The Role of Learning Styles, Learning Strategies and Teaching Strategies for English Language

Learners

Lucero Munoz-RabaApplied Linguistics for Bilingual Education/ESL

University of Houston Clear Lake November 17th, 2011

What some research says about

Learning Styles- Strategies and

Teaching Practices

Sims and Sims 1995 Researchers have learned a great deal over the last decades about learning styles and how to identifying and teaching through learning styles can improve student’s test scores and increase content knowledge.Ehrman 1996

“Attention to variables such as interests, culturally determined gender roles, sex related personality differences, and learning circumstances may suggest ways to enhance the language learning success of both males and females” (Yi-Chen, L., & Berg, D. (2008).

Guild and Garger 1998 Understanding learning styles can help educators facilitate, structure, and validate successful learning for all students. (Pitts, 2009)

What some research says about

Learning Styles- Strategies and

Teaching PracticesReid 1998 Reid concludes that inherent differences in cultural or language background and disciplines play a crucial role in determine types of cognitive style. (Hsueh-Jui, Liu, 2008)

Dunn et al. 2009 Dunn and Dunn (1992) demonstrate that when students are taught using their preferred learning styles, they show increased academic achievement, Improved attitudes toward instruction, and better discipline than when they are taught using their nonpreferred styles. Dunn (2009), Learning styles requires recognition of the need of diverse strategies to complement individual differences. (Pitts, J. (2009)

Hill and Flynn 2005Hill and Flynn (2005) point out that "English language learners represent the fastest growing segment of the school-age population“. (Buteau,G.,True, M.(2009).

Learning Style (Oxford et al. 1988)

A tendency to use certain learning

strategies and avoid others.

It is a blend of cognitive, affective, and behavioral elements.

It is inherent and pervasive.

Preferred or habitual patterns of mental

functioning.

A tendency to seek situations

compatible with one´s own learning

patterns.

Patterns of attitudes and interests that

affect what an individual will pay

most attention to in a learning situation.

Differentiated instruction has become part of every school system´s lexicon but without learning styles as its cornerstone, no one knows how to differentiated instruction or on what to base differentiation (Dunn at al. 2009)

(Pitts, 2009)

• Visual cues, physical gestures• Building upon student’s knowledge

and skills in their native language• Summarizing text knowledge• Repeated readings, targeting

vocabulary• Paraphrasing student responses• Cognates, avoid using idiomsEL

Ls re

quire

in

stru

ction

al

acco

mm

odati

ons

that

incl

ude:

• All together now• React and rhyme• Be a master thespian• Create an individualized word library• Create meaningful partnership• Create “language free” activity spaces• Recognize cultural differences while

encouraging parental involvement

Clas

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Learni

ng Strategies

• EFL Learner’s uses of listening comprehension Strategies and Learning Style Preferences (Chen, 2010)

• Listening comprehension :• Metacognitive• Cognitive• Socio-affective

(Vadergrift,1997; Oxford,1990; O’Malley et al, 1985)

Learni

ng Strategies

• Learning-Style Responsive Instructional Strategies (Lauria,2010)

• Talk about similar challenges

• Share stories, mutual respect

• Read aloud books• Computerized

diagnostic assessment

• Individuated plan homework descriptor

• Classroom environment change

Learni

ng Strategies

• Language learning strategies are the often-conscious steps or behaviors used by language learners to: Enhance acquisition, storage, retention, recall

• Use of new information (Rigney, 1978; Oxford, 1990)

References Andreou, E., Andreou, G., & Vlachos, F. (2008). Learning Styles and Performance in Second Language

Tasks. TESOL Quarterly: A Journal For Teachers Of English To Speakers Of Other Languages And Of Standard English As A Second Dialect, 42(4), 665-674.

Buteau,G.,True, M.(2009). Differentiating instructional strategies to support English language learners. N Engl Read Assoc J, 44(2), 23-25.

Chen, K., Lee, I., & Lin, C. (2010). EFL Learners' Uses of Listening Comprehension Strategies and Learning Style Preferences. International Journal of Learning, 17(6), 245-256. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Dunn, R., Honigsfeld, A., Doolan, L., Bostrom, L., Russo, K., Schiering, M. S., & ... Tenedero, H. (2009). Impact of Learning-Style Instructional Strategies on Students' Achievement and Attitudes: Perceptions of Educators in Diverse Institutions. Clearing House, 82(3), 135-140. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Hsueh-Jui, L. (2008). A study of the interrelationship between listening strategy use, listening proficiency levels, and learning style. Annual Review of Education, Communication & Language Sciences, 584-104. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Lauria, J. (2010). Differentiation through Learning- Style Responsive Strategies. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 47(1), 24-29. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Oxford, R., & ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics, W. C. (1989). The Role of Styles and Strategies in Second Language Learning. ERIC Digest.

Pitts, J. (2009). Identifying and Using a Teacher-Friendly Learning-Styles Instrument. Clearing House, 82(5), 225-232. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Yi-Chen, L., & Berg, D. (2008). ESL Learners' Learning Motivations and Strategies. International Journal of Learning, 15(1), 17-24. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.