Professor in Town

Name: Mario Rinvolucri
Position: Consultant, language teacher
and trainer
Institute: Pilgrim Trust in Canterbury

What brings you to the UAE?
I came in springtime for the TESOL Arabia conference and I got invited back by Magrudy's Educational Resource Centre to give presentations about the Multi-Intelligence Theory as applied to the teaching of English as a Foreign Language … .

What is the Multi-Intelligence Theory?
The theory states that people enjoy eight intelligences, instead of two, which are usually known as the logical math intelligence and the linguistic intelligence. In any class the percentage of students who enjoy languages is about 20 per cent. However, the percentage of students interested in subjects such as math, music, etc is more… about 80 per cent. The theory is about using exercises that stimulate students each according to their interests and at the same time help teach the languages subject.

What is your area of specialisation?
For the last 30 years I have been writing practical classroom books for teachers.

Do you feel that you are reaching teachers?
Teachers in general are conservative and are not always willing to try new techniques. Mostly teachers hold on to what they know. I think about 10 to 15 per cent of teachers are willing to try new things and my ideas reach them. Most successful people in the field reach about 30 per cent of the people.