positive support, respect for choices, and willingness to listen to stories and opinions are stimulation of intrapersonal intelligence.

Naturalist Intelligence
Naturalist Intelligence is the ability to recognize and classify species of flora and fauna in the surrounding environment.(Islam & Islam, 2023).People who have this intelligence have a sensitivity to natural phenomena/symptoms, like to care for and love animals, like things related to farming or gardening, are very concerned about nature and the environment such as mountains, beaches, nature reserves and forests, like to observe the natural environment such as observing rocks, soil types and soil layers, various shapes and types of flora and fauna.To develop and utilize this naturalistic intelligence, teachers can conduct learning by using the media of the surrounding environment, learning in nature, learning a learning material by observing natural phenomena or studying natural events such as getting used to watering plants, creating games with natural elements such as comparing various shapes of leaves and flowers, observing the texture of sand, soil and gravel, collecting seeds and collecting VCDs about the ins and outs of animals, plants and nature.

Existentialist Intelligence
Existentialist intelligence is an ability that has to do with sensitivity and the ability to answer the deepest problems including existence or can also be called human existence.(Susandi & Marwan, 2020) A child who has this intelligence will question about the existence of humans who live on this earth because he is sensitive to human existence.Children who have this intelligence have characteristics will tend to behave to question various questions related to human existence such as the meaning of human life, why humans experience a death, and the reality they face.They will find out about these problems until they get the answers they question.
Indicators of existential intelligence can be likened to a double-edged sword.The frequency with which one thinks about death, for example, may be used to test one's existential awareness.Nonetheless, it is not wrong if it indicates one's hopelessness about life.It's like a child asking his teacher, "Why do we have a ceremony?Do we have to do all the honors?"The phenomenon can be seen as the emergence of existential awareness and can also be a reflection of the child's reluctance to carry out routine school activities.
The various intelligences mentioned above can be developed if teachers have competence in assisting students to find their intelligence.Every student must have intelligence, although the level of intelligence and type of intelligence are different.Through multiple intelligencesbased learning methods, teachers can observe students in the learning process.So that teachers can group students according to intelligence or interest in learning according to the field of intelligence.The multiple intelligences-based learning system aims to seek and optimize the multiple intelligences possessed by each individual (student) in terms of achieving certain competencies according to the curriculum standards that have been determined.