TRUANCY ISSUES AND MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES AMONG STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES

Abstract

The symptoms of truancy are often associated with the ways in which students follow learning. It is linked to Multiple Intelligences which contribute to each student's own interests, especially in determining the direction of the chosen field of study. The basic elements of Multiple Intelligence include Kinesthetic, Musical, Naturalistic, Visual-Spatial, Verbal-Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Intrapersonal and Interpersonal. The main objective of this study is to study Multiple Intelligences and truancy problems among students in secondary schools. In addition, this study also aims to identify the dominant intelligence domain among students from low-income families at Perlis State High School who are experiencing truancy problems. The respondents of this study consisted of 94 students from low-income families at secondary schools in the Malaysian state of Perlis. The questionnaire method used in this study shows that the dominant intelligence among the respondents is interpersonal intelligence, while the second is body kinesthetic intelligence, and the third dominant is intrapersonal intelligence. The findings of the study show that the level of interpersonal intelligence of the study respondents is at a high level (mean=2.65, sd=0.97). The study indicates that teachers and school administrators should be sensitive to the different intelligences of each individual student. This study provides a starting point for the parties concerned to find appropriate solutions to related problems in an effort to produce a generation that can contribute to national development.