OVERVIEW

Learner differences (IDs) •  Learning styles

o  Allport (1937) - Cognitive style •  Learning strategies

o  L2 research o  Various models

•  Pedagogy •  Affective variables

o  Motivation o  Expectancy o  Self-efficacy o  Anxiety

•  Conclusion o  21st century

LEARNING STYLES AND STRATEGIES

DEREK YIU, ELIZ TCHAKARIAN, TONY KAZANJIAN

2/24/2011 LING 8630: SLA

PROFESSOR HEEKYEONG LEE

(BRIEF) HISTORY OF LEARNING STYLES

•  Cognitive style research o  1920s - 1930s

 Perceptual speed & flexibility o  1940s

 Field Independence - Field Dependence (FI-FD)

o  1950s - 1970s  Thelen (1954) - Learning style  Thomas & Chess (1977)

Temperament theory

CONT. o  1980s - today (Personality

variables)  McCarthy (1980)

 4-MAT  Schmeck (1988)

 Leveling-sharpening  Impulsivity-reflectivity

 Myers et al. (1998)  Myers-Briggs Type

Indicator (MBTI)  Busato et al. (1999)

 Five Factor Personality Model

 Gardner (1983, 2000)  Multiple Intelligences

Model

LEARNING STRATEGIES

•  Neither good nor bad •  Useful under certain conditions

o  Relevance to L2 task o  Student's learning style

preference o  Effectively linking and making

connections •  Biggs (1992), Schmeck (1988)

o  Purpose of learning  Surface  Achieving  Deep

ISSUES IN L2 LEARNING STRATEGIES RESEARCH

1.  Identification of language learning strategies. •  Identified through self-report. •  How?

o  Retrospective interviews o  Stimulated recall interviews o  Questionnaires (2 types) o  Diaries and Journals o  Think - aloud and individual interview.

ISSUES IN L2 LEARNING STRATEGIES RESEARCH

2. Other variables must be considered: •  Gender •  L2 proficiency

3. Influence of cultural context: •  Individualist cultures vs collectivist culture

4. Explicit and integrated strategy instruction: •  Researchers agree strategies should be explicitly taught. •  Central argument: should strategies be taught

separately or integrated into the curriculum? Pro to integrated: Allows learners to work with authentic tasks. Con: What do you think?

ISSUES IN L2 LEARNING STRATEGIES RESEARCH

5. Language of instruction •  L1 vs L2 •  Most research shows that L1 support is needed especially at

the beginners level

6. Transfer of strategies to new tasks •  Transfer of strategies to new tasks proved to be hard

in L1. •  Harris (2004): study on strategy transfer

taught in L1 to L2 learning. The higher achieving students showed a higher rate of transference.

LEARNING STYLES VS. LEARNING STRATEGIES •  Styles are general approaches

o  visual/kinesthetic/auditory o  abstract-intuitive/concrete-sequential o  synthesizer o  global/particular o  extrovert/introvert

•  Strategies are specific behaviors and how we use them (i.e. cognitive, metacognitive, affective, social) o  cognitive o  metacognitive o  affective o  social

 used in retrieving language info, rehearsing target structures, compensating for communication gaps

STYLES...MEET STRATEGIES

•  Ehrman and Oxford (1990) study, using SILL and MBTI, determined which styles apply which strategies. o  extroverts -> social strategies o  concrete - sequential -> memory strategies o  abstract - intuitive -> comprehension strategies o  thinkers -> metacognitive strategies o  feelers -> social strategies o  open learners -> affective strategies

•  Study by Rossi-Le (1995) o  Tactile and kinesthetic learning styles preferred

socializing and interacting in conversation with native speakers

INTERACTION OF STYLES, STRATEGIES, AND TASKS

•  Task - meaningful activity designed to elicit specific grammatical forms which has a goal to work toward. o  Primarily based in real-world, evaluated by success of the

outcome •  Learners will deal with tasks consistent with their individual

styles and strategies o  Many factors (age, proficiency, aptitude, motivation etc.)

can influence which strategies a learner applies to the task o  No single strategy can work for everyone

LEARNING STYLES AND RECEPTIVE STRATEGIES •  Gallin (1999) study on the relationship of reading strategies

and learning style o  Visual learning styles tend to use more strategies overall o  Concluded that abstract-intuitive and concrete-sequential

styles are most likely to affect reading, in terms of inferencing skill

•  Similar study on learning styles and listening strategies concluded that: o  Synthetic learners liked summarizing, planning and social

strategies o  Open and kinesthetic learners preferred social strategies o  Introverts did not like summarizing strategies o  Concrete-sequential learners used less resources o  Abstract-intuitive used more monitoring strategies

GENERAL IDEA, INFERENCING, AND SUMMARIZING

•  To get the general idea in a reading task, concrete-sequential learners will sense the organization of a text first, while abstract-intuitive will skip around, looking for key words.

•  Abstract-intuitive learners rely more on their own schemata to infer, whereas concrete-sequential learners focus more on clues in the text.

•  Synthetic and global learners were better at summarizing •  Introverted learners may want to listen or read over and

over to fully understand new vocabulary •  Extroverted learners prefer to engage instructor or peers in

the topic to understand the form, meaning, and use of certain vocabulary

PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

1. Teachers must know their students and what strategies the students are already using.

2. Students have the potential to become better language learners if they are aware of the different types of learning strategies.

MODELS OF LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGY INSTRUCTION

There are many different models, but all agree: 1. Making students aware of the value of using different

learning strategies facilitated through demonstrations. 2. Practice is essential and students may use strategies

autonomously. 3. Students should evaluate how well different certain

strategies worked for them.

Current Models: SSBI (Cohen, 1998); CALLA (Chamor, 2005; chamot et al., 1999); and Grenfell & Harris (1999).

All three models are grounded in developing student awareness and encouraging the adoption of different strategies that may help them improve.

AFFECTIVE VARIABLES - MOTIVATION

•  Gardner & Lambert (1959) o  Socio-Educational Model of Language Learning

 Integrative  Instrumental

MOTIVATION CONT.

•  Deci & Ryan (1985) o  Intrinsic motivation o  Extrinsic motivation

•  Combination of both o  Continuum

•  Context o  Types of instruction

•  People o  Teachers, parents,

administrators •  Environment

o  Classroom, local community

EXPECTANCY MODEL

•  Bandura (1993); Schunk (1991); Weiner (1986) o  Self perception of abilities to be successful

ATTRIBUTION THEORY

•  Weiner (1986) o  Choice vs. fate

SELF-EFFICACY

•  Bandura (1997) o  Believing in one's capability to take action

 Effort

CRITICISM

•  Too broad •  Too simplistic •  Too ambiguous

•  Other variables o  Anxiety o  Defense mechanisms o  Internal attitudes o  Self-esteem o  Activation o  Beliefs o  Affective filter

CONCLUSION

•  Universality vs. Individuality o  Students o  Teachers

•  Learning styles, learning strategies, and affective factors are inseparable

•  Future directions o  Expansion of previous models o  Multiple methodologies