scholarly journals Learning Styles of Saudi ESP Students

Author(s):  
Saleem Mohd Nasim ◽  
◽  
Syeda Mujeeba

Explorations in learning styles have proved the significance of the ways students approach, assimilate, and process information. Students’ perceptions and their organization influence the quality of language learning and guide them towards autonomy, too. This study attempts to identify the preferred perceptual learning styles of 86 Saudi English for Specific Purposes (ESP) female students in the Preparatory Year Deanship, Prince Sattam bin Abdul Aziz University, Saudi Arabia. To accomplish this aim, a Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSPQ) developed by Joy Reid (1987) was used. The results showed that the participants’ major learning styles were Kinesthetic, Group, Auditory, Visual, and Tactile, whereas their minor style was Individual. The analysis of the data also revealed that the most preferred learning style was the Kinesthetic learning style (18.64%, M=4.42), and the least preferred one was the Individual learning style (14.30%, M=3.39). The second to fifth place belonged to Group (17.19%, M=4.07), Auditory (16.81%, M=3.98), Visual (16.55%, M=3.92) and Tactile (16.52%, M=3.91) learning styles. The findings have implications for teachers, syllabus designers, and researchers to take into consideration students’ preferred learning styles for language learning while teaching, changes in the learning environment, and material adaptation.

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 1220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mania Nosratinia ◽  
Aram Soleimannejad

Influenced by the acknowledged role of critical thinking and learning styles in the process of second language learning, this study attempted to systematically inspect the association between English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' critical thinking, on one hand, and their total score of perceptual learning styles, different perceptual learning styles, and number of major perceptual learning styles, on the other hand. To do so, 595 male and female undergraduate EFL learners, between the ages of 18 and 25 (Mage = 22) participated in this study. These participants completed two instruments: a) the questionnaire of critical thinking by Honey (2000), and b) the Perceptual Learning Style Preference Survey developed by Reid (1984). Due to the violation of the assumptions of normality of distribution, the non-parametric Spearman rank order coefficient of correlation was employed in order to answer the initial 3 research questions. The obtained results indicated that there were significant and positive relationships between participants’ critical thinking and total score of perceptual learning styles, ρ = .33, n = 595, p < .01; critical thinking and the number of major perceptual learning styles, ρ = .28, n = 595, p < .01; and critical thinking and group, visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic perceptual learning styles. Furthermore, a multiple regression analysis was run which revealed that tactile learning style preference is the best predictor of EFL learners’ critical thinking (β = 0.285, t = 6.107, p = 0.0005). The study concludes with a discussion on the findings and stating a number of recommendations for further research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 117
Author(s):  
Alya Khalil ◽  
Mona Sabir

Identifying students’ learning styles is advantageous for both teachers and students. Awareness of students’ learning styles allows teachers to plan lessons to reach each student in the classroom by providing proper activities and classroom materials that suit every individual. Furthermore, students can raise their own awareness of the learning process and maximize their opportunities to learn by knowing their preferred learning styles. Using the Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire, this study aims to investigate Saudi EFL students’ preferred learning styles and explore whether these learning styles are affected by students’ academic majors. The participants were 120 Saudi students at a private college in four different majors. The results show that the kinaesthetic learning style is the most commonly preferred learning style among students of all majors. Based on the findings, pedagogical implications and directions for further research are highlighted.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 257
Author(s):  
Asmara Shafqat ◽  
Najeeb us Saqlain

There are numerous factors, which reasonably affect teachers&rsquo; instructions. One of these factors is being aware of the learners&rsquo; learning styles. Shea&rsquo;s work (1983) contributed that there is a strong correlation between learning styles and reading comprehensions. The present study investigated the correlation between Perceptual learning styles and scanning information in text scores. To achieve this, researcher randomly selected 382 undergraduates (male and female) engineering students of the Public sector Engineering University. Learning style survey questionnaire by Andrew D. Cohen, Rebecca L. Oxford, and Julie C. Chi (2001) was employed to examine the Perceptual learning style patterns and learning styles with respect to gender. In addition to this, reading test was conducted based on scanning skill. Pearson product-moment correlation test was applied to examine the correlation between the variables. It was found that a correlation exists between learning styles of engineering students and scanning information in the text. In addition to this, gender does play role in learning style preferences. This result would create awareness among all instructors or teachers the importance of learners&rsquo; unique learning style preferences that consequently affect teaching methodologies in all educational settings.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
Daniatussalma Daniatussalma ◽  
Yudhi Arifani ◽  
Candra Hadi Asmara

Learning style is one factor which can determine students in the way how they obtained the learning or information. Between male and female students were different in choosing their learning styles. This study tried to investigate the perceptual learning styles preference in Management students and to know the differences between male and female Management students in learning styles in the first semester at University of Muhammadiyah Gresik. Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSPQ) developed by Reid 1987was used and administered to 230 students. An observation check-list also used to support the data with questionnaire. Descriptive Statistic was used to analyze the data. The result indicated that students preferred in Group style when they learned English as Academic Purpose (EAP). In gender, between female and male students showed there were some differences in their learning styles. The result revealed that female students preferred in Group style, meanwhile male students preferred in auditory style. The least preference of learning style both female and male students was Individual style


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-28
Author(s):  
Dr. Basher Taher Al-Janash

The present study aimed to identify the perceptual learning styles preferences of a total of 105 students of English as a foreign language. It also aimed to examine the differences in learning styles preferences among the students according to their gender (male/female). The Perceptual Learning Style Preferences Questionnaire (PLSPQ) created by Reid (1985) was used as a main instrument for collecting the data required. For analysing the data collected, the descriptive statistics and the independent-sample T-test have been used. The results showed that tactile style, auditory style and kinaesthetic style are major learning styles for the participants. While visual style, group style and individual style are minor learning styles. The results also showed that there are no significant differences among the students in all learning styles preferences attribute to their gender.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milad Chavosh ◽  
Mohammad Davoudi

<p>Reading comprehension is one of the most important aspects in the process of language learning. Individual differences in foreign language learning have also been a common theme among L2 researchers and various factors such as gender, aptitude, motivation, and learning styles have been the subject of numerous studies indicating their effect on language learning. Along the same lines, this study focused on the relationship between perceptual learning styles and L2 reading comprehension and how well each perceptual learning style contributes to L2 reading comprehension. The study was carried out on 60 Iranian foreign language learners. The results of statistical analyses indicated that only tactile and kinesthetic learning styles had a significant relationship with L2 reading comprehension performance. Moreover, the findings of the study revealed that the tactile learning style was the best predictor of L2 reading comprehension performance. Based on the findings of the study, it can be concluded that teachers should try to accommodate different learning styles in teaching reading comprehension. If the educational settings become compatible with the learners’ personal orientations, learners may be able to engage in educational activities more and will thus gain an advantage in learning.</p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 404-421
Author(s):  
Catherine J. Lui ◽  
Scott E. Ferrin ◽  
Donald R. Baum ◽  
Vance E. Randall

This article addresses the question of whether higher education Hispanic students of different nationalities have different perceptual learning style preferences. Independent samples t test results suggest students of non-Mexican heritage prefer visual learning styles more than students of Mexican heritage. ANOVA results show older students and students from families with greater levels of education have greater preference for visual learning, and higher household income is related to lower preferences for group learning style, and vice versa.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Carolina Girón-García ◽  
Noelia Gargallo-Camarillas

<div><p>The advent of various interactive multimedia networks in the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classroom (Grabe &amp; Grabe, 2007) has led to the emergence of new learning methodologies (Ming-Hung et al., 2017). Accordingly, new ways of learning are present in a multimodal environment, and have caused an effect on students’ degree of motivation, as well as on their learning styles (e.g., ‘multimodal’ and ‘perceptual’ learning styles).</p></div><div><p>The present study aims to analyse the degree of motivation of ESP learners with a ‘Multimodal’ learning style in contrast to those with ‘Multiple’ learning styles. In particular, this study addresses three research questions: (1) Has ‘Digital’ learning created a recent ‘perceptual’ learning style (i.e., ‘Multimodal’ learning style)? (2) To what extent does ‘digital’ learning increase ESP students’ motivation in comparison to ‘traditional’ learning? (3) Does the ‘Multimodal’ learning style heighten the degree of motivation in contrast to ‘Multiple’ learning style?</p><p>The study used a sample of 62 first-year ESP students taking the subject ‘Professional English for Communicators’ at a Spanish university. Data for this study were collected using ‘Wix’, as the main research tool, and two questionnaires which focused on students’ ‘Multimodal’ learning style and motivation: (a) ‘Multimodal Learning Styles Questionnaire’, designed to help students identify their preferences towards their learning process, and (b) ‘Motivation Questionnaire’, in order to get information regarding students’ perceptions for the enhancement of engagement.</p><p>Results suggest that the implementation of ‘Wix’ in the classroom increases students’ engagement in their learning process and fosters a new perceptual learning style (i.e., ‘multimodal’ learning style). These findings may help to identify to what extent digital resources affect students’ engagement and perceptual learning styles’ preferences. The results obtained from this research may be used to derive conclusions on how to approach the ‘Multimodal’ learning style in further student performances with digital tools that promote the training of digital literacies (Girón-García, 2013).</p></div>


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 1444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noushin Asadipiran

The purpose of this study was to identify preferred perceptual learning styles of Iranian young learners. To accomplish this aim, a Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSPQ) used to measure the students’ preferred learning styles. The participants of the current study were 60 high school students. They were first-year high school male students studying in Tehran, Iran. The analysis of data revealed that the most preferred learning style was visual learning style (30% of the participants), and the less preferred one was group learning style (5%). The second to fifth place belonged to tactile (25%), auditory (20%), individual (15%) and kinesthetic (10%) learning style, respectively.


2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 70
Author(s):  
Yetty Go

Every student certainly demonstrates different achievement in her/his Chinese language learning process because every student has her/his own individual way to resolve their problems in learning. In learning process, student’s individual differences exist. These differences lead to different learning speed and learning style of the student. The purpose of this study was to investigate the high achievement students’ learning styles. This study was based on Reid’s learning styles theory and also uses Reid’s Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSPQ) to investigate student’s learning styles. The main finding of this study is that student’s learning style preference is group style. According to student learning style preferences results, students prefer to learn together with others or in group and learn in a more interactive way.


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