EMBRACING THE DIFFERENT LEARNER STYLES
IN THE EFL CURRICULUM
Laureen Rabbe and Gail Shuster-Bouskila
EFL Material
Title and source
Israeli Curriculum
Domain
& Benchmarks
Learner Styles
Learning Strategy
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Burke Guild, P. “Where Do the Learning Theories Overlap?” Educational
Leadership. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, (Sept. 1997).
Cohen, A. D. Strategies in Learning and Using a Second Language. New York:
Addison Wesley Longman Inc. 1998
Ehrman, M. E. Understanding Second Language Learning Difficulties. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1996.
Scarcella, R. C. and Oxford, R. L. The Tapestry of Language Learning. Boston:
Heinle & Heinle Publishers, 1992.
Silver, H., Strong, R., and Perini, M. “Integrating learning styles and multiple
intelligences” Educational Leadership. Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development (Sept. 1997).
RELEVANT WEB SITES
Ways to Help the Learner Succeed with Listening Comprehension
http://www.w-angle.galil.k12.il/red/etninews/issue3/feature5.html
Personal Learning Style Inventory http://www.howtolearn.com/personal.html
What is Learner Autonomy and How Can It Be Fostered?
http://www.aitech.ac.jp/~iteslj/Articles/Thanasoulas-Autonomy.html
(see section 4. Conditions for Learner Autonomy)
Maximizing Multiple Intelligences Through Multimedia
http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/oct00/martin&burnette.htm
ETAI 2001
ETAI 01.doc
EMBRACING THE DIFFERENT LEARNER STYLES
IN THE EFL CURRICULUM
Laureen Rabbe and Gail Shuster-Bouskila
Language learning styles are the general approaches students use to learn a
new language. These are the same styles they employ in learning many other
subjects and solving various problems. ... four central dimensions of language
learning styles: the analytic-global aspect, sensory preferences, intuitionsensory/sequential learning, and the orientation toward closure or openness.
(Oxford and Scarcella, 1992)
LEARNER STYLES
adapted from Oxford, R. and Scarcella, R. 1992
1. Analytic-Global - the difference between students focusing on the details and those
focusing on the main idea or big picture.
2. Sensory preferences - visual, auditory, and hands-on (a combination of kinesthetic
or movement -oriented and tactile or touch-oriented) learning channels that the
student is most comfortable with.
3. Intuitive/Random and Sensory/Sequential Learning - teaching students who
want lessons to be “fast and random” since they are bored by step-by-step learning
and those who need “a slower, more organized presentation.”
4. Orientation to Closure - how much the student needs clarity, such as concise
directions, grammar rules or closure in activities; some students have more ability to
deal with less structured activities and less traditional classroom settings.
ETAI 2001
EMBRACING THE DIFFERENT LEARNER STYLES
IN THE EFL CURRICULUM
Laureen Rabbe and Gail Shuster-Bouskila
STYLES & STRATEGIES CHECKLIST
Learner Styles (Oxford, 1990)
Check appropriate style or styles / keep track of inclusion in lesson
____ Global
____ Kinesthetic
____ Analytical
____ Auditory
____ Intuitive/Random
____ Visual
____ Sensory/Sequential
____ Closure-oriented
____ Open-oriented
Language Learning Strategies (Oxford, 1990)
Circle appropriate strategies / keep track of inclusion in lesson
Direct Memory:
a. Creating mental linkages
b. Applying images and sounds
c. Reviewing well
d. Employing action
Cognitive:
a. Practicing
b. Receiving and sending messages
c. Analyzing and reasoning
d. Creating structure for input and output
Compensation:
a. Guessing intelligently
b. Overcoming limitations in speaking and writing
Indirect Metacognitive:
a. Centering your learning
b. Arranging and planning your learning
c. Evaluating your learning
Affective:
a. Lowering your anxiety
b. Encouraging yourself
c. Taking your emotional temperature
Social:
a. Asking questions
b. Cooperating with others
c. Empathizing with others
ETAI 2001
EMBRACING THE DIFFERENT LEARNER STYLES
IN THE EFL CURRICULUM
Laureen Rabbe and Gail Shuster-Bouskila
Our analysis of material presented:
EFL Material
Title and
source
Israeli Curriculum
Domain
& Benchmarks
Learner Styles
Learning Strategy
LEVEL
Nick’s Life
Access to information
Analytic, Visual,
Sensory/
Sequential
Openoriented
Cognitive
-reasoning deductively
-analyzing expressions
Compensation
-guessing intelligently
-using linguistic and
other clues
Metacognitive
-linking with already
known material
Social
-cooperating with others
Cognitive:
-practicing naturally
Compensation:
-guessing intelligently
Metacognitive:
-linking with already
known material
In Contact 2
strip story
Understand the main
ideas and significant
details of a text
ScottForesman
Use knowledge of
simple grammatical
structures
Intermediate
level
AEROBICS
Access to information
Learning to
Listen Listening
to Learn
Unit 1, listening
activity
Use knowledge of
complex grammatical
structures
Open University of
Israel Press
Analytical, Global,
Auditory, Visual,
Kinesthetic
Intuitive/
Random,
Openoriented &
Closureoriented
Proficiency
Level
Analytical, Global,
Visual, Intuitive/
Cope with information Random, ClosureCNN Newsroom that contains little or
oriented
no
redundancy
Video clip
TOY
INDUSTRY
Access to information
Proficiency
Level
ETAI 2001
Cognitive:
-reasoning deductively
Compensation:
-guessing intelligently
-using linguistic and
other clues
Affective:
-lowering anxiety