The Difference between EFL Students’ Preferred Learning Styles and EFL Teachers’ Preferred Teaching Styles in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study investigated the difference between EFL students’ preferred learning styles (PLS) and EFL teachers’ preferred teaching styles (PTS) in Saudi Arabia. The participants in this study were 130 EFL students and 102 EFL teachers. Felder and Silverman’s learning/teaching style model was employed to identify students’ learning styles as well as teachers’ teaching styles. The study’s results revealed that EFL students preferred the sensing, visual, active, and sequential learning styles. It was also found that EFL teachers preferred the abstract, verbal, passive, and global teaching styles. The study revealed a statistically significant difference between students’ learning styles and teachers’ teaching styles. These results showed that there was a mismatch between students’ PLS and teachers’ PTS and recommendations were proposed to bridge this gap.