Of course, these examples are overly generalized, but you can get the basic idea. Think about it. Do you learn best by reading? By logical thinking? By being alone or in a group? Get to know yourself and your students! If you have a classroom full of different students, but you only lecture, are you reaching everyone? Of course not. But if you add graphs and skits and music and more, you will reach more and more.
The big idea to realize is that everyone has strengths. Being talented in music does not make a student "smarter" or "weaker" than a student whose talent lies elsewhere. Also, just because a person is naturally talented in one area does not rule out all of the others. People naturally are strong in several areas, and some areas overlap a bit. Math and music, for example, have many similarities. Or a linguistic person may also be very outgoing (interpersonal). One does not preclude the other.
Schools today focus most on and reward those who are strongest in either linguistic or logical-mathematical. Especially with standardized testing, students who excel in language or math breeze through while those who struggle in those areas often do poorly. If, as a teacher, you can tap into all eight areas of intelligence, your students will learn more and better. They may even do better on those dreaded standardized tests!
Is it easier said than done? Not necessarily. Here are some examples of how you can engage the different types of students in your class.
For the linguistic person - use words, lecture, or reasoning
For the logical-mathematical person - use reasoning, logic or numbers
For the spatial person - use pictures, maps, or graphs
For the bodily-kinesthetic person - use a physical experience, such as acting out a skit
For the musical person - use music and sound
For the interpersonal person - use group work and discussion, a social experience
For the intrapersonal person - use independent study and research
For the naturalist person - provide an experience in the outdoors