The Relationship between Perceptual Learning Styles and Language Learning Strategies of Tertiary Level Turkish EFL Students

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The Relationship between Perceptual Learning
Styles and Language Learning Strategies of
Tertiary Level Turkish EFL Students

• S.Ipek KURU-GÖNEN
• Anadolu University, TURKEY
• ipekkuru_at_anadolu.edu.tr

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Background

• Recent years witnessed a tremendous
  interest in understanding how good learners learn
  a foreign language achieve success
• Good language learners share some behaviors
  for learning
• Attempts at understanding these common points
  might help to facilitate our understanding of
  the learning process of second/foreign language
• Learning styles and learning strategies
  language learning success in EFL/ESL classroom

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Background

• Learning style an individuals natural
  habitual and preferred way(s) of absorbing,
  processing, and retaining new information and
  skills (Reid, 1995, p.34)
• It involves perception, cognition,
  conceptualization, affect and behavior peculiar
  to ones own individual learning
• Learning strategy consciously selected
  processes which may result in action
  specific behaviors learners select

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Background

• Language learning styles may be indicators
  of specific language learning strategies
  these strategies can give way to success in the
  long term
• Examining the styles and strategies of our
  learners very important in understanding
  their certain behaviors and helping them become
  aware of themselves as learners
• Various taxonomies of learning styles and
  language learning strategies perceptual
  learning styles
• Oxfords taxonomy of language learning strategies

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The Study

• Aim
• Investigating the relationship between perceptual
  learning styles and language learning strategies
  of tertiary level Turkish EFL students by
  applying a mixed method of qualitative and
  quantitative design
• 1. Is there any relationship between language
  learning strategy use and perceptual learning
  styles of tertiary level Turkish EFL students ?
• 2. How do high proficiency level and low
  proficiency level learners differ in their use of
  language learning strategies and perceptual
  learning styles ?

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Methodology

• Participants
• 80 second year tertiary level university students
• 19-21 years old
• Took similar courses like reading, writing, and
  speaking
• Instruments
• Background questionnaire to control some
  variables gender, purpose for learning the
  language and possible visits to countries where
  English is spoken as the native language

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Methodology

• Quantitative Part
• Two instruments Strategy Inventory for
  Language Learning and Perceptual Learning Styles
  Preference Questionnaire
• A TOEFL Test to determine high and low
  proficiency level learners
• SILL developed by Oxford (1990)
• 50 question version for EFL learners
• Six sub-scales cognitive, metacognitive,
  compensation, memory, social and affective
  strategies.

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Methodology

• PLSPQ developed by Reid (1987) to
  identify the preferred perceptual learning styles
  
• Six subscales auditory, visual, tactile,
  kinesthetic, individual and group style
• Qualitative Part
• Retrospective Interviews to have a better
  understanding about their preferred learning
  styles and language learning strategy use
• Five high proficiency level and five low
  proficiency level learners

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Methodology

• Data Analysis
• Quantitative Data
• Descriptive statistics SILL and PLSPQ
• Total scores for each of the subscales mean
  scores and standard deviations were also
  calculated to show the general learning
  style preferences and language learning strategy
  uses
• Relationship between the perceptual learning
  style preferences and language learning strategy
  use Pearson product moment correlation
  coefficient

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Methodology

• Qualitative Data
• Interviews audio-taped and then transcribed
  used to support the data gathered through the
  questionnaires
• Analyzed by two separate raters and inter-rater
  reliability was measured
• Results
• Descriptive Statistics Table 1

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Results

• Compensation Strategies ease their learning
  and overcome many difficulties they face
• Memory strategies applying images, sounds,
  and reviewing
• Group style students preferred to learn best
  when they work with others
• Kinesthetic style preference to learn by
  getting someones body into action and moving
  around

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Results

• Correlation Analysis
• Both sub-scales and total scores were correlated
  Table 2
• General findings there is no relationship
  between the language learning strategies and
  perceptual learning styles of the participants
• There are significant correlations between some
  of the strategies and styles
• There is relationship between cognitive
  strategies and individual styles
  compensation strategies and individual style
  memory strategies and visual style
  affective strategies and visual style

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Results

• When they were compensating a difficulty or
  practicing, receiving and sending messages
  they prefer to work alone
• When they were reviewing, applying images, sounds
  and when they try to lower their anxiety
  they prefer to learn visually
• In terms of tertiary level Turkish EFL students
  no association exists between their strategy
  use and learning style preferences

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Results

• Qualitative Findings
• The basic difference between high proficiency and
  low proficiency learners was the awareness of
  strategies and styles
• High proficiency learners stated that they know
  the importance of using the appropriate
  strategies for being successful
• I think strategies are very important. I
  understood it this year. Especially for reading,
  if you do not use appropriate strategies you can
  not become an efficient reader. Thats why I try
  to learn new and effective strategies that would
  help me to overcome difficulties

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Results

• Low proficiency learners seem not to be aware of
  strategies they acknowledged that they do
  not use them to achieve success
• I dont think I use many strategies. O.K I
  learned some of them in different lessons...but
  they are like something to memorize. If you ask
  me their names I can tell, but the problem is...I
  cant use them. I know some friends use effective
  strategies, but I think I have a long way to go
  to be successful

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Results

• Transfer of different strategies into various
  contexts
• High proficiency learners stated that they
  were able to transfer a good strategy into
  another area, but low proficiency learners were
  not able transfer any strategies into other
  contexts
• Learning styles there are also differences
  between high and low proficiency level students
  High proficiency learners know how they
  learn best, are aware of their learning styles
  and design their studies accordingly

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Results

• Low proficiency group were not aware of
  their styles and even when some of them were
  aware they ignore their learning styles when they
  study language
• Students ideas on the relationship between
  learning styles and success High proficiency
  learners asserted a direct relationship between
  styles and success as they think ones knowing
  his/her own styles determine how s/he would study
  to achieve success

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Results

• Low proficiency level students did not see
  any relationship between learning styles and
  success They acknowledged that they know the
  meaning of style, but they never organized
  themselves accordingly
• Relationship between language learning strategies
  and styles most of the students stated that
  they did not think about something like that
  even the high proficient students
• Supports the quantitative findings

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Conclusion

• Being aware of styles and strategies, and using
  them appropriately may bring success while
  learning a foreign language
• Turkish students no correlation between the
  overall strategy use and style preferences
• Good language learners use strategies more
  frequently
• High proficient learners were aware of the
  importance of using strategies and transferring
  them into other contexts.

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Conclusion

• Learning styles are emphasized for achieving
  success especially by the high proficient
  students showed the way to study in a more
  organized and conscious way
• Quality of strategy use other than the quantity
  high proficient learners acknowledged the
  importance of using strategies appropriate for
  specific actions in their studies
• Although students may be aware of the strategies
  and styles, they may not know how to use them
  effectively

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THANK YOU

• ?

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Descriptive Statistics
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Correlation Analysis