VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUL FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES DANG THU TRANG A STUDY ON NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENT’S LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCES AT HAI DUONG VOCATIONAL TRAINING COLLEGE (Nghiên cứu về sở thích học của sinh viên không chuyên Anh Trường cao đẳng Nghề Hải Dương) MINOR THESIS Field: Methodology Code: 601410 HANOI, 2010 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Learning mode ‘Table 2: Preferred learning skills Table 3: Learning vocabulary Table 4: Learning grammar “fable 5: Learning aids Table 6: Learning activities Table 7: Oral correction 'Tabls 8: Whitten correchon Table 9: Doing homework ABBREVIATIONS ESL: English as a Second Language HDVIC: Hai Duong vocational training college PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1. Definitions of learning styles During the past decade, educational research has identified a number of factors that account for some of the differences in how students learn. One of these factors is learning styles, Learning styles ars deseribed by different rescarchers According to Kaplan and Kies (1995: 29-34) Learning style is an inborn characteristic which does not easily change during the Lifetime, but can change and he developed during the life of the individual through the experienves. This affecis the individual while watking, lying, sitting, speaking, playing and writing.
Actions are made according to these characteristics. Besides tins, learning style ‘has an important place in learning how to study According to Grasha (1996: 396): Grasha developed another model based on the importance of preferences m learning, He describes “loarning style” as the collactive experisnee of learning during the process of gaining knowledge. According to Allport (1961-608): Learning style is defined as perception, thought, remembering or problem-solving Of the individual in the way that s/he is used to do. ÌL 1s assumncd thal these definitions include cognitive processes and the individuals use the learning style that they are used to.
According to Keefe (197 9a:4): “Learning stvles are characteristic cognilive, affective, and physiological behaviors that serve as relatively stable indicator of how learmers perceive, interact with, and respond to ihe learning environment. Learning style ix a consistent way of fimctioning, thal reflects the underlying causes of learning behavior”. By taking advanced cognitive processes, Keefe has explained lasting cognitive, affective and physiological characteristics after researching how the student perceived the environment and how she/he interacted his/her learning environment. He has also stated that individual characteristics are under the influence of the genetic code, personal CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 3.
Data collection procedures 3.2, Results and discussion 3. Conclusion CTTAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS 4.1, Summary of the findings 4.1 Using graup work 4. Using visual aids 42. Techniques for Reading comprehension 42.
Teach grammar structures inductively 42. Placing new words into context 42.9, Provide a variely of homework PART €: CONCLUSION 1. Limitai sand recommendations far further research REFERENCES APPENDICES: APPENDIX A: SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE APPENDIX B : QUIZ APPENDIX C : Reading Compreheston (Untt 9: Food you like) VI APPENDIX D :Using group work (Unit 6: Can you speak English?) VIL 1. Which learning styles are favored by students? 2.
What shouid be done to tmprave students’ achievement in learning English? 4, Scope of the study In my thesis, | intended to find out the leaming styles of HDVIC students only and then suggest some useful implications for teachers to beller students’ achievement, The study is not a collection of learning activities, but a guidance for students and teachars, 5. Methods of the study To achieve the aims moulionad abovs the following tasks arc involved A Survey questionnaire is conducted to find out the students’ learning styles. A 10- item janguage learning preference questionnaire was employed to elicit information for the study. The data from questionnaire was analyzed quantitatively 6.
Organization of the study The thesis is organized into three parts: PART A - Introduction: provides the feasibility of the topic, the rationale of choosing the topic, the aim of the study, rescarch questions, the scope of the study, the methods of the study and the design of the study. PART B- The Development: consisis of four chaplers CHAPTER 1 - Literature review: discusses theorical backgrounds that are relevant fo the purpose of the study such as: definitions of learning styles, categorizations of learning s, learners” leaning preferences and advantages of identifying student’s Jearring styles. CHAPTER 2 The study: presents subjects and the context of the study and data collection instruments. CHAPTER 3- Data analysis and discussion: prosents dala collection procedures, a detailed description of data analysis and report on the findings of different asked questions CHAPTER 4- Findings and implications.
provides summary ofthe major findings and some pedagogical implications for students and teachers at Hai Duong vocational training college. PART C - Conclusion: deals with what has been done in the study and some possible suggestions for further research and limitations of the study. ‘The references and apponelicas ars also inchudod in this part. 40 development and strong environmental adaptation.
According to him, leaming style has cogmitive, affective and crvironmental aspects. According to Dunn and Dunn (1993.4): ‘Learning stle is the way in which each learner begins to concentrate on, process, absorb, and retain new and difficult information It is a combination of many biological and experiential characteriytius that work on their own or logether as a unit to contribute tolearning. This interaction with aew information is unique for each individual”. Durm and Durm have taken some developmental characterislics into consideration while determining learning styles.
Because of differences coming fiom biological and individual developmental characteristics, some ways can be found to make instruction appropriate. In ofher words, some shudenls eam (hrough hearing, some through experiencing and some primarily through watching. According to Dunn & Dunn, the important thing is that the teacher has to determine the ways by which the student learns in ‘the process According to Kolb (1984). His experiential learning which differs from other cognitive leaming theories explores the use of experiences in the learning process.
Wilh this slarl, he has developed his studies following on experiential learning theory. As a result, a leaming style model has been developed Kalb defines leaming as “the process of being in harmony with the social and physical environment”. Tle has proceeded to define “leaming” and differentiate it from knowledge. According to Kolb, caning is a process and knowledge is.
the transformation of the experience. ‘Among the above mentioned definitions of teaming styles, the definition by Keefe sces Teaming slyle as broader construct, which includes cognitive along with affective and psychological styles. It was accepted by the leading theorists, Therefore, the researcher will refer to the definition of Keefe in this study. It is necessary to catcgorizc the learning styles.
So the categorizations of lcarning styles will be presented in the following part. Categorizations of learning styles Within learning styles, there are differences in the components that make up each one. Kor example, in the category of perceptual leaming styles. Keefe (1979:137) uses TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS LIST OF TABLES iv ARBREVIATIONS iii PART A: INTRODUCTION 1.
Rationale of the sindy 2. Aims of the study 3. Scope of the study wor be 5. Methods of the study 6.
Organization of the study PART B: DEVELOPMENT CILAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 11. Definitions of Learning styles 1⁄2. Categorizations of learning styles 12. Cognitive learning stylex 12.2, Sensory learning styles 1221 Perceptual learning styles 1.
Environmental learning styles 1. Personality learning styles 1. Summary of findings about Iearning style preferences 1. The advantages of Identifying learning styles CHAPTER 2: THE STUDY 2.
Subjects and the context of the study 3.2, The context of the study 2. Overview of Hai Duong vocational training college 2. The teachers of Hai Duong vocational training college 2. The students of Hai Duong vocational training callege.
Data coilection instruments +11 kinesthetic/psychamotor, visual/spatial and auditory/verhal. Reid’s perceptual learning style (1995:15-17) includes visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, group and individual learning styles. Reid (1995:15-17) divides leaming styles into three major categories: cognitive learning styles, sensory leaming styles, and personality leaming styles. Cognitive styles relate lo (kinking, problom solving sbilifics and the ability to organize information.
Sensory or perceptual learning style has to do with the physical environment in which we learn, and involves using our senses in order to perceive data. Personality learning style takes studenis emotions, valucs and feclings inte consideration. Cognitive learning styles Field-independent vs, Field-dependent. Fickd-independent leamers loam more effectively step by step, beginning with analyzing facts and proceeding to ideas.
The field independent students prefer to lea in a contex! where rules, instructions, discrsle-point {ests and imitation are emphasized. Field: dependent students, on the other hand, generally prefer cooperative and experiential learning environments Analytic vs. Global Analytic learners loan individually. They prefer to tearm one detail at a i ma meaningful sequence.
Once they know all the parts, they put the parts together and comprehend the “big picture” Global learners prefer interaction with other people. They concemed with the whole meaning and the end results. They need to start with an overview of the “big pichire” before they deal with elements of the whole. Impulsive: Reflective learners lear more effectively when they have time to consider options before responding.
‘They leam by thinking things through, working alone While impulsive Isarners are able to respond irmnediately and take ris s. They Jeam by trying things out, working with others PART A: INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale of the stuily in recent years with the shift from an instructional paradigm to @ leamer-oriented approach towards language lcarningfloaching, understanding the way people team is of crucial importance and is the key to educational improvement. There is no doubt that students take in and comprehend information in different manners.
Some like to see and others like lo hear. Some prefer to Isarn individually, independent of others, while others enjoy interaction with their peers. It is widely believed that the different ways of how a Jearner takes in and processes information are callectively referred to as learning styles or jeamning preferences. To achieve a desired learning outcome, teachers.
should provide teaching interventions and activitics that arc compatible with the ways through which learners like to leam the language or any other subject matter. Studenis differ m terms of their teaming styles and preferences for instructionat practices, Teachers can benetit trom discovering their students’ preferences in instructional practices. Nunan (1995:140) proposed that “teachers should find out what their students think and feel about what and how thoy want lo lean”, Research an Isanring styles, has provided teachers and also students with a different view of leaming and how to apply it to classrooms Up to now, there has been very little research conceming Vietnamese SL learners” preferences for leaning English ‘The purpose of this study is to examine preferences for English leaning among non- English major smdents at IDVTC. Aims of the study With the above-presented rationale, the specific aims of the study, accordingly, are: © toexplore the HDVTC students style prefarences for leaming English * to suggcst pedagogical implications for students and tcachcrs at HDVTC to improve students’ achievement in learning English.
Research Questions In order to investigate student’s learning style preferences at HDVTC, the following questions were addressed 40 development and strong environmental adaptation. According to him, leaming style has cogmitive, affective and crvironmental aspects. According to Dunn and Dunn (1993.4): ‘Learning stle is the way in which each learner begins to concentrate on, process, absorb, and retain new and difficult information It is a combination of many biological and experiential characteriytius that work on their own or logether as a unit to contribute tolearning. This interaction with aew information is unique for each individual”.
Durm and Durm have taken some developmental characterislics into consideration while determining learning styles. Because of differences coming fiom biological and individual developmental characteristics, some ways can be found to make instruction appropriate. In ofher words, some shudenls eam (hrough hearing, some through experiencing and some primarily through watching.