Crosscultural differences in learning styles of secondary English learners

Bilingual Research Journal, Summer 2002 by Park, Clara C

Abstract

This study investigated the learning styles of English learners (Armenian, Hmong, Korean, Mexican, and Vietnamese) in secondary schools. For statistical analyses a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and post hoc multiple comparisons of means tests (Scheffe tests) were used. A sample of 857 cases collected from 20 high schools in California found significant ethnic group differences as well as achievement level differences in basic learning style preferences. Students in this study favored a variety of instructional strategies. They exhibited either major or minor preferences for all four basic perceptual learning styles but significant ethnic group differences in preferences for group and individual learning. All students exhibited either major or minor preferences for kinesthetic or tactile learning. Hmong, Mexican, and Vietnamese students preferred group learning while Armenian and Korean students did not. However, all five ethnic groups (Armenian, Hmong, Korean, Mexican, and Vietnamese) showed either major or minor preferences for visual learning. In addition, middle and high achievers were more visual than low achievers; high and middle achievers preferred individual learning but low achievers did not; and newcomers exhibited much greater preference for individual learning than those who had been longer in the United States

Learning styles are broadly described as "cognitive, affective, and physiological traits that are relatively stable indicators of how learners perceive, interact with, and respond to the learning environment" (Keefe, 1979, p. 4). More specifically, style refers to a pervasive quality in the learning strategies or the learning behavior of an individual, "a quality that persists though content may change" (Fischer & Fischer, 1979, p. 245). Also, learning style is a biological and developmental set of personal characteristics that makes the identical instruction effective for some students and ineffective for others (Dunn & Dunn, 1993, p. 5). Dunn and Dunn (1979) found that only 20 to 30 percent of the school-age children they studied were auditory learners, that 40 percent of the students they studied were visual, and that the remaining 30 to 40 percent were tactile and kinesthetic, visual and tactile, or some other combination.

Research has identified cultural differences in the learning styles of various ethnic groups. Park (1997a) conducted a comparative study of Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Vietnamese, and Anglo students in secondary schools and concluded that Korean, Chinese, and Filipino students were more visual than Anglos and that Korean, Chinese, and Anglo students showed negative preferences for group learning while Vietnamese showed a major preference and Filipino students showed a minor preference. Similarly, in their research with students of diverse backgrounds, Ramirez and Castaneda (1974) discovered that European American students tended to be the most field-independent learners, while Mexican American, American Indian, and African American students tended to be field sensitive (dependent), with Mexican Americans the most field-sensitive. The former tended to learn best in situations that emphasized analytic tasks and with materials void of a social context whereas field-dependent learners tended to learn best in highly social settings. These learners were likely to do best with materials that had human, social content and in situations guided by a teacher and in cooperation with other learners. These studies, thus, reveal significant ethnic group differences in students' learning styles.

Reid's (1987) comparative study of college students learning English as a second language (ESL) reported significant cultural differences in visual, auditory, kinesthetic, tactile, group, and individual learning styles among Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Malay, Arab, and Spanish students. She found that college ESL students strongly preferred kinesthetic and tactile learning and that most groups showed a negative preference for group learning. She also found that students who had been in the United States for more than three years were significantly more auditory in their learning style preferences than those who had been in the United States for shorter periods of time. The means for the learning style preference of those who had lived and studied in the United States the longest most closely resembled the means for the preference of native speakers of English. In addition, Korean students were the most visual in their learning style preferences and were significantly more visual than the U.S. and Japanese students. Chinese and Arab students were strong visual learners. Japanese students were the least auditory of all learners and were significantly less auditory than Chinese and Arab Americans both of whom expressed a strong preference for auditory learning. English speakers rated group work lower than all other language groups and significantly lower than Malay speakers. Reid's findings clearly showed significant implications for ESL instruction at the college level.