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

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