DIEGO JESUS LOPEZ TASSARA

The motivational advantages provided by catering for learners specific

learning styles in the EFL classroom.

UNIVERSIDAD DE PIURA

FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS DE LA EDUCACIN

MSTER EN EDUCACIN
MENCIN EN ENSEANZA DE INGLS COMO LENGUA
EXTRANJERA
2014

APPROVAL

The thesis entitled, The motivational advantages provided by

catering for learners specific learning styles in the EFL classroom,
presented Diego Jess Lpez Tassara, in accordance with the
requirements of being awarded the degree of Master in Education with a
mention in Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language, was
approved by the thesis director: Dr. Majid Safadaran Mosazadeh, and
defended on -------- before a Jury with a following members

________________
President

_______________
Secretary

_______________
Informant

To all who love to teach.

INDEX
Introduction.

CHAPTER I: INVESTIGATION OUTLINES...

1.1.
Formulation of the problem ...
1.2.
Hypothesis

6
6
6

1.3.

1.4.
1.5.
1.6.

1.2.1. General Hypothesis..

1.2.2. Specific Hypothesis ....

6
6

Delimitation of the objectives..

1.3.1. General Objective of the study ..

1.3.2. Specific Objectives...

7
7

Justification of the investigation..

Limitations of the investigation...
Antecedents of the investigation..

7
8
9

CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL FRAMEWOR.

2.1.

Learning Styles definition .... 11

2.1.1 Characteristics ..
15
2.1.2. Aspects associated with learning styles ...
16
2.1.2. Sensory Preference ..
2.1.2.2. Personality types
2.2.2.3. Desired degree of generality ...
2.1.2.4. Biological differences .

17
18
20
20

2.2. Learning styles models

21

2.2.1. Reids model .

2.2.2. Perceptual learning style Preference model ...
2.2.3. Kolbs model
2.2.4. Mind styles model
2.2.5. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator...
2.2.6. Keirsey Temperament Sorter .
2.2.7. Felder and Silverman Learning Style Model
2.2.8. Gardners model ...

21
21
22
23
24
25
25
26

2.2.9. McCarthys model ...

2.2.10. The Dunn and Dunn learning-style model .
2.3. Multiple Intelligences
2.3.1. Definition of intelligence ..
2.3.2. The field of multiple Intelligence ..
2.3.3. Identifying learning Styles in the classroom .
2.3.4. How to work with MI.
2.3.5. Benefits ..
2.3.6. Cultural differences
2.4. Motivation as part of triggering learning styles ...
2.5. Applying learning strategies ..
2.5.1. Cognitive strategies ...
2.5.2. Mnemonic strategies .
2.5.3. Metacognitive strategies.
2.5.4. Affective strategies ...
2.5.5. Social strategies ..
2.6. Learning styles and metacognitivism ...
2.6.1. Influences on strategy choice

26
26
28
28
29
33
36
36
39
39
42
43
44
44
45
45
46
48

2.7. Assessing learning styles .

49

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY OF THE INVESTIGATION

51

3.1.
3.2.

Investigation type..
Design of investigation..

51
52

3.3.

Population and study simple .

53

a) Universe
b) Population
c) sample .
d) Individual

53
53
54
55

3.4. Variables .

56

3.5. Techniques and instruments for gathering data...

3.5.1. Survey and MI Questionnaire ..

57
57

3.5.2. Focus group ..

3.5.3. Class Observation ....
3.5.3.1. Class description ...

58
59
59

3.5.4 Instruments ..
3.5.4.1. Surveys
3.5.4.2. Focus group ...
3.5.4.3. Class observation ...

59
59
65
65

CHAPTER IV RESULTS .

68

4.1. Class observation

4.1.2. Phases of class observation ..
4.1.2.1. Choosing groups .
4.1.2.2. Selecting MI Questionnaire ...
4.1.2.3. Applying Questionnaire
..
4.1.2.4. Class observation

68
69
69
69
69
70

4.1.3. Control group

4.1.3.1. Learning styles targeted...
4.1.3.2. Results ...

70
71
72

4.1.4. Experimental group 72

4.1.4.1. Description of the class after finding our preferred
learning styles
. 73
4.1.4.2. Results . 76
4.1.5. Learners survey after class observation 76
4.1.5.1. Results ....
79
4.2. Survey and focus group ...
4.2.1. Description of teachers surveyed ....
4.2.2. Description of participants in the focus group ...
4.2.3. Description of how focus group was organized
4.2.3.1. Phases of focus group

89
89
91
91
91

4.3. Analysis of instruments .

92
4.3.1. Perception about the process of learning: when do students learn
best? ..
92
4.3.2. How to discover students learning style ...
96
4.3.3. Link to own learning styles and teaching strategies
98

4.3.4. Possibility to learn new learning styles .

4.3.5. Awareness of own learning styles .
4.3.6. Motivational aspect of targeting learning styles ..
4.3.7. What to do to target learning styles
4.3.8. Importance of knowing about learning styles ..

109
112
115
118
119

Conclusions and recommendations ...

121

Bibliography.

126

List of Appendices...

131