Teaching dental hygiene to kindergarteners using Multiple Intelligences theory

¶ … teaching a group of five-year-old students about proper hygiene and avoidance of flourosis, it is best to utilize the Multiple Intelligences learning theory that was developed by Howard Gardner. The main reason this learning theory would be best to use with five-year-old students is because usually at a kindergarten level there are several different ways that the children could learn. Also, the total attention span of a five-year-old is very short, so the Multiple Intelligence learning theory would provide a variety of different activities that are more likely to maintain the student's complete attention and interest.

First, to explain the concept of the importance of proper hygiene, the use of a story and a puppet would be an excellent way to open the lesson and introduce the concept. As the puppet "tells the story," the teacher or a helper can demonstrate proper brushing techniques. The students will want to try the techniques as they were demonstrated and this is where a hands-on activity could begin. By using a story, a puppet and demonstration of the actual techniques as the lesson introduction, students who learn by listening, seeing, and doing have been stimulated.

Following the story and the demonstration, the use of a song to reinforce the steps to proper brushing would assure that the students learn and remember each step. If the music is set to a song they are already familiar with, the chance of learning and remember are increased as the student will make a positive connection.