Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES AND LITERATURE

This chapter presents a review of related literature and studies relevant to the present

study. Local and national publications, journals, thesis and dissertations of different universities

and institutions where included to further enrich the study. Some foreign studies from the

internet where also reviewed.

Related Literature

Bandler ad Grinder (2008) stated that auditory learners solved problems by talking

about them. Thus, group discussion will be a good teaching and learning activity to this kind of

learner.

Conner (2006) stated that as with any behavioural model, learning style is a guide not as

a strict set of rules. Nevertheless, most people clearly exhibit strong preference for a given

learning style. The ability to use or switch between different styles is not one, that we should

assume, comes easily or naturally to many people. Simply, people, who have a clear learning

style preference for whatever reason, will tend to learn more effectively if learning is oriented

according to their preference.

According to Dunn and Dunn (2006), students are not failing because of the curriculum.

Students can learn any subject matter when they are taught with methods and approaches

responsive to their learning strengths. In addition, there is a genuine effort to first understand

individual needs.
 Chye (2006), drawing from the world renowned Professor Martin Selignam’s research

on learned helplessness and explanatory style, proposed that the blending of learning styles

and resilience training in selected programs, prefigure a most promising strategy for educators

who wish to go beyond ‘what’ to ‘how’.

Gerona (2005) stated that the pedagogical style has the capacity to inspire people,

Miller (2004) stated that learning style is the way one prefers to learn. It does not have

anything to do with how intelligent the person is or what skills he/she has learned. It has to do

with how the brain works most efficiently to learn new information. Learning style has been

with anyone since he/she was born, and thus maximize the potentials of human resources. it

encourages teachers to exercise their professionalism in all their responsibilities and focused on

each learners. This specialized approach is in accordance with the different learning and

intellectual growth of learners.

Related Study

According to Elizabeth Montemayor, MA, Maria C. Aplaten, MA, Glena C. Mendoza,

M.A., and Gemma M. Perey, M.A (2009) that “Results of the study revealed that no significant

difference exists in the learning styles between the low achieving and high achieving students.

Since the students do not vary in terms of their learning style when compared according to

level of academic performance, it is recommended that teachers, whenever possible, must

incorporate in their teaching strategies specific methods that are reflective of visual, auditory,

tactile, and kinesthetic styles of learning. Students must also provide input as to their preferred

learning style in designing the syllabus to be used by the teacher in the course.”
Smoak (2007) determined the incorporation of learning styles and multiple intelligence theory

into the classroom had little discernable effect on either student attitudes or achievement. The

teacher/instructor did, however, find this information valuable as it helped to individualize

instruction and increase understanding of student thought processes.

Pagao (2007) determined the learning style, study habits and attitudes of fourth year

students of Rangas Ramon National High School S/Y 2007-2008 in relation to their performance

in English IV. Findings revealed that there was a significant relationship between the students’

performance in English IV and their styles in terms of using physical senses and in dealing with

people. However, it was found out that there was no significant relationship between the

students’ performance and their learning styles and handling possibilities, approaching tasks

and in dealing with ideas. It was recommended that the use of teaching approaches and

techniques may be matched with the learning styles of the students. This study also

investigated learning styles and their correlation with other variables.

Madela (2006) determined the predominant learning styles among the high school

students of CSSAC, Calabanga. It looked into the differences in learning styles. Curriculum

materials were developed and proposed to satisfy the varying learning needs of high school

students. Her study revealed that the students had varied learning styles where most of them

were identified as visual and auditory. on the other hand, some had combination of learning

styles.

Taxici (2005) on the study Learner’s Learning Styles found out that learning style

influence individuals’ motivation in learning, that when learners and teachers do not choose
the appropriate activities and techniques that match their learning styles, their performance is

affected that the students learn better when they choose the appropriate activities on their

preferences. The present study also dealt with learning styles and its effect on the learning of

the students.

Synthesis of the State-of-the-Art

The related literatures discussed learning styles and other topics crucial to student’s

academic performance. Student’s learning styles have more influence than you may realize.

Your preferred styles guide the way you learn. They also change the way you internally

represent experiences, the way you recall information, and even the words you choose.

The related studies reviewed gave importance and appreciation to the learning style

preferences of the students. They found out that there is a relationship between the learning

styles to the performance of the students. They also found out that varied teaching techniques

can be used to match students’ learning style like using workbook.

Gap Bridge of the Study

The present study focused on the effect of learning style to the performance of the

students in Math 1 (Fundamentals of Mathematics) of the College of Education of CBSUA-

Calabanga. This is the gap that the researchers hoped to bridge.

Theoretical Paradigm

Auditory learners often talk to themselves. They also may move their lips and

read out loud. They may have difficulty with reading and writing tasks. They often do

better talking to a colleague or a tape recorder and hearing what was said.

Visual learners have two sub-channels—linguistic and spatial. Learners who are

visual-linguistic like to learn through written language, such as reading and writing

tasks. They remember what has been written down, even if they do not read it more

than once. They like to write down directions and pay better attention to lectures if

they watch them. Learners who are visual-spatial usually have difficulty with the

written language and do better with charts, demonstrations, videos, and other visual

materials.

Kinesthetic learners do best while touching and moving. It also has two sub -

channels: kinesthetic (movement) and tactile (touch). They tend to lose concentration

if there is little or no external stimulation or movement. When listening to lectures

they may want to take notes for the sake of moving their hands. When reading, they

like to scan the material first, and then focus in on the details (get the big picture

first). They typically use color high lighters and take notes by drawing pictures,

diagrams, or doodling.

Learners use all three modalities to receive and learn new information and

experiences. According to the theories presented, one or two of these receiving styles

is normally dominant. This dominant style defines the best way for a person to learn
new information by filtering what is to be learned. This style may not always to be the

same for some tasks. The learner may prefer one style of learning for one task, and a

combination of others for a different task. Thus, we need to present information using

all three styles. This allows all learners the opportunity to become involved, no

matter what their preferred style may be.

This theories work well in this study because students in CBSUA -Calabanga

were exposed to all the learning styles.

Conceptual Framework

Figure 2 shows the conceptual framework of the study, the input, process and the

output.

Input – the input are the learning styles of the first year students of Mathematics I. Also

the performance of the students in Mathematics I based on their final grades.

Process – the data gathering through questionnaire and documentary analysis used to

determine the learning styles of the students.

Output – the result of the statistical treatment will be the intervention to improve the

performance of the students in Mathematics I.

Notes

Dr. Richard Brandler and Dr. John Grinder. in the field of nuero-linguistic Programming

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/methodology/learning_style.shtml

Marcia L. Conner, “Introduction to Learning Style.”

http://www.agelesslearner.com/intros//style.info.htm.2006

Prof. Rita Dunn and Dr. Kenneth Dunn, “Improving Quality in Educational System.” The

first International Learning Styles Leadership Conference, Baguio City, Philippines, (2006).

Teo Yew Chye, “Creative School Leadership: Reframing Your Mind And Memory for

Success,” International Learning Style Network, (2006)

Katcheri V. Gerona, Pedagogical Leadership of Values Understanding, (Phil.: Center for

Learning and Teaching Styles 2005)

Elizabeth Montemayor, Maria C. Aplaten, Glena C. Mendoza, and Gemma M. Perey,” Learning

Styles of High And Low Academic Achieving Freshman Teacher Education Students: An

Application of The Dunn and Dunn’s Learning Style Model,“ (A Dissertation Presented to the

Graduate School of the University of the Cordilleras Baguio City, 2009)

Ann B. Smoak, “The Effects of Incorporating Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences in

a Language Arts/Mathematics Classroom for Returning Dropouts,” (Unpublished Master’s

Thesis, Columbia State College, 2007).

 Wenna P. Pagao, “Learning Styles, Study Habits and Attitudes In Relation to the Students

Performance in English IV,” (Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Partido State University, 2007).

Helen L. Madela, “Brain Dominance and Learning Style of High School Students,”

(Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Bicol University Graduate School Legaspi City, 2006)