THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG A SECONDARY STUDENT'S LEARNING STYLE AND ACHIEVEMENTS
IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING
General Description of the Dissertation
The life of Latvian citizens has undergone tremendous changes in connection with the reestablishment
Latvia's independence and joining the European Union, which requires the necessity of the qualitative
changes in the system of education of Latvia. The idea of lifelong learning expands all over the world and
causes the changes in the attitudes to a learner, to the individual approaches to learning. These approaches
stress the importance of learning to learn; learners need to be taught methods that will enable them to cope
with new technologies, new learning environments that suit their needs best, learners should be taught the
principles of autonomy, to be taught how to help themselves to manage and control their own learning, to
develop personal awareness, self-concept, self-esteem, responsibility for their own learning, and self-direct
learning.
The principal transformations in the process of education caused the development of new paradigm of
education. It determined the application of new scientific approaches to teaching and the development of
creative personalities, which considered a learner as an active and full member in the educational process
where a learner and a teacher are equal in their responsibility for the results of learning. The number of
people for whom English is the mother tongue is about 350 million. Non-native speakers of English have been
estimated about 750 million. The English language is used in cultural relations, air traffic control,
transportation, tourism, study and work abroad, international business, scientific and technical conferences
and research, entertainment, pop-music politics, literature, history and religion. Language shapes the unique
way individuals view the world, helps to understand people, their values, culture and history. The English
language has become a global language. That is why so’ important to study English nowadays, and to do it
effectively.
The basis of the development of a secondary student's personality in the present research is the theory
according to which, a learner's development and achievements in learning are possible only when he/she has
an opportunity to perceive and apply new information, to choose and accomplish a learning task according to
her/his learning style. The teachers at the same time apply variety of tools, methods and materials with the
help of which learners become more predisposed to learning and are aware of the range of these tools,
methods, materials, and their close connection with learners' achievements in learning. One of the serious
drawbacks of Latvian system of education nowadays is its extremely weak orientation towards taking into
account and the development of a learner's individuality, abilities, goals, attitudes and learning style. The
present-day system of education in Latvia leaves not enough possibilities for individualization of learning.
The present research is comprehensively developed at the following interconditional stages;
• the theoretical (pedagogically-psychological) stage of the research where the general conformities
to laws of the process of learning and individual learning styles' enrichment in the process of
foreign language learning are revealed, also it is elicited how these conformities are reflected in the
real pedagogical process in secondary schools of Latvia;
• the empirical stage of the research, where the methods of application of pedagogicallypsychological conformities are determined during the real process of students' foreign language
learning in secondary schools of Latvia.
The approach suggested in the present research opens one of the possible ways, which could solve the
problem situation in the system of secondary education of Latvia, the main typical contradictions of which are
among:
• the functioning system of education in Latvia is oriented towards general standards with
predominance of learning to apply skills of analytical thinking and verbal skills of individuals, where the
left hemisphere of human brain dominates, and - the need of society and secondary schools of the
elaboration of educational programs for the development of important nonverbal skills of individuals
with the spatial-visual type of information processing, where the right hemisphere of human brain
dominates;
• carrying out the majority of learning instructions in regular classrooms by means of lectures and
discussions {the auditory approach), accordingly reading and writing by means of visual materials (the
visual approach) by teachers, 85% of whom are analytics, and who teach analytically, and- the need
of society of the elaboration of educational programs for the development individuals with tactile and
kinesthetic skills of perception;
• the necessity to take into account different peculiarities of individuals in the process of learning, and
- the inadequacy of possibility to put this necessity into practice in mass schools in Latvia;
• the unsolved problem of the relationship among a secondary student's
individual learning style and achievements in foreign language learning in educational science and practice of
Latvia, and - the necessity to use this relationship in the educational practice in Latvia.
The PROBLEM of the research is the necessity of taking into account a secondary student's individual
learning style in conditions of the frontal work, not corresponding to possibilities of individualization of the
learning process, considered as the necessary factor for increasing of secondary students' achievements. For
many years a human factor has been ignored, fortunately educators begin to pay more attention to the
development and self-actualization of individuals nowadays. There were not research dedicated to the
relationship among a secondary student's learning style and achievements in foreign language learning. On
the whole secondary students learn foreign language passively, according to a teacher's tasks and
instructions.
The necessity to solve all the contradictions mentioned above in the conditions of new social and
economic situation, determined the THEME of the present research:" The Relationship Among A Secondary
Student's Learning Style and Achievements in Foreign language Learning'
The OBJECT of the research is the process of foreign language learning in the secondary school.
The SUBJECT of the research is the relationship among learning style and achievements of a secondary
student in foreign language learning.
The AIM of the research is to work out the theoretically grounded model of foreign language learning, based
on the criteria of the relationship among a secondary student's learning style and achievements in foreign
language learning.
The HYPOTHESIS
the relationship among a secondary student's learning style and of the research is:
achievements in the process of foreign language learning will be effective, if:
• secondary students are united by the common intellectual idea, goals, values, and friendly
interaction while learning, which deepen their cognitive needs of foreign language learning;
• the studied foreign language, the history and culture of the foreign language-speaking society
are meaningful;
• secondary students self-direct own learning by means of different learning materials, methods, by
choosing and accomplishing the learning task according to a secondary student's learning style;
• a secondary student enriches own learning style, perceiving new information through the primary
sensory canal, then deliberately reinforcing it through the secondary sensory canal
The OBJECTIVES of the research are:
1.to summarize and analyze the pedagogical and psychological literature in order to determine the essence
of learning style and achievements of a secondary student in foreign language learning;
2.to work out the criteria and indices of the relationship among a secondary student's learning style and
achievements in foreign language learning;
3.to work out the theoretically grounded model of the relationship among a secondary student's learning
style in foreign language learning, and probate it experimentally;
4.to work out a set of variative language learning tasks and recommendations for implementing it according
to a secondary student's learning style.
The THEORETICAL BASIS of the research is based on the relevant pedagogical and psychological
theories on the problems of learning, learning style, and achievements in foreign language learning: Bandura,
A. Theory of Social Cognitive Learning; Bruner, J. Theory of Discovery Learning; Chomsky, N. Theory of
Language acquisition Device(LAD); Disterveig, F.,B. Theory of the Sociocultural Environment; Dunn, R.
Theory of Learning Styles; Feuerstein, R. The Coherent Theory of Mediation; Gardner, H. Theory of Multiple
Intelligences; Gardner, R.C. Theory of Attitudes and Motivation in Second Language Learning;Gregors, A.
The Energy of Mind Styles; James, W. Theory of Functionalism; Kagan, J. Theory of lmpulsivity/Reflectivity;
Kolb,D. Theory of Experiential Learning; Kolb, D. Theory of Learning Styles; Krashen, S. Theory of Second
language Acquisition; Krashen, S. Theory of Input; Lewin, K. The Classical Theory of the Three Steps Of the
Change in the Field; Lennenberg, Land Selinker, S.Theory of Biological Capacity for Language; Lima, A. The
Concept of the Brain Lateralization in Learning; McCarthy, B. 4 MAT SYSTEM; Paivio, A. The Dual Coding
Theory; Pavlov, I. The Classical Conditioning Theory; Petrovsky, A. Theory of Strata; Piaget, J. Theory of
Language Development; Piaget, J.Theory of Learning; Piaget, J.
Theory of Constructivism;
Schmeck, R. Theory of Information Processing; Skinner, B. The Operant Conditioning Theory; Torndike,
E.Theory of Connectionalism, Uznadze, D. The set's Theory; Vigotsky, L. Concepts of the Zone of Proximal
Development and Mediation; Witkin, H.Theory of Field Dependence/Independence; Wundt, W. Theory of
Structuralism.
The METHODS of the research:
1. Theoretical methods: the theoretical analysis of the pedagogical and psychological literature, schools'
documents, creative works of secondary students.
2. Empirical methods:
2.1. data collection methods: a) quantative methods-the pedagogical experiment; questionnaires; the oral
questioning; tests, discussions; b) qualitative methods-the creation and analysis of pedagogical situations;
narrative interviews; the creation of a secondary student's biographical portrait; the observation of the
development of students' achievements.
2.2 methods of the statistical analysis of data-correlative statistical methods: the statistical analysis of the
Mean, Moda, Variance, Median.
The STAGES of the research:
At the first stage of the research (September, 1999-September, 2000) the pedagogical and psychological
literature on the problem of learning style and achievements was summarized and analyzed, a theoretical
concept was formed, the goal and tasks of the research were determined, and the hypothesis of the research
was formulated.
At the second stage( September, 2000 -October, 2001), the diagnostic-verificational stage of the research,
the diagnostic methods were worked out, the learning style's preferences and the real level of the English
proficiency of secondary students were identified, the pedagogical strategies for the enrichment of
secondary students' learning styles were worked out.
At the third {forming) stage of the research (October, 2001-June, 2002) the methods of foreign language
learning, based on the criteria and indices of the relationship among a secondary student's learning style and
achievements , worked out theoretically, were probated experimentally in the real pedagogical process of
foreign language learning, the statistical analysis and the generalization of the results were carried out, the
hypothesis of the research was proved.
The EXPERIMENTAL BASE of the research is the secondary school N 88 in Riga, Latvia, because it is one
of the basic schools of the Ministry of Education of Latvia
The SCIENTIFIC NOVELTY and The THEORETICAL SIGNIFICANCE of the research:
• for the first time in Latvia the theoretical substantiation of individual learning
style as the whole, unique, genetically predetermined complex of characteristic conditions under which an
individual functions in his/her conscious intellectual activities - concentrates, perceives, processes, retains and
applies new and difficult information - in the unity of progress in learning, acquisition of learning objectives of
curriculum with the help of successful interaction with the learning environment and creative use of one's own
potential(capacities), was worked out;
• the criteria and indices of the relationship among a secondary student's learning style and
achievements, which promote foreign language learning , were worked out, the theoretically grounded and
experimentally probated model of foreign language learning, based on above mentioned criteria and indices,
was created.
The PRACTICAL SIGNIFICANCE of the research:
• the methodical set of variative foreign language learning tasks according to learning style of a
secondary student, was worked out;
• the methodical recommendations, and
• the diagnostic methods, related to a secondary student's learning style, which can be used in
teaching and learning any subject of school curriculum, were created.
The RELIABILITY of the research results is stipulated by the methodological validity of the initial theoretical
propositions, an application of the adequate system of the research methods, the statistical analysis of data
obtained as the result of the experimental research.
The VALIDITY of the research: the research methods were selected according to the criteria of the
relationship among a secondary student's learning style and achievements in foreign language learning.
The STRUCTURE of the present research: the dissertation consists of introduction, two parts (theoretical and
experimental), conclusion, theses, bibliography, 5 Appendices. On the whole, 386 scientific sources in
English, Latvian, Russian, German were analyzed.
THE CONTENT OF THE RESEARCH
The choice of the theme, the significance of the chosen theme of the research for education nowadays, is
explained in the introduction. The object, subject, aim, hypothesis, tasks, methods, theoretical background,
practical and theoretical significance, scientific novelty, experimental base, stages and structure of the
research, also are described in the introduction. The first chapter determines the essence of learning,
analyzed different theories of learning, the development of personality in the process of learning in the
creative learning environment. Learning is the necessary condition for the development of personality, who
should learn how to adapt and change to our world, (C.Roger, Vigotsky, L.).
The process of learning is critically important. Teaching consists of activities, designed to promote
learning and understanding the essence of learning processes. Students should be ready for learning, they
should self-direct and control own learning, to develop their self-concept, independence, positive attitudes
towards school, to be responsible for the achievements of learning during their life.
All students can learn, if their program needs are appropriately diagnosed, prescribed, and their
development in the affective domain is addressed.( Dunn, Feuerstein). School programs should be based on
the variety of methods, materials, tools in order to give the secondary students the possibility to choose the
appropriate way of perceiving knowledge and skills according to their learning style. The secondary student's
awareness of her/his learning style promotes learning, improves his/her achievement, ensures the
relationship among a secondary student's learning style and achievements. Individuals are very different in
their attitudes to achievements(Atkinson). Different definitions of achievements are analyzed in the research.
The achievement is:
 the progress in learning (Widdowson);
 a positive result of efforts made to achieve goals (Ozhegov);
 the degree of skill measured with reference to a particular curriculum (Oxford);
 the act of carrying on to a final and successful close (Finnegan);
 the drive to succeed, to attain a goal by efforts successfully (Williams &Burden);
 scholastic success in a traditional, academic curriculum (Kolesnik);
 a result of a student's reality orientation, or ego strength (Sprinthall & Sprinthall);
 using resources and skills creatively to solve a learning problem (Skehan);
 successful interaction within the learning environment, and mastery of the objectives of an
educational program, the accomplishment of learning tasks within their capabilities (Gagne).
The following fundamental definition for "the achievement" was created in the present research: The
achievement in learning is the progress of an individual in learning; mastery of the objectives of an
educational program through successful interaction with the learning environment and the creative using
of own potential (capabilities).
The author having analyzed different definitions of learning, has created the following definition for learning
for the present research: Learning is a dynamic, complicated, holistic, future oriented process . One should
distinguish two types of learning outcomes-motivational and cognitive learning. Motivational learning is the
acquisition of preferences and values, tendencies to act in particular ways-learning to. Cognitive learning is
the experiential acquisition of capacities-learning how (Tomlinson). A learner's understanding how, in what
way an individual learns, is the key factor of improving his/her achievements in learning.
In order to understand the essence of learning, two groups of theories of learning - association and
cognitive theories - were summarized and analyzed in the research. Association theories explain learning in
terms of the formation and strengthening of connections among the stimuli, acting on humans, and the
responses , they make accordingly, cognitive theories stress the variables that intervene the stimuli and
responses. Among these variables are the individual learner's motivation, purposes, aspirations, beliefs,
ideals, and his/her existing store of knowledgeas it is currently organized. Association theories can be traced
backat least as far as 400 B.C., when Aristotle pointed out that things which are contiguous or experienced
together in time or space tend to become associated. Modern associated theories of learning were
formulated in the early twentieth century, through efforts of I.Herburt, I.Pavlov, J.Watson, E.Torndike,
B.Skinner. Cognitive theorists point out that students respond quite differently to the very same stumuli they
have already learned, what they hope to achieve, what they feel they capable to achieve, because of
differences in-the ways their minds work, or because of other differences, which distinguish one person from
another.
Cognitive theories of learning can be related to humanistic psychology. Such humanistic psychologists
as A.Maslow, C.Rogers, A.Combs,J.Bruner, J.Piaget, K.Lewin emphasize what they regard as the
distinctively human aspects of personality, such as an individual uniqueness, self-determination expressed in
an individual's approach to learning, capacities, and his/her learning style, as a key factor of achievements in
learning.
Learning occurs when a learner comes to understand the basic structure of a subject, when she/he
recognizes the relationship of parts and of parts to whole, when he reorganizes his/her experiences and
begins to perceive things in a new and more meaningful way. Learning must be meaningful for a learner, and
connected with his/her past experience and background. A learner's autonomy is the key factor in successful
learning (Ausubel). Learning occurs through a process of individual personal discovery, developing cognitive
strategies and skills during life - time learning (Bruner).
Theories of learning from different researchers' schools of Europe, Russia, the USA, Israel were
summarized and analyzed in the research. W.James's Functionalism, B.Skinner's Theory of Operant
conditioning, A.Bandura's Theory of Social Cognitive Learning, Bruner's Theory of Discovering learning,
E.Torndike's Connectionalism, Wundt's Structuralism, K.Lewin's Classic Theory of the change in the field,
J.Peaget's Constructivism, A.Paivio's
Dual Coding Theory F.Disterveig's Concept of Learning, I.Pavlov's Theory of Classical Conditioning,
L.Vigotsky's Concepts of the Zone of Proximal Development and Mediation, A. Luna's Concept of the
Laterization in Learning, Theory of Stages in Knowledge acquisition by Leontjev, Galperin, Elconin, The
Associational-Reflective Concept of Learning by S.Rubinshtein, Babansky, Theory of Aim(Direction) by
D.Uznadze, Theory of Individual Differences by B.Teplov. R.Feuerstein's Coherent Theory of Mediation.
When a highly intellectually developed learning group has common aims, values, ideas and friendly
interactions while learning, these factors promote more successful students' achievements in learning
(Petrovsky). Learning is dynamic, spiral, future-oriented, constantly being saturated, endless, process of
developing human cognitive capacities, every next moment of that process contains the achievements of the
previous periods, ensuring further forming the new ones (Rubinshtein, Kolb). Success in learning is
determined by the whole complex of natural prerequisites in the development of individual capacities, based
on his/her individual physical and psychological peculiarities (B.Teplov). Students should be encouraged to
work at their own pace by means of individualized learning programs (B.Skinner). The important role played
by parents and teachers in setting appropriate learning conditions and ensuring particular consequences in
learning, should not be ignored(Merret, Milgram). The research is based on the concept of A.Bandura, that
social cognitive learning occurs through observing others, and information we process from observing other
people, things, events greatly influences the way we act.
Only that what is important for an individual becomes the motive and the goal in his learning activities
(Rubinshtein). Almost all learners have a built-in "will to learn", we come into the world equipped with the
curiosity drive, which is biologically relevant, the readiness and will to learn are sustained only through
intrinsic motivation(Bruner). Each individual is responsible for own learning by choosing the way of perceiving
knowledge and skills, methods, materials and tools according to his/her cognitive level and learning style, it is
one of the main postulates of the research. Learning, organized according to the individual's nature and the
level of cognitive development, in the creative learning environment, promotes his/her cognitive development
and achievements in learning.
The secret of effective learning lies in the nature of social interaction among two or more people with
different levels of knowledge and skills (Vigotsky). Vigotsky defines the Zone of Proximal Development as the
layer of skill or knowledge which is just beyond that which a learner is currently capable of coping, the
distance between a student's actual developmental level, and that learner's higher level of potential
development, as determined by problem solving under an adult's guidance or in collaboration with more
capable peers A teacher is a mediator between a learner's current level of knowledge, and his/her potential
achievements in learning, who helps to adapt an individual's previously gained knowledge to new learning
situation, the task of a teacher is to offer the variety of methods, tasks, materials, tools in order to help
individual to choose the appropriate way of learning according to his/her level of cognitive development and
learning style (Feuerstein, Vigotsky).
All individuals learn differently, individuals are actively involved right from their birth in constructing a
personal meaning, their own personal understanding(construct) of the world from their experiences
(J.Piaget). The present research is based on A.Paivio's Dual Coding Theory, which declares, that, if new
information introduced through the primary sensory canal, then is reinforced through the secondary sensory
canal of individual, this information is perceived significantly better.
Having summarized and analyzed different definitions and theories of learning, the author gives the
following definition of learning:
Learning is a dynamic, complicated, holistic, future oriented, endless, spiral, genetically predetermined,
conscious process of relatively permanent changes of an individual's cognitive, affective, social
capacities and skills as a result of the transformation of his/her experience and practice, where
acquisition, retention and application of capacities, preferences, values and tendencies to act and react
in particular ways to particular situations, occur through active interactions with other people with
different levels of skills and knowledge, observing others in their activities, adopting their methods,
exchanging experience, and creative adaptation to the environment, where all the participants are
actively involved in the construction of their world, have common purposes, values, joint management, an
equal responsibility for decisions, achievements and the development of knowledge and skills, which can
be possible only in activities.
Conclusions:
• if individuals in a learning group are united by common intellectual idea, their achievements in foreign
language learning will be more significant;
• learning is a dynamic, complicated, holistic, future oriented, endless, spiral, genetically
predetermined, conscious process of relatively permanent changes of an individual's cognitive,
affective, social capacities and skills as a result of the transformation of his/her experience and
practice, where acquisition, retention and application of capacities, preferences, values and
tendencies to act and react in particular ways to particular situations, occur through active
interactions with other people with different levels of skills and knowledge, observing others in their
activities, adopting their methods, exchanging experience, and creative adaptation to the
environment, where all the participants are actively involved in the construction of their world, have
common purposes, values, joint management, an equal responsibility for decisions, achievements
and the development of knowledge and skills, which can be possible only in activities;
• learning occurs whereby discoveries, cognitive skills, developed at that time, stipulate the possibility
for an individual's further life-long learning and changes;
• the first condition for successful learning is an individual's knowledge of laws of his/her development,
learning and changes. Each individual is responsible for his/her learning by choosing a learning
method according to own learning style, which is one of key factors of a secondary student's
achievements in learning;
• learning should be meaningful for the individual;
• an individual's perception of the world (construct) and his/her learning style are developed right from
their birth;
• the new and difficult information perceived through the primary (the most developed) sensory canal
is learnt more successfully, when it is deliberately reinforced then through the secondary (less
developed) canal of information perception;
• differences in human predisposition and readiness to the certain kind of learning activities are closely
connected with the functional asymmetry of the human brain's hemispheres;
• a teacher mode of presentation should fit a student's cognitive level, modes of perception and
processing, which determine his/her individual learning style;
• a teacher, as a mediator, should teach and help learners to interact with the variety of tools,
methods, materials according to their learning style until they become truly self-directed.
Different theories and conceptions, connected with individual's approaches to learning, their learning styles,
the relationship among a learner's individual learning style and achievements, are summarized and analyzed
in the research. The theoretical conception of the research is based on the theory, that the individual's
development is possible, if a learning task is corresponding to a learner's cognitive level of the development
and his/her learning style. It is the only way to achieve the main aim of individualization of education-the
development of personality. The higher learning achievements and more positive attitudes towards school
occurs when the learning environment matches a student's individual learning style preferences, than in
situations, where such a match does not obtain (Dunn, Milgram, Griggs.). The essence of learning style is
analyzed in the research. Learning style is:
• the composite of characteristic cognitive, affective, and psychological traits that serve as relatively
stable indicators of how a learner perceives, interacts with, and responds to the learning
environment (Keefe);
• the preferences in use of abilities (Steinberg);
• the predisposition of an individual to learning a particular way (Parrot);
• an individual reaction of a student to 23 elements of instructional environments:
•
•
•
•
1. immediate environment (noise level, temperature, light, design);
2. emotionality (general motivation, being motivated by a teacher, by parents, by peers, persistence,
responsibility, the attitude to the structure of a task);
3. social preferences (learning alone, with peers, with adults present, learning in combined ways);
4. physical characteristics (auditory, visual, tactile/kinesthetic preferences, time of day, need in
intake, mobility);
5. psychological inclinations (global/analytic, hemispheric preferences, impulsive/reflective)
(Dunn&Price);
the identifiable individual approach to a learning situation, to a learning task (Spolsky);
the characteristic manner in which an individual chooses an approach to a learning task (Skehan);
the unique complex of conditions, under which a person concentrates, obtains, processes, retains, and
applies new and difficult information (Milgram);
general cognitive and learning characteristics of self-consistent mode of functioning, which individuals
show in their perceptual and intellectual activities ( Stern);
•
an instrument of an individual's reflection of reality, founded in ontogenesis on the basis of his/her
peculiarities of sensory, cognitive and psychic organization, and interaction with social environment in
activity (Karpova).
Having analyzed different definitions of learning style, the author creates the following fundamental definition
of learning style for the present research:
Learning style is the whole, unique, genetically predetermined complex of characteristic
conditions, under which an individual functions in his/her conscious intellectual activity concentrates, perceives, processes, retains, and applies new and difficult information-in the unity
of progress in learning and acquisition of learning objectives of curriculum with the help of
successful interaction with the learning environment and the creative use of one's own
potential (capacities)
Learning style is a very important characteristic of an individual, which together with a learner's capacities,
promotes his/her achievements in learning. When a learner has the possibility to choose tools, materials and
methods according to own learning style, his positive attitudes to school, to foreign language, and to the
foreign language-speaking society, its culture and history increase.
Learning style is a biologically imposed, stable characteristic, it can change only as a result of
maturation. At least, three-fifths of learning style is genetic. Individuals' responses to sound , light,
temperature, seating arrangements, perceptual strengths, intake, time of day, and mobility are biological
(Anastasi,1988; Dunn,1998; Restak, 1979;Thies, 1979). The biological component of individual learning
style works for his/her whole life-time (Karpova, 1994)
According to the definition of learning style in the present research,models of learning style the author
determines the following main components of learning style, which are Genetically predetermined:
Table 1. The Genetically Predetermined Components of Individual Learning Style
Individual learning style can be enriched by means of activating perceptual strengths, developing social
preferences and emotional preferences-motivation, responsibility of a learner for his/her own learning,
persistence, an individual approach to the structure of a learning task. The fundamental statement for the
research is: new information perceived through the primary (the most developed) sensory canal, then
reinforced through the secondary (less developed) sensory canal, is learnt more successfully. The author
determines the following model of individual learning style, based on the definition of learning style, the
adapted Multidimensional Model of Learning Style (Dunn&Dunn, 1998), the structure of individual learning
style:
Stimuli
Elements
Table 2. A Model of A Secondary Student's Learning Style
It is possible to distinguish two main individual learning styles of secondary students: analytic style of
learning, and global style of learning. The author distinguishes the following differences of secondary
students' analytic and global learning styles:
Table 3. The Characteristic Differences Among Analytic and Global Individual Learning Styles
of Secondary Students
The positive correlation exists among information processing of learners and their preferences in learning. It
is possible to distinguish the following typology of secondary students with the analytic learning style
according to their perceptional strengths;
1. analytically-auditory, visual, tactile, kinesthetic;
2. analytically-auditory, tactile, visual;
3. analytically-auditory, tactile, kinesthetic
4. analytically-auditory, kinesthetic, visual;
5. analytically-auditory, kinesthetic , tactile;
6. analytically-visual, kinesthetic;
7. analytically-visual, tactile.
Analogously, it is possible to distinguish the following typology of secondary students with the global learning
style according to their perceptual strengths:
1. globally-visual, tactile, kinesthetic, auditory;
2. globally-visual, auditory, tactile;
3. globally-visual, tactile, kinesthetic;
4. globally-tactile, visual, auditory;
5. globally-tactile, kinesthetic, auditory;
6. globally-tactile, kinesthetic, kinesthetic, visual;
7. globally-tactile, visual, kinesthetic.
The positive correlation exists among five elements of individual learning style-soung, light, design,
persistence, the need for intake and mobility while learning- and the type of information processing. The main
emotional elements of learning style - motivation, responsibility, persistence, the attitude to the structure of
the task - determine secondary students' successful achievements in learning.
The importance of foreign language acquisition was analyzed in the research. The close relationship
exists among language and human development, the awareness and positive attitudes to foreign language,
the culture and history of the foreign language-speaking society, the importance of knowing foreign
language for international contacts, education, business, tourism, culture, for using the Internet. Ever since
the beginning of intelligence testing in the twentieth century, the growth of language in humans was seen
above all as an indicator of mental growth, the language development and the functional use of language
reflect the mental development of the individual (Piaget, 1923). The role of language is a central factor in
determining the cognitive and affective states of the individual, the cognitive level of his/her cognitive
development (Krashen, Ausubel).
Humans respond differently and spontaneously in predictable ways to separate words{verbal stimuli) with
words (verbal responses or reactions)(Galton).When we study the language of the individual, we approach to
his/her essence, the characteristic sign of whom is her/his uniqueness(Chomsky). When linguists examine the
language, they identify four major components of it: phonology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics (Elliott,
Travers).language is the system of communication of human beings' thoughts by means of arbitrary and
conventional noises and visual representations(Berelson, Steiner).Different conceptions of language
acquisition and factors, affecting secondary students' achievements in foreign language learning, are
analyzed in the research.
All humans have a biological predisposition for acquiring language(Chomsky, Piaget).The positive attitudes to
foreign language, to the culture and history of the foreign language-speaking society are key factors for
learners' achievements in foreign language learning (R.C.Gardner). Acquisition of language is subconscious,
but learning refers to conscious knowledge of a second language (C.homsky). Real learning comes only from
comprehensive, relevant for a learner input, which is a little beyond the students' level of competence
(Krashen). The responsibility of an individual for his/her foreign language learning occurs by means of his/her
choice of tools, materials, methods, tasks according to own learning style. Having summarized and analyzed
the theoretical literature, the author has formulated the following conclusions, which were used for the basis
for the forming experiment:
• the development of motivation and positive attitudes towards foreign language, the foreign languagespeaking society, its culture and history are the key factors for secondary student's achievements in
foreign language learning;
• a secondary student self-directs, controls and takes responsibility for the management of his/her own
learning, is aware of own results of learning, he/she has the possibility to choose freely learning
materials, tools, methods, and tasks according to own learning style, perceiving new information
through the primary(the most developed sensory canal, then deliberately reinforcing it through the
secondary sensory canals, he/she is aware of own learning style and its relationship with the
achievements in learning;
• a teacher and a learner are equal in rights and active partners to create the supportive creative
learning environment for active exchanging of experiences among learners, and among learners and
a teacher in creative learning activities;
• the achievements of a secondary students, united by the common intellectual idea, values, goals
and friendly interaction in the process of learning, which deepen their cognitive needs for foreign
language learning, are significantly higher, they implement any possibility to use foreign language in
and out of the classroom;
• a secondary student is persistent in finishing a language learning task , is aware of a structure of a
learning task, developing the tendency to choose creative unstructured language learning tasks.
The theoretical summary and analysis of pedagogical and psychological literaturegave the possibility to work
out the following criteria, indices and levels of the relationship among a secondary student's learning style and
achievements in foreign language learning:
Table 4. Criteria, Indices and Levels of the Relationship Among a Secondary Student s Learning Style and
Achievements in Foreign Language Learning
Figure 1. The Model of The Relationship Among a Secondary Student's Individual Learning Style
and Achievements in Foreign Language Learning
The main elements of this model are the following:
1.
Social Context (sociolinguistic and sociocultural factors);
2.
Learning Environment learners, parents, teachers);
3.
Learning Style( analytic/global learning style)
4.
Learning Content (tasks, instructions, materials, methods, strategies, needs, objectives, values);
5.
Foreign Language Learning Achievements-the development of secondary students' capabilities and
skills, the progress of L2 proficiency, where the capabilities, according to Gagne(1997:46), include:
intellectual skills, verbal information, cognitive strategies, motor skills, attitudes and motivation.
Figure 2. The Structure of An Individual's Analytic and Global Learning Styles
The variative set of learning tasks according to secondary students' learning style and recommendations is
based on the method worked out in the research, which allows to organize perceiving of new information at
first through the primiry sensory canal, then deliberately to reinforce it through the secondary sensory canal
according to the genetically predetermined component of an individual's learning style. Perceiving information
according to this method promotes the further enrichment of secondary student's learning style, the
activization of the secondary sensory canals, the development of students' social priorities.
The active, equal in rights activities occur in creative learning atmosphere with the exchanges and
enrichment of experiences, increasing students' motivation of foreign language learning, persistence,
responsibility for own learning by choosing and accomplishing learning tasks according to own learning style,
changung the attitudes to the structure of a learning task, developing the tendency of choosing creative
unstructured learning tasks. The case study is described in detail in the thesis.
Table 5. The indices of the secondary students middle level of the English language proficiency,
motivation, attitudes to school, the English language, the English-speaking communities, its history at
the beginning of the experiment
Many times during the initial stage of the experiment the author conducted personal interviews with each
student of the experimental group and their parents in order to identify the preferences of the students, how
they prefer to learn best.The starting stage of the experiment dearly showed that a teacher could identify
only a few elements of their students' learning through observation, that is why other elements the teacher
has to identify with the help of learning style tests. In order to know how students prefer to do their homework
the author at the initial stage of the experiment asked students to fill in The Homework Motivation and
Preference Questionnaire (HMPQ) adapted from Hong and Milgram (2000). The work with parents in order to
identify secondary students' preferences when doing hometasks in the experimental class was described in
the research.
The author could identify that 15 secondary students were analytics; the author could not identify learning
style of 4 students;11 students were globals. Parents and family are crucial factors in students' learning ,
particularly for those who are at risk of dropping out of school.Parents are the most important and influential
adults in student lives.The author supports the point of view of those educators {Stern, 1996; Milgram,2000)
who believe that the influence and support given by the family may directly affect the behaviour of students
in school and their achievements. It is very important, especially, at the secondary level that parents'
attitudes toward school and learning dramatically affects students' feeling and behaviour. That is why the
work with parents was one of the important parts of the experiment.
The logic of the pedagogical work of the enrichment of secondary students' learning styles, as the
crutial factor in the improving of learning achievements, was shown in the research. Were identified
secondary students' preferable forms of work, preferable activities, tools, approaches, materials and
tasks during learning. The theoretically grounded model, based on the criteria of the relationship
among a secondary student's learning style and achievements in the process of foreign language
learning, worked out by the author, was used in the experiment. The process of experimental foreign
language learning according to the methods, and the set of variative language learning tasks,
created by the author, based on a secondary student's awareness of his/her learning style and the
relationship of own learning style and achievements, were described and analyzed in the
research. Secondary students were shown the diferences and characteristic features of global and
analytic learning styles many times, they were asked to identify their learning style by themselves.
Secondary students in the experimental group were perceived new information through the primary
sensory canals, then it was reinforced through their secondary sensory canals. Were developed the
social and emotional components of secondary students' learning styles, their secondary sensory
canal of perception, secondary students enriched their learning styles, by means of exchanging their
learning experiences, adopting the peers' approaches As a result, secondary students' motivation,
persistence, responsibility, the attitudes to a learning task structure, to school, to the English language,
to the English-speaking society, its history and culture, the learning achievements, were significantly
improved.
Table 6. The indices of the secondary students' middle level of the English language proficiency, motivation,
attitudes to school, the English language, the English-speaking communities, its history and culture, in
the experimental group at the final stage of the experiment.
Table 7. The indices of the secondary students middle level of the English language proficiency, motivation,
attitudes to school, the English language, the English-speaking communities, its history and culture, in the
control group at the final stage of the experiment.
Conclusions
1. Managing foreign language learning according to a secondary student's learning style gives the
possibility to perceive new information through the primary sensory canal, then deliberately reinforce
it through the secondary sensory canals, thus improving a secondary student's achievements in
foreign language learning. The research allows to conclude that the enrichment of a second ary
student's learning style is the key factor for the effective foreign language learning. lt could be
achieved by developing the secondary sensory canals, adapting to the learning environment,
developing the emotional and social factors of learning style , exchanging the experiences, adopting
the components of peers' learning styles and more productive approaches to implementing foreign
language learning tasks, changing the attitude to the structure of a learning task developing the
tendency to choose creative unstructured tasks.
2. The effective foreign language learning according to the variative learning programs, using the
produced recommendations, which increase a secondary student's responsibility for his/her learning,
gives the possibility to choose freely the creative approach to learning according to individual
learning style, to recognize achievements in own learning activities, and in that way to actualize
her/his creative potential.
3. The following pedagogical tools and conditions, based on the criteria, indices and the model of the
relationship among a secondary student's learning style and achievements, produced in the
research, were determined theoretically and probated experimentally;
• a secondary student, perceiving foreign language as the value, develops the positive attitude
to the history and culture of the foreign language-speaking society;
• the meaningful foreign language learning and the common intellectual goal of a learning
group develop and deepen the process of foreign language learning, a learner implements
any possibility to use foreign language in and out the classroom;
• the possibility to self-direct, control, and recognize responsibility for own learning, includes
the choice of different materials, methods, the choice and the implementation of variative
learning tasks according to individual learning style, a learner prefers unstructured creative
learning tasks, freely communicates to peers and a teacher;
• a secondary student has the possibility to develop different information perception skills, to
develop and recognize completely own learning style, and the relationship among his/her
learning style and achievements in foreign language learning;
• persistence to accomplish learning tasks is significant for a secondary student's self actualization;
• the stimulating factors of learning style -motivation, responsibility for own learning,
persistence and the recognition of the structure of a learning task - stipulate secondary
student's learning achievements;
• a secondary student's hometask, compiled and accomplished according to his/her learning
style, supported by parents and a teacher, influences effectively foreign language learning.
4. Perceiving new information according to individual learning style, at first perceiving it through the
primary sensory canal, then deliberately reinforcing it through the secondary sensory canal,
stipulates the effective relationship among a secondary student's learning style and
achievements in foreign language learning.
5. The worked-out model and criteria ensure the adaptation of a teacher and a learner's learning
style in foreign language learning, in that way improving achievements in foreign language
learning.
6. Self-directed learning with the choice of different materials, methods, the variative choice and
accomplishment of a learning task, recognizing foreign language learning as the value, the
positive attitude to the history and culture of the foreign language-speaking society, ensure the
improvement of achievements in foreign language learning.
7. The stimulating factors of learning style-motivation, responsibility for own learning, persistence
and awareness of the structure of a learning task-ensure a secondary student's achievements in
foreign language learning.
The theses defined:
1.Perceiving new information according to a secondary student's individual learning style, at first
perceiving it through the primary sensory canal, then deliberately reinforcing it through the
secondary sensory canal, stipulates the effective relationship among a secondary student's
learning style and achievements in foreign language learning.
2.The worked-out model and criteria bring in correspondence a teacher's style with a secondary
student's learning style in that way improving achievements in foreign language learning.
3.Self-directed learning, recognizing foreign language learning as the value, and the positive attitude to
the history, culture of the foreign language-speaking society, ensure the improvement of achievements
in foreign language learning.
4.The stimulating factors of learning style-motivation, responsibility for own learning, persistence
and awareness of the structure of a learning task-ensure a secondary student's achievements in
foreign language learning.
Author publications :
Pētījuma rezultāti publicēti vispāratzītos recenzējamos izdevumos:
1.2000. Understanding Schoolchildren's Learning Styles. // RPIVA, Starptautiskās konferences
"Children Education for Democratic Society" materiāli. Rīga:lzglītības Soļi, 33.-39, ISBN 9984-712-00-1.
2.2000. The Interdependence Among Learning and Teaching Styles in Regular Classrooms. // Pedagoģija :
Teorija un prakse. Rakstu krājums.LPA. Liepāja:LiePA, 56.-68., ISBN 9984-654-82-6.
3.2001. The Interdependence Among Secondary Students' Learning Styles and Motivation in Regular
Classrooms. // The University of Ostrava, Czech Republic, The proceeding of the IX Scientific Conference.
Ostrava:REPRONIS, 71.- 77., ISBN:80-7042-189-4.
4.2001. The Influence of the Left/Right Hemispheres on Secondary Students' Learning Styles in the
Process of Learning. // The University of Kaunas, Research Papers. Starptautiskās konferences
"Current Issues of Cultural and Spiritual Development" materiāli.
Kaunas:Academija, 248. - 254., ISBN 9955-448-07-5.
5.2002. The Influence of the Gender Factor on Secondary Students' Learning Styles. //The University of
Kaunas, The Centre of Foreign Languages. Starptautiskās konferences "Modern Languages in the
Knowledge Society" materiāli.The Scientific Journal" Studies About the Languages" N 2, Kaunas:
Technologija, 63. - 70., ISBN 1648-2824.
6.2002. Teaching Secondary Students Through Their Learning Styles and Humanistic Approaches //
The University of Tartu, Starptautiskās konferences" Curriculum, Theory, Practice and Active Learning in
Changing Societies" materiāli.Tartu: Tartu University Press, 149. -160., ISBN 9985-4-0273-1.
7.2002. Language Learning in the Light of Learning Styles and Cognitive Styles Theories. //The University
of Kaunas, Centre of Foreign Languages. Starptautiska zinātniskā publikācija. The Scientific Journal "
Studies About the Languages" N 3, Kaunas:Technologija, 82. - 87 (divas slejas lappusē)., ISSN 16482824.
8.2002. Transformative Learning in the Light of learning Styles' Theory// ATEE Spring University,
Starptautiskās konferences "Decade of Reform Achievements, challenge, Problems" materiāli. Rīga:
Izglītības Soļi 410-419. ISBN 9984-712-20-6.
9. 2003. The Relationship Among A Secondary Student's Learning Style and Achievements in the Light of
Multiple Intelligence Theory. // The University of Kaunas, Starptautiskas konferences "Spiritual Values in the
Knowledge Society" materiāli. Research papers. Kaunas : Akademija, 306.-310 (divas slejas lappuse).,
ISBN 9955-448-20-2.
Public presentations:
1. 2000. Understanding Schoolchildren's Learning Styles.ll. RPIVA.Starptautiska konference "Children
Education for Democratic Society". Rīga, 2000, decembris..
2. 2001.
Learning
Styles
LU PPI, Rīga. 2001,maijs.
and
Gender
Differences.Starptautiskie
3. 2001
The
Interdependence
Among
Learning
and
Teaching
Classrooms. Starptautiska konference "Pedagogical Innovations of
LPA, Liepāja. 2001, maijs.
zinātniskie
lasījumi.
Styles
in
Regular
Teacher Education".
4. 2001. The Interdependence Among Secondary Students' Learning Styles and Motivation in Regular
Classrooms. IX. Starptautiska konference "New Possibilities in Education and Pedagogical Research".
Ostravas universitāte. Ostrava, Čehu Repubika. 2001, jūnijs.
5. 2001 The Interdependance Between Learning Style and Learning Environment in Regular
Classrooms"The VI. IARTEM Starptautiska konference "Learning and Educational Media". Tartu,
2001. septembris.
6. 2001. Learning Styles: The Invisible Model of Learners' Differences.Starptautiska konference "Education
and Ideals". Tartu Universitāte, 2001, novembris.
7. 2001. The Influence of the Left \ Right Hemispheres of Secondary Students on their Learning Styles in the
Process of Learning". V. Starptautiska konference "Current Issues of Cultural and Spiritual Development".
Kauņas Universitāte, 2001, novembris.
8. 2002. A Cognitive Approach to the Secondary Students' Development Through Their Learning
Styles". Starptautiska konference 'Traditions and Innovations in Sustainable Development of
Society". RA, Rēzekne. 2002, marts.
9. 2002. Learning and Transfer in the Light of Learning Styles Theory. Starptautiska konference.
Theory and Practice in Teacher Education". RPIVA, Riga, 2002, marts.
10.2002. Transformative Learning in the Light of Learning Styles Theory. ATEE Spring University,
Starptautiska konference "Changing Education in a Changing Society". Rīga, 2002, maijs.
11.2002. The Influence of the Gender Factor on Secondary Students' Learning Styles. Starptautiska
konference "Modern Languages in the Knowledge Society". Kauņas Universitāte, 2002, jūnijs.
12.2002. Teaching Secondary Students Through Their Learning Styles, Humanistic and Constructivist
Approaches". Starptautiska konference "Curriculum Theory, Practice and Active Learning in
Changing Societies". Tartu, 2002, septembris.
13.2O02.The Constructivist Approach to Education in the Light of Learning Styles Theory. Starptautiska
konference "Lifelong Learning-A Challenge for All". LU, Rīga, 2002, novembris.
14.2003. The Relationship Among the Cognitive Component of a Secondary Student's Learning Style
and Academic Achievements in Language Learning. V. ATEE Spring University, Starptautiska
konference "Changing Education in a Changing Society". LU, Rīga, 2003, maijs.
15. 2003. The Relationship Among Secondary Students' Learning Styles and Achievements in Foreign
Language Learning in the Light of Multiple Intelligence Theory. VI. Starptautiska konference
"Spiritual Values in the Knowledge Society". Kauņas Universitāte, 2003, jūnijs.