EXPERIENCES

Experiences

Experiences

Learning is “the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience” (Kolb, 1984: 38). Learning is affected by LS whereas in the case of students who are able to employ multiply learning styles learning outcome is higher (Felder 1995; Reid 1987; Claxton and Murell 1985; Elison 1995). Since the learning styles play crucial role in the learning process, educators should not neglect the problem of addressing it. Once lecturers become aware that different students learn differently they will determine students LS and accommodate them.

In addition a learning style refers to an individual's natural, habitual, and preferred ways of absorbing, processing, and retaining new information and skills which persist regardless of teaching methods or content area. Everyone has a learning style, but each person's is as unique as a signature. Each signature appears to be influenced by both nature and nurture; it is a biological and developmental set of characteristics…Because a learning style involves perception, cognition, conceptualization, affect, and behavior, it is understandable that various learning-style models and definitions exist (Kinsella 1995, p.171).

Perceptual Learning Style Preference (PLSP)

According to Felder (1996), how much students learn in the class is determined partially by the students' ability and prior preparation, and the capability of his or her learning style and the lecturers teaching style. Many researchers have stated that effective teaching is the main predictor of students' success. In the past, most educators were advocating that students, not teachers, are the central factors in academic success and many would argue teachers play great role in students' academic performance.

In her article 'School reform at the crossroads: Confronting central issue of teaching' Darling-Hammond (1997) argues teacher education program must be redesigned to prepare teachers to provide diverse learners with different teaching strategies. Lecturers are not aware of their own learning styles and that their learning style preferences may differ from their students learning style preferences. The teachers also cannot assess learning styles of the students without administering proper learning styles inventory. Since very little attention has been paid to how learners learn and how teachers teach in many institutions the main problem this research attempts to answer is the importance of determining the learning styles of the students, and differences in learning styles of the students regarding their gender and ethnicity. It is to determine the Perceptual Learning Style (PLS) of ESL students.

It also aims to analyze differences in learning styles regarding student's demographic factors such as gender and race. The research is conducted in order to add to the body of existing knowledge on learning styles and its' importance for the students as well as for the lecturers. Therefore, this research will shed some light and provide meaningful suggestions for overcoming the problems that may arise regarding the learning styles of students and how to accommodate different learners in ESL classroom. To realize the importance in determining students learning style, and try to accommodate those learning styles in the classrooms, students should complete a learning style instrument early in the ...