Correlation between learning style and language learning strategy and motivation in ESL classrooms

Heah, Joo Peng (2019) Correlation between learning style and language learning strategy and motivation in ESL classrooms. Final Year Project, UTAR.

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Abstract

The present study is designed to identify the preferred learning styles and language learning strategies among the university level students from Univesity Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kampar, Perak. The effort put on this research is to investigate the three research questions: (a) what are the the learning style and language learning strategy preferences among the students from tertiary level, (b) is there any relationship exists between learning styles and language learning strategies, and (c) whether there is an effect of the choice of language learning strategies on the students’ language learning motivation. As responses to the answers, 120 students were involved though the purposive sampling and they are required to answer the two questionnaires: PLSPQ and SILL questionnaire to explore the learning style and language learning strategy of the students respectively. Besides, as the second part of this study which is to answer the third questions, semi-structured interview is the way to collect the qualitative data to examine the effect of language learning strategies on the students’ motivation. The result revealed that kinaesthetic and tactile learning style is most preferred by the respondents while the cognitive strategies are in high use among them. Additionally, the result presented the positive relationship between visual with affective, auditory with metacognitive and affective, kinaesthetic with compensation, tactile with cognitive, and finally group with social. For the qualitative part, motivation was viewed based on the framework proposed by Deci and Ryan in 1985 which called self-determination theory and the result concluded the effect of affective, cognitive, and metacognitive strategies on intrinsic motivation. Other than that, the students were extrinsically motivated as the consequence of using memory, compensation, and social strategies.

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