Exploring the Current EFL Teaching Practices Vis-a.-vis Students' Learning Styles: Grade 8 in Focus
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Date
2011-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The study was conducted to explore the current EFL teaching practices visa-
vis students' learning styles. Many factors influence students'
achievement at all level. Learning styles of the students are as well one of
the many factors that need to be considered when teaching EFL students.
This is because the required outcome may not be achieved when a student
has a learning style that differs from the instructional practices of the
teachers. Thus, the study aimed at investigating whether or not the EFL
teaching practices address students' learning styles.
This study was carried out at Adama town, particularly in Adama Number
4 and Burica Boku Elementary Schools. One hundred (lOO) grade eight
students and seven grade eight English language teachers from selected
schools participated in this study. To arrive at the res ults, descriptive
research method was employed. A questionnaire, observation and
interview were used as tools of data collection. The data collected were
analyzed using frequency, percentage, and mean. A qualitative analys is
was used for the data collected through interview.
From the analyzed data it was found out that students ' major learning
preferences were visual and global learning styles. Th eir minor learning
preferences were auditory and tactile (kinesthetic) learning preferences,
while they showed negative learning preferences towards analytical
learning style. With regard to the current EFL teaching practices, the
instructional practices favored auditory and analytical learners, and least
consideration was given to global and visual learners . Besides, the
teaching practices neglected the tactile (kinesthetic) learners .
Based on these findings, it was concluded that there was mismatch
between the students' learning styles and the cun'ent EFL teaching
practices. This implies that the problems could be aroused from lack of
giving ·attention to students' learning styles, lack of accommodating
different learning styles in the classroom teaching and inability to use
methods and teaching aids that cater for students ' different learning
styles.
Eventually, it was recommended that teacher trainers should adjust short
training programs that could help teachers be aware of students' learning
styles so that they can give greater attention and they can identify their
students' most significant and least significant learning styles to direct the
learning towards the preferred learning styles.
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Exploring the Current EFL Teaching Practices