VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOL UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES A STUDY ON STUDENTS’ ENGLISIT LANGUAGE LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCES AT DO LUONG 2 HIGH SCHOOL, DO LUONG DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE ( Nghiên cứu phương pháp học tiếng anh ưa thích của học sinh trường Dô Lương 2, huyện Dé Luong, tinh Nghé An) M. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Cude: 60.10 Hanoi-2010 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOL UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES LE SA A STUDY ON STUDENTS’ ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCES AT DO LUONG 2 HIGH SCHOOL, DO LUONG DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE ( Nghiên cứu phương pháp học tiếng anh ưa thích của học sinh trường Dé Luong 2, huyện Đô Lương, tỉnh Nghệ An) M. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60. Ngé Dinh Phuong Tanoi-2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration i Abstract il Acknowledgements List of table contents iv List of tables vit PART A: INTRODUCTION 11.
Aims of the study. Rescarch questions, 4, Scope of the study. Significance of the sindy - a - - cao 3 L6. Desien of the study.
3 PART B: DEVELOPMENT Chapter1. Definition of leaming styles. Clussilieation o[carnig syÏĂs. Perceptual leaming sfyles.
Cognitive learning styles 7 1. Active and reflective leatncts. The importance of understanding students’ leaming styles. Mistiaiches between Teachers’ amd Students’ perceptions of learning ACTIVITES.
ee nh nen nhu Heo ng khe ddeedaeederreeo 9 1. The need to study students” learning styles and meet students’ needs and demands 10 APPENDIXES Appendix 1: Survey questionnairs for studenis Appendix 2: Survey questionnaire for teachers Appendix 3: Written test set by the teachers 1L 2, Aims of the study This study is aimed to find out the students’ lcarning style preferences and the teachers' teaching styles at Do Luong 2 high school, Do Luong district, Nghe An province. ‘To be more specific, the major aims of the sludy are as follows: » ‘To aim at investigating students! learning style preferences at Do Luong 2 high school, * To find out the extent of the leacher’s awareness of their leaming style preferences througha sal. of questionnaires * To examine the extent of students? improvement after teachzrs facus on learners? learning stylos and adjust tcaching accordingly, * To make suggestions on how to satisfy students” learning styles better in classroom.
Research questions The study is aimed at investigating learning style preferences of the students at Do Luong 2 High School and the extent of the teacher’s awareness of them and the extent of improvement after teachers arz awareness of their learner’s learning styles. The study is carried out to find answers to the following the questions: 1) What are the leaming, styles preferences of the students at Do Luong 2 high school”? 2) Whal is the gap between sludonts? learning slytos and loachers” toaching stytos in our school, if any? 3) How to narrow the gap between teaching and learning so as to bring about students’ expected leaning oulcornes? 4, Scope of the study The main focus of the study is on the investigation of the sludcnis” loarring slyles at Do Luong 2 school and the importance of learning stytes. Particularly, this minor thesis only refers to the categorization of the students’ leaming styles in our school; finger out the gaps between students’ leaming styles and teachers! awareness and provide some techniques for different Icarning styles. 13 Chapter 2 presents the research methodology of the study.
It provides information about the sclting of the study, participants, data colleetion instruments and data coffect procedure Chapter 3 is the main part of the study whose major findings are revealed and discussed Part IM is conclusion that presents some conclusions, suggested teaching and learning, activities for different learning styles, limitations and suggestions for farther studies Chapter 2.4 Selting of the sindy. co: tt tưng.4 Data collection procedure.1 Students’ interest in learning English.2 The way of Teaming in class 12 3.3, Preferencesof learning ÏtEEM8.4, Preferences of teaching methodologies.5, Teachers” methodologies often used in English class. The importance of learning stylos.1, Students’ opinions aboul thir useful activities: 3. The activities students like using in English class.
Students’ favorite activities in class.10, Studying at home. Suggested tcaching and Icaning activitics for different Icarning styles.1 Suggested teaching aotivities.2 Suggested leaning activities 3. Limitations of the study. 4 S0asadiom for futher studies.
Rationale Since the endof the 20% century, communicative language teaching has been central in the agenda of second and foreign language teaching. It has become the order of the day to curionlum developers and English language teachers around the world. Although Vietnam accepted commumicative language teaching a little bit later than many other countries. the principles of communicative language teaching have been used as the foundation of the curriculum development and pre-service and in-service teacher training programs.
Many researchers and scholars have proposed that second or foreign language leaching should emphasize the development of communicative skills vather an just linguistic competence, ie. In order to find out the suitable content and appropriate teaching strategies, teachers have to meet leamers’ demands and needs first. However, many teachers seem lo be unaware of their students? learning slyles lo find the suitable teaching methods for different kinds of learners. Each leamer has his own way of receiving and processing information and knowledge.
Some leam from seeing and hearing, some leam from reflecting and acting: reasoning logically and intuitively, memorizing and visualizing (Felder, 1995). Similarly, lcachers do not follow the same method (caching, ar if they do the way they implement that teaching method in the classroom is quite different. As Felder (1995: 21} noted that “teaching metheds alse vary. Some instructors lecture, others demonstrate or discuss, some focus on rules and others on examples.” Since teachers ignore or pay little attention to their students’ learning styles, some still use the same method of teaching Lo teach different tear serious mistnalches may occur with some unfortunate consequences such as bored and inattentive and even discouraged leamers; unresponsive or hostile classes.
Then teachers may have critical attituds towards their learners. Significance of the study Oxtord (2003) emphasized that leaming styles and strategies of individual students can work together or conflict with a given instructional methodology. Jf there is a harmony between them, then the sludenis are likely lo perform well, feel confident and experience low anxiety. If classes happen, serious breakdowns in teacher-student interaction will exist.
These conflicts even result in the dispirited student” rejection of the loaching methodology, the teacher, and the subject matter. Therefore, finding out the Jearers’ learning styles is a crucial step to help the teachers choose the suitable teaching method for them The rosults from this sludy will help to provide an overview of students’ learning style preferences at Do Luong 2 school. The study also finds out the extant of the gap ‘between students’ learning styles and teachers’ awareness of them. Importantly, the study shows that when the teachers are aware of thair students” learning styles, there can be great improvement in their students’ language proficiency.
Students not only have positive attitudes towards leaming, but also towards the teacher and the subject since the teachers find out the best teaching methods for than, and creale the interesting and allractive jeamning atmosphere with many practical and effective lessons. Suggested teaching activities can be drawn ont for language teachers in general and teachers in the similar leaching contex! in particular 6. Design of the study ‘The thesis ineludes three main parls Part I is Introduction, which states the rationale, aims, research questions, scope, significance and design of the thesis. Part II consists of three chapters: Chapter 1 reviews the literature relevant to the topic of research, deals with definition of leaming styles, classification of learning styles, the importance of undorstanding students? learning styles, Misrusichos botwoon rs? and Studunls? 5 Perceptions of learning activities and the need to study students’ leaming styles and meet students’ needs and demands.
APPENDIXES Appendix 1: Survey questionnairs for studenis Appendix 2: Survey questionnaire for teachers Appendix 3: Written test set by the teachers LIST OF TABLES ‘Table 1: Students and their interest in learning Hnglish ‘Table 2: Students” and Teachers? view on learning individually or in groups. Table 3: Students’ and Teachers” preferences in leaming iietBs. sess ‘Table 4: Students’ and ‘leachers” preferences of teaching methodologies Table 5: The frequency degree of icachars using activities in class Table 6: Students’ and Teachers’ opinion about the importance of learning styles. ‘table 7: Students’ and ‘Teachers’ opinion about useful activities ‘Table 8: The activities students Tike using in English class.
Table 9: Students’ and Teachers’ favorite activitics in class ‘Table LO: Students’ and ‘Teachers’ opinion in using teaching aids. ‘Table |: Students’ and Teachers’ view on being corrected immediately or laler Table 12: Students’ and Teachers’ thought in correcting errors. ‘Table 13: Students’ and ‘Teachers’ view on studying at home. Table 14: Students’ and Teachers® view on inuproversnt Table 15: Students’ written tasks’ marks from the teachers.
1L 2, Aims of the study This study is aimed to find out the students’ lcarning style preferences and the teachers' teaching styles at Do Luong 2 high school, Do Luong district, Nghe An province. ‘To be more specific, the major aims of the sludy are as follows: » ‘To aim at investigating students! learning style preferences at Do Luong 2 high school, * To find out the extent of the leacher’s awareness of their leaming style preferences througha sal. of questionnaires * To examine the extent of students? improvement after teachzrs facus on learners? learning stylos and adjust tcaching accordingly, * To make suggestions on how to satisfy students” learning styles better in classroom. Research questions The study is aimed at investigating learning style preferences of the students at Do Luong 2 High School and the extent of the teacher’s awareness of them and the extent of improvement after teachers arz awareness of their learner’s learning styles.
The study is carried out to find answers to the following the questions: 1) What are the leaming, styles preferences of the students at Do Luong 2 high school”? 2) Whal is the gap between sludonts? learning slytos and loachers” toaching stytos in our school, if any? 3) How to narrow the gap between teaching and learning so as to bring about students’ expected leaning oulcornes? 4, Scope of the study The main focus of the study is on the investigation of the sludcnis” loarring slyles at Do Luong 2 school and the importance of learning stytes. Particularly, this minor thesis only refers to the categorization of the students’ leaming styles in our school; finger out the gaps between students’ leaming styles and teachers! awareness and provide some techniques for different Icarning styles. LIST OF TABLES ‘Table 1: Students and their interest in learning Hnglish ‘Table 2: Students” and Teachers? view on learning individually or in groups. Table 3: Students’ and Teachers” preferences in leaming iietBs.
sess ‘Table 4: Students’ and ‘leachers” preferences of teaching methodologies Table 5: The frequency degree of icachars using activities in class Table 6: Students’ and Teachers’ opinion about the importance of learning styles. ‘table 7: Students’ and ‘Teachers’ opinion about useful activities ‘Table 8: The activities students Tike using in English class. Table 9: Students’ and Teachers’ favorite activitics in class ‘Table LO: Students’ and ‘Teachers’ opinion in using teaching aids. ‘Table |: Students’ and Teachers’ view on being corrected immediately or laler Table 12: Students’ and Teachers’ thought in correcting errors.
‘Table 13: Students’ and ‘Teachers’ view on studying at home. Table 14: Students’ and Teachers® view on inuproversnt Table 15: Students’ written tasks’ marks from the teachers. LIST OF TABLES ‘Table 1: Students and their interest in learning Hnglish ‘Table 2: Students” and Teachers? view on learning individually or in groups. Table 3: Students’ and Teachers” preferences in leaming iietBs.
