A SURVEY ON STUDENTS' PERCEPTUAL LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCES AND TEACHERS' TEACHING STRATEGIES IN RURAL
SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SRI AMAN TOWN
BY ZAYEED IMRAN BIN HAJI ABDUL SAMAD
11401
Final Year Project Submitted in Partial of the Requirements for the Bachelor Degree of Education With Honours (ESL)
Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.
2007
Acknowledgement
First and foremost thank to Almighty Allah S. W. T for giving me the wisdom, strength, courage and patient to complete this project.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest appreciation and thanks to the following for the help that contributed to the successful completion of this research project.
(a) Puan Ho Ai Ping, my research project supervisor for her patience, guidance, unreserved investments of her expertise and invaluable help throughout the semesters.
(b) The Pengetua of SMK Simanggang, SMK Sri Aman and SMK ST. Luke, teachers and students for giving me their full cooperation and participating in this project.
(c) My friends from ESL III, ESL IV and TESL III who have in one way or another contributed to my success in completing this graduation project.
(d) All lecturers from Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development and Centre of Language Studies, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak for their guidance and support throughout the entire course.
I also would like to express my deeply gratitude to my family, my parent, my late mother and
my beloved wife for their sacrifices, understanding of, faith and patience along the winding journey throughout my whole study time and last but not least to my two children whom inspired me most and I am deeply indebted with.
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ABSTRACT
A Survey On Students' Perceptual Learning Style Preferences And Teachers' Teaching Strategies in The Rural Secondary Schools in Sri Aman Town
Zayeed Imran Bin Haji Abdul Samad
This study aims to identify the perceptual learning style preferences of students in Sri Aman
Town and to what extent this corresponds to the teachers' perception of their students' perceptual
learning style preferences. The study also attempts to find out to what extent do teaching
strategies used by teachers vary to cater to students' different perceptual learning style
preferences in learning English language and Bahasa Melayu. 637 students from 3 rural
secondary schools and 21 teachers, which consisted of 10 Bahasa Melayu teachers and 11
English teachers, were selected as the respondents for this study. The data was obtained through
self-reporting questionnaires and semi- structured interview. The findings revealed that
generally, students were major in all six categories pf perceptual learning style preferences.
Apart from that the interview carried out with the teachers revealed that teachers do aware the
diversity of the students' perceptual learning style preferences and to certain extent, the teachers
do varied their teaching and instructional strategies to cater to students' different perceptual
learning style preferences.
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ABSTRAK
Kaji Selidik Tentang Preferensi Gaya Pembelajaran Pelajar dan Strategi Pengajaran Guru di Sekolah Menengah di Bandar Sri Aman
Zayeed Imran Bin Haji Abdul Samad
Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengesan preferensi gaya pembelajaran, persepsi pelajar-pelajar dan
sejauh mana ia sejajar dengan persepsi guru terhadap preferensi gaya pembelajaran persepsi
pelajar-pelajar mereka. Kajian ini juga meninjau sejauh mana strategi pengajaran yang
digunakan oleh guru dipelbagaikan untuk memenuhi perbezaan preferensi gaya pembelajaran
persepsi pelajar, dalam pembelajaran Bahasa Inggeris dan Bahasa Melayu. Seramai 637 orang
pelajar dari 3 buah sekolah menengah pendalaman yang terletak di Bandar Sri Aman dan seramai
21 orang guru yang terdiri dari 11 orang guru Bahasa Inggeris dan 10 orang guru Bahasa Melayu
telah dipilih sebagai responden-responden dalam kajian ini. Data-data telah diperolehi melalui
borang soal selidik pelaporan kendiri dan temuduga. Hasil kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa pada
keseluruhannya, pelajar adalah major dalam keenam-enam preferensi gaya pembelajaran. Hasil
kajian ini juga mendapati bahawa persepsi guru terhadap preferensi gaya pembelajaran persepsi
pelajar-pelajar mereka adalah sejajar dengan sebahagian besar preferensi gaya pembelajaran
persepsi pelajar-pelajar. Temuduga yang diadakan dengan guru-guru juga menunjukkan bahawa
mereka tahu tentang preferensi gaya pembelajaran pelajar yang berbeza dan dapat
mempelbagaikan strategi pengajaran untuk memenuhi perbezaan preferensi gaya pembelajaran
persepsi pelajar-pelajar.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
THESIS STATUS CERTIFICATION FORM
APPROVAL SHEET
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT
ABSTRAK
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION
1.0 Overview
1.1 Background of the Problem
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Research Objectives
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Significance of the Study
1.6 Definition of Key Terms
CHAPTER TWO - LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Overview
2.1 Learning Styles
2.2 Perceptual Learning Style Preferences
2.3 Teaching Style
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2.4 Teaching Strategies 27
2.5 Studies Pertaining Teaching Style and Learning Style of English 30
2.6 Studies Pertaining Teaching Style and Learning Style of Bahasa Melayu 33
2.7 Studies Pertaining Matching Teaching Style With Perceptual Learning Style Preferences 38
2.8 Studies Pertaining Gender Differences in Learning Style 44
CHAPTER THREE - RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Subject
3.2 Students Sample
3.3 Teacher Sample
3.4 Research Instrument
3.5 Procedure of Data Collection
3.6 Data Analysis
3.7 Data From the Interviews
CHAPTER FOUR - DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDING
4.0 Introduction
4.1 Description of Findings
4.1.1 Students' Perceptual Learning Style Preferences
4.1.2 Students' Perceptual Learning Style Differences Between Gender
4.2 Teacher Teaching Strategies
4.3 Conclusion
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CHAPTER FIVE - SUMMARY, IMPLICATIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0 Introduction
5.1 Summary of the Study
5.2 Implications of the Study
5.2.1 Implications to The Teachers
5.2.2 Implications to The Students
5.5 Recommendations for Future Researchers
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5.6 Conclusion 94
REFERENCES 95
APPENDICES
Appendix 1- Students' Sample 100
Appendix 2- The Language Teachers Sample 101
Appendix 3- Students' Questionnaires 103
Appendix 4- Semi-structured Interview for Teachers 109
Appendix 5- Interview Questions for Teachers 110
Appendix 6- Approval Letters From The Faculty 111
Appendix 7- Approval Letter From The Ministry of Education, Malaysia 114
Appendix 8- Approval Letter from The Ministry of Education, Sarawak 115
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LIST OF TABLES
TABLE PAGE
1.1 The Differences Between Learning Style and Learning Preferences 8
2.1 The Respondents Learning Style Preferences 15
2.2 The Respondents Teaching Style Preferences 16
2.3 The Characteristics of Teaching Style 23
3.1 The Enrolment of Form Four Students of Three Urban Secondary Schools in Sri Aman Town 49
3.2 The Enrolment of Form Four Students by Gender 50
3.3 Total of English Teachers and Bahasa Melayu Teachers
3.4 Changes Done on the Perceptual Learning Style Preferences
3.5 The Itemized Breakdown of The Questionnaire of the Learning Styles
3.6 Itemized Breakdown of the Teaching Styles Questions
3.7 Perceptual Learning Style Preferences Scale
4.1 Perceptual Learning Style Preferences in Learning English and Bahasa Melayu
4.2 The Result of Paired Sample Test in Learning English and Bahasa Melayu
4.4 Independent Sample t-Test in Learning English and Bahasa Melayu
4.5 Perceptual Learning Style Preferences Between Gender
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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
ANOVA = Analysis of variance (unuvariate)
Approx. = Approximately
df. = Degree of Freedom
ESL = English as Second Language
EFL = English as First Language
F= Fisher's F ratio
L2 = Second Language Learner
p= Probability; also the success probability of a binomial variable SPSS = Statistical Package for Social Science
N= Total number in a sample
r= Pearson product- moment correlation
sig. = Significant
t= Computed value oft test
X
the teacher to match the teaching style to the style of each learner but it is not possible
for the teacher to accommodate the most learning styles preferred by the students
(Reid, 1998). In order to bridge the gap between the teacher and learners learning
styles, the teacher should be aware of these differences. It is felt that that the
mismatch between the learning and teaching style will result non conducive and
inattentive classroom experience.
1.2 Statement of Problem
Teaching style is something multidimensional and dynamic and research has
shown that each teacher has different styles in teaching. According to Heimlich and
Norland (1994), thought, feeling, action and approach are the aspects that portrait
teaching style. Thus, these characteristic will influence the teacher in imparting
knowledge to the students and it is important for the teacher to understand this
behaviour and know how to relate them to teaching and learning.
On the other hand, from various studies that have been done, each student has
his or her own unique way in learning. Students learn by visualizing, hearing,
reflecting, acting, logically, intuition and memorizing (Felder, 1995). Hence, because
of this unique characteristic, teacher cannot assume that students would be able to
learn well by depending on what the teacher believes to be the best. When we look at
our Malaysia typical classroom with a range from 35 to 45 students, we are facing a
multiplicity of learning styles. Thus, it is important for the teacher to identifying the
2
students learning preferences. Though it is impossible to fulfill each of the student
needs in term of his or her preferences, but the teachers can fulfill the most learning
styles preferred by the students. It is also felt that, by being able to understand and
identifying the students learning preferences and at the same times that the teacher
can be aware and conscious of the matter and be able to employ variety of approaches
and techniques in order to optimize the learning environment.
1.3 Research Objective
The purpose of this study is to find out the learning-style preferences profile
of students in language learning, which are English, and Bahasa Melayu. It is also
aims to find out the language teachers teaching style profiles. Lastly, it is to find out
whether the teachers' teaching style patterns match the various aspects of perceptual
learning styles of the students in term of method and instructional approaches used by
the teachers and to ascertain to what extent teaching style matches the learning
preferences.
3
1.4 Research Questions
This study is intended to find out:
1. What are the major, minor and negligible student's perceptual language
learning preferences among Form 4 students in learning English and Bahasa
Melayu?
2. What are the similarities and differences in perceptual language learning
preferences among Form 4 students in learning English and Bahasa Melayu?
3. Are there any differences in perceptual language learning preferences between
genders?
4. What are the most preferred and the least preferred teaching strategies among
the English language teachers?
5. What are the most preferred and the least preferred teaching strategies among
the Bahasa Melayu teachers?
6. What is the most preferred teaching strategies among the English language
teachers and Bahasa Melayu teachers?
7. Are English teachers' teaching strategies matching the students' perceptual
learning styles?
Are Bahasa Melayu teachers' teaching strategies matching the students'
perceptual learning styles?
4
1.5 The Significance of the Study
The significance of this study is to provide a picture of how the students
would like to learn a language, specifically English language and Bahasa Melayu. On
the other hand, as the study highlights whether the teachings strategies matches the
learning style preferences, it might be useful for the teachers to enhance their teaching
and their students learning and at the same time to provide answer of "Why can't
learners learn what teachers teach". In order to meet the diversity of students'
learning style preferences, it is also hoped that the teachers will be able to address the
various learning styles of the students hence, it will improve the performance of the
students and will ensure more successful teaching of both English and Bahasa
Melayu.
In addition, this study also hopes to contribute to comprehension of the
students' learning style preferences, teaching style of the language teachers and
teaching methods that would be able to address the diversity of the students' learning
style. The researcher also hopes that the finding will indirectly be able to reveal
whether the teachers are aware of their students' perceptual learning style preferences
in learning both English and Bahasa Melayu.
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1.6 Definition of Terms
1.6.1 Learning Style
Learning style refers to how we describe the approach which an individual
use in acquiring new language or learning. Learning style involves complex manner
in processing, storing and recall what they are attempting to learn. It is a stable
characteristic of an individual, expressed through the interaction of one's behaviour,
strategy and personality as one approaches a learning task (Gardner and Guild 1984;
Brown 1998; Oxford 1989,2003). Learning style is inherent and is a blend of
cognitive, affective, perceptual and behavioural elements and also influence by
physiological traits of individual (Oxford and Ehrman 1988 as cited in Oxford 1989;
Reid 1987,1998).
As suggested by James and Gardner (as cited in Brown 1998), there are
three dimensions of learning styles namely: cognitive, affective and perceptual
(sensory). Perceptual learning styles refer to the preferred sensory channels or
"modality strength" through which individuals receive and process information
efficiently in their environment. Whereas according to Chitravelu, Sithamparam and
Teh (1995), learning styles refer to the ways a student prefers to go about learning.
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1.6.2. Learning Style Preferences
Learning style preferences on the other hand, refer to particular kinds of
learning environments such as sound, light and seating pattern, in the amount of
required emotional support. Learning style preferences also differ in term of students'
learning modality where some students are more visual oriented while others prefer to
obtain information through auditory channels (Arend 2001; Dunn and Dunn 1987).
According to Bada and Okan (2001), learning preferences can be defined as the way
students like to learn a language in a particular learning environment.
Hence, based on the definition given by researchers, we can conclude that
learning style is differing from learning preferences. Learning styles are internally
based characteristics which include an array of cognitive, affective and social aspects
whereas learning style preferences refer to the physiological traits that are relatively
stable indicators of how learners perceive and consciously used for the intake and
comprehension of new information using their sensory. Table 1.1 shows the
differences between learning style and learning preferences.
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Table 1.1
The Differences Between Learning Style and Learning Preferences
Learning Style
1. how we describe the approach which individual use in acquiring new language
or learning in complex manner in
processing, storing and recall what they
are attempting to learn. (James and
Gardner, 1995 as cited in Brown 1998).
2. Learning style is inherent and is a blend
of cognitive, affective, perceptual and
behavioural elements and also influence
by physiological traits of individual
(Keffe, 1979 as cited in Dangwal & Mitra
2000; Dangwal and Mitra, 2000; Brown,
1998).
3. Cognitive (Oxford and Ehrman, 1988 as cited in Oxford, 1989).
Learning Style Preferences
1. refer to particular kinds of learning
environments such as sound, light and
seating pattern, in the amount of required
emotional support (Dunn & Dunn,
1992).
2. Refer to the way how learners would like
to acquire new knowledge (Reid, 1995)
3. Habitual
For the purpose of this study, learning preferences will be defined as what
way do the students like to learn a language and what area of learning style
preferences does an individual student preferred particularly in the area of sensory
modalities such as visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic.
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1.6.3. Perceptual Learning Styles
Perceptual learning styles which are used to describe and identify the
variations among learners in using their senses to understand, organize and retain
experiences. The perceptual learning styles can be categorized in six categories:
visual, kinesthetic, tactile, group and individual learning (Reid, 1998).
Reid (1987) in her study, she classified the perceptual learning styles into
six categories: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, tactile, group and individual learning. She
indicates the characteristics of learners of the six perceptual learning styles as
follows:
a) Visual learners
Visual learners learn well from seeing words in books, on the chalkboard, and in
workbooks. The learners remember and understand information and
instructions better if they read them. They do not need as much oral explanation
as auditory learners, and they can often learn alone, with a book. They should
take notes of lectures and oral directions if they want to remember the
information.
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b) Auditory learners
Auditory learners learn from hearing words spoken and from oral explanations.
The learners may remember information by reading aloud or moving their lips
as they read, especially when they are learning new material. They benefit from
hearing audio- tapes, lectures, and class discussions, they benefit from making
tapes to listen to, by teaching other students, and by conversing with their
teachers.
c) Kinesthetic learners
Kinesthetic learners learn best by experience, by being involved physically in
classroom experiences. The learners remember information well when they
actively participate in activities, field trips, and role-playing in the classroom. A
combination of stimuli for example, an audiotape combined with an activity will
help them understand new material.
d) Tactile learners
Tactile learners learn best when they have the opportunity to do `hands-on'
experiences with materials. Activities that involve working on experiments in a
laboratory, handling and building models, and touching and working with
materials provide them with the most successful learning situations. Writing
notes or instructions can help them in remember information, and physical
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involvement in class related activities may help learners understand new
information.
e) Group Learners
The learners learn easily when they study with at least one other student. They
will be more successful completing work well when they work with others.
They value group interaction and class work with other students, and remember
information better when they work with two or three classmates. The
stimulation they receive from group work helps them learn and understand new
information.
f) Individual Learners
Learners who prefer individual learning learn best when they work alone. They
think better and remember information better when they study alone. They
understand new material best when they learn it alone, and they make better
progress in learning when they work alone.
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CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Overview
This chapter presents the literatures that are related to learning preferences
and teaching style. It also includes some studies and discussion related to the
learning preferences and teaching style, gender differences in learning style and the
related studies on matching the learning preferences and teaching style.
2.1 Learning Styles
The term `learning style' is varied and many researchers have investigated
different aspects of learning styles and can be divided into three major categories
which are cognitive learning styles, learning styles and personality learning styles
(Reid, 1995). In contrast, as mentioned earlier in the previous chapter, James and
Gardner (as cited in Brown, 1998) proposed three dimensions of learning styles
which are perceptual, cognitive, and affective.
Most educators agreed that every individual learns differently from one
another as every individual has his or her own learning styles. Learning styles may
simply mean the ways a student prefers to go about learning (Chitravelu,
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Sithamparam & Teh, 1995) or, the ways each learner begins to concentrate on,
process, and retain new and difficult information (Dunn & Dunn, 1992).
2.2 Perceptual Learning Styles
Brown (1998) stated that the perceptual learning styles consist of four
elements which are visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic. On the other hand, Reid
(1998) stated that the perceptual learning style consists of six elements which are
visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, individual and group. For the purpose of this
study, in order to find out the perceptual language learning style among the students
of three rural secondary schools in Sri Aman town, the perceptual learning styles
instrument by Reid (1998) will be used.
According to Elliason (n. d., as cited in Reid 1995), the most obvious problem
in learning style assessment lies in defining what we mean by `learning style'. This is
because the term varied in the literature;
"... often interchangeably with the term cognitive style, effective style or learning strategy. Whereas learning strategies refer to the methods employed by a learner in mastering material (e. g., review, monitoring practice, negotiation of meaning)".
(p. 19).
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Hence, because of the varied terminology in defining the term `learning style'
is used and the irrelativeness of the idea of consistency, therefore according to
Elliason (ibid), "there is confusion over what characteristics are the most important in
determining a person's learning style. Various instruments have been used to study
learning style preferences and examples are those by Reid (1987), Kolb (1985),
Christison (1998), Tyacke (1996), Kinsella (1995) and Oxford (1989). Reid's
research instrument is widely used by the researchers in identifying students' learning
styles preferences. Researchers such as Vicioso (n. d. ), Gedeon and Takacs (1992),
Korothkikh (n. d. ), Peacock (2001) and Park (2002) had utilized Perceptual Learning
Styles (Reid, 1987) instrument in their studies regarding the perceptual learning style
preferences.
Vicioso (n. d., as cited in Reid, 1998), in the research on learning style
preferences by using the perceptual learning style instrument with 193 secondary
school students of Instittuto de BUP in Spain as the sample, found that 70% of the
students were kinesthetic, 29% were auditory, 25% were group, 23% were visual,
20% tactile and 19% were individual. From this study Vicioso (ibid) concluded that
students may have lower tactile preferences because of limited knowledge with tactile
techniques in their educational environment and those students who like group
preferences were because they are open and outgoing people by nature.
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Gedeon and Takacs (1992, as cited in Reid, 1998), administered the
perceptual learning style preferences instrument to 138 training teachers in Budapest,
Hungary. From the study, they found that 29% of the trainee teachers were auditory,
59% were tactile, 38% were individual, 35% were group, 70% were kinesthetic and
49% were visual. The finding revealed that according to Gedeon and Takacs (ibid)
the longer students studied English the more auditory their preferences are. Hence,
they conclude that "our tentative assumption is that the auditory learning style
preferences have to be developed by students especially when learning a second
language or foreign language".
Peacock (2001) on his research with 206 EFL students and 46 EFL teachers of
city University, Hong Kong found that kinesthetic and auditory were major learning
styles preferred by the students whereas tactile, individual, and group were minor
learning styles preferred by the students. Table 2.1 shows the result from the research
done by Peacock (ibid) by mean score on the respondents learning styles preferences;
Table 2.1
The Respondents Learning Style Preferences
Visual Auditory Kinesthetic Tactile Group Individual
Mean 12.37 13.87 14.14 13.08 11.71 12.32 Type Minor Major Major Minor Minor Minor
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On the other hand, the finding for the teachers' teaching style preferences
revealed that kinesthetic, group and auditory were the major teaching styles preferred
by the teachers, tactile and individual was the minor teaching styles preferred by the
teachers and tactile and individual were fall in the negative preferred teaching styles.
Table 2.2 below shows the result from the research done by Peacock (ibid) by mean
score on the respondents teaching styles preferences.
Table 2.2
The Respondents Teaching Style Preferences
Visual Auditory Kinesthetic Tactile Group Individual
Mean 13.45 13.73 16.69 9.45 14.94 8.34
Type Minor Major Major Negative Major Negative
Peacock's finding indicated that a mismatch between teaching and learning
styles causes learning failure and in order to overcome this scenario he suggested that
the teachers try to identify their own teaching style, identify the students' learning
styles and accommodated those learning style. Apart from that, he suggested that the
teacher should balanced their teaching style so that it will not excessively favour any
particular learning style and present new information and materials in a variety of
modes and at the same time use a variety of activities.
In a similar research done by Park (2002) on perceptual learning styles
preferences of cultural differences in learning styles where the sample were drawn
from 857 secondary schools students from 20 schools in California which consisted
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