The relationship between learning styles and learners' preference for English language learning software activities

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to find the relationship between students’ learning style and their preferences of “Tell Me More” language learning software activities. The participants were 57 intermediate international IEC students at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). This study used Kolb Learning Style Inventory (KLSI) as an instrument to investigate participants’ learning styles which indicated that IEC students had different learning styles in which 12 are divergers, 12 are accommodators, 19 are assimilators and 14 are convergers. A “Tell Me More” activities preference questionnaire was distributed to find out 40 of the 57 participants’ preference of these activities (10 participants for each learning style). The results of this questionnaire were analysed according to their learning style to find out the relationship between the participants’ learning styles and preference for “Tell Me More” activities. The results were then triangulated using interview questions. Hence, this study reveals majority of the participants who are accommodators, convergers and divergers prefer the dialogue type of “Tell Me More” activities. In addition, the same number of participants who were divergers also liked activities which are “fill in the blanks”. On the other hand, majority of the participants who were assimilators, have a preference for the “the right word” type of “Tell Me More” activities. This study suggests considering the educational needs of learners in second or foreign English language courses based on the individual learning style.