Multiple Intelligence Theory for Gifted Education: Criticisms and Implications

This paper scrutinizes giftedness and gifted learners under the implications of multiple intelligence theory with regard to coaching young scientists. It is one of the pluralistic theories toward intelligence while supporting to view individuals as active participants during teaching and learning processes which correspond with the applications of gifted education. The history and general characteristics of the theory is explained to figure out why using multiple intelligence theory is beneficial for gifted learners, candidate of young scientists of the future under the reflection of some sample activities. Although benefits of the theory for the aforementioned era have been talked comprehensively, there are some criticisms toward theoretical perspectives and its applications, especially in Turkey. Generally, the paper tries to contribute the literature on the issue of gifted education by pointing out the use of multiple intelligence theory in several domains.