Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1  Introduction

The chapter starts with the clarification of language learning styles in most schools. Next, the chapter will focus on the concerns that arise in language learning styles. After that, it shall explain the objectives of the planned research followed by research questions designed for this study. Then, the significance of the study will be discussed and key terms are defined. Last but not least, the limitations and the scope of the planned research will be discussed.

1.2  Background to the study

Teaching in modernized era have been extremely challenging with various external factors pressuring teachers. Standardized assessment performance and abundance of meeting along with overwhelming tasks (Botwinik, 2007) as cited in Roohi (2011) have been distracting teachers’ focus on giving students the best way to gain knowledge of new things. Fulfilling curriculum is mandatory to all teachers so that the ultimate goal of national education can be accomplished.

These external stressors are slowly replacing teachers’ main responsibility in school that is to accommodate to students’ need of learning. This mistaken prioritization will gradually affect students academically and emotionally towards learning. School priority has drifted away by putting students’ need aside. With the extra work at school, teachers would not be able to teach students according to their learning styles (Caillier, 2010) as cited in Roohi (2011).

There are various types of learning styles that may influence students’ level of motivation, and achievement.  As far as concern, the interest of researchers in finding out learning styles started since mid-1970s (Griffiths, 2012) as cited by Hatami, (2013). According to Reid (1984), there are four types of learning styles that is visual, auditory, kinaesthetic and tactile learning. Visual learners prefer to learn with the help of visual aids in order for them to process the information and keep it (Roohi, 2011) such as watching a demonstration or maybe watching a video.

Auditory learners on the other hand, are more likely to learn using their pair of ears by listening to lectures, songs or discussion. These learners prefer spoken materials for them to learn better. Some learners talk to themselves in the process of retaining new knowledge so that they are able to comprehend it better.

As for the kinaesthetic/tactile learners, they learn best when they use physical movements and touching things. Two sub-channels in these styles are kinaesthetic (movement) and tactile (touch). When listening to lectures, they may scribble on paper or take down notes just for the sake of moving their hands around. With this, they are able to process the information better.

However, it is also possible to see a student prefers to learn a task in multiple styles because sometimes new knowledge needs to be learnt in theories (visual or auditory) and hands-on work (kinaesthetic). According to Stevenson and Dunn (2001) as cited in Tabatabaei and Mashayekhi (2012), learners are still able to retain new information even though there are mismatch between learning style and learning materials. Thus, some may refer to it as learning preferences rather than learning styles (Bazilah, 2011). Despite of few learning styles that can be adopted by a student, each learner will have a dominant learning style above all. Teachers should always consider learners’ learning styles because different approaches as to what learners prefer might affect learners’ motivation later on.

1.3  Statement of the Problem

Learning styles play an important role in determining students’ achievement. Some might prefer to learn by listening to lecture, some prefer visual aids and others might suitable learning new things by doing physical activities. Students’ achievement will be affected if improper learning styles are used.

All these three learning styles have big impact on students if they are not accommodated carefully. Students who are more to visual learning will have a hard time to grasp new information that is taught in tactile way. Not only that, students’ level of motivation might also decrease because of lack of interest in learning things in ways that are preferred by them. Understanding learners’ preferred way of studying will be able to increase learners’ motivation especially in language acquisition (Bazilah, 2011).

Unfortunately, not much research has been done in Malaysian context making language learning style in Malaysia is still unknown. There is a research performed by Nurul Bazilah in 2011 pertaining to this field however, the research only focused on ESL learners in university context. This is an excellent opportunity for this research to be completed so that language learning style of ESL learners in secondary school in Malaysia will be known.

As mentioned by Griggs (1991) in Tabatabaei and Mashayekhi (2012), accommodating to individual’s learning style may develop better attitudes towards learning and shall yield better result in academically, creativity and productivity. This proves to be a need to find out preferable learning styles by secondary school students and whether teachers are responsive towards these needs. This is because teachers’ adaptation of teaching styles according to learners’ learning preference will improve students’ attitude and motivation towards the subject. As teachers are made aware of the various types of learning styles and its influence towards students before they started teaching.

1.4  Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the proposed study are to find out:

1.      Language learning styles of ESL students in secondary school.

2.      The most preferred language learning styles of ESL students in secondary school.

3.      Whether teachers are aware of these preferences.

1.5  Research Questions

The research questions for the proposed study will be:

1.      To find out language learning styles of ESL students in secondary school.

2.      To investigate the most preferred language learning styles of ESL students in secondary school.

3.      To what extent teachers are aware of these preferences?

1.6  Significance of the Study

It is intended that the proposed study would be able to assist in creating awareness of students’ preferred language learning styles to teachers in schools. It is important for teachers to understand the preferred language learning styles so that they may accommodate to students’ need in getting new information as well as sustaining them. Using the information from the proposed study, teachers may develop necessary approaches to increase students’ interest and get them actively participate in learning process.

The proposed study may also provide better insights into the field of teaching so that related authorities such Ministry of Education could use the information gained by the planned study in designing suitable educational programme and approaches to students. In addition, future researchers shall utilize the findings for their research and also to help them further understand and research deeper in this topic.

1.7  Definition of the Terms

The title for the proposed study is “Investigating the Language Learning Styles of Malaysian ESL Learners in Secondary School: Are the Teachers Aware of These Preferences?”. According to Stewart, Kuehn and Felicetti (1996) as cited in Blashki and Isaias (2014), learning style is learning situations which a learner is most possible to gain knowledge. This is in correlation to definition from Dictionary.com (2014) where learning style is described as preferred method by learners in learning new information. It is not about what is being learnt but the best approach used in retaining knowledge.

ESL in an international abbreviation for English as a Second Language and is often used to describe learners who is non-native English speaker, Lewis (2014). Perceptual learning style is defined as the changes between students in optimizing one or more senses in grasping, understand and categorize experience, (Reid 1987:1989) as cited by Vasehi, Ramezani and Gholami, (2012). On the other hand, secondary school refers to high school after completing primary school and before going to college, The Free Dictionary (2014). In Malaysian context, secondary school is compulsory for students who have taken UPSR examination and aged of 13 until 17 years old before they go into higher education.

1.8  Scope and Limitations

The proposed study will be carried out in a selected school in a rural area in Malaysia. The data will be collected from upper secondary school that is four classes of form 4 students aged of 16 years old. The chosen school is a government based secondary school located in the rural area of Terengganu. The school currently has about 120 teachers and 800 students with the majority of Malay students with limited exposure to English Language.

1.9  Conclusion

In this chapter, enough information on the background to the study has been discussed and concerns regarding language learning styles among ESL students. Objectives and research questions have also been explained followed by significance of the study. The definition of key terms is discussed as well as scope and limitations of the study. Next chapter will talk about theoretical framework that will be used and also previous research significant to the study.