An Analysis of One Learning Styles Instrument for Language Students

Abstract

Research on learning styles focuses on how students prefer to learn. This study tested the reliability and validity of the authors' newly developed Learning Styles Indicator and explored whether reliability and validity hold true across a population of native speakers (NS) and non-native speakers (NNS) of English. This new Learning Styles Indicator was used to investigate the learning style preferences of three groups of language learners: English as a second language (ESL) students, freshman English composition students, and foreign language (FL) students. The data reveal clear learning style preferences for each of the three groups of learners. The results have classroom implications for ESL teachers, foreign language teachers, and freshman composition teachers.