Learning styles of educationally disadvantaged grade 8 learners in Alice District: Implications for teaching English as first additional language.
Caga, Ntombekhaya Princess
Caga, Ntombekhaya Princess
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Abstract
This study was conducted in selected Senior Secondary Schools in Alice District in the Eastern Cape Province with the following purposes: (1) to understand the styles of learning English as First Additional Language (L2) of Grade 8 ‘educationally-disadvantaged’ learners, and the teaching styles used by their teachers; (2) to examine the extent to which teachers’ teaching styles are congruent to the learners’ learning styles; and, (3) to understand how knowledge of these learning styles could contribute to upgrading the pedagogical knowledge base of teachers about learning styles, and find new English (L2) teaching styles, to enable learners to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to become more proficient in the English language. The respondents included 110 Grade 8 English learners from two schools, and two teachers of English. The data were collected through the use of classroom work style survey, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that there is a mismatch between teachers’ teaching styles, and learners’ learning styles. Most learners observed in both schools were found to be ‘visual’, and seemed not to prefer verbal, or linguistic, learning styles. However, teaching styles used by the teachers seemed, to a large extent, to be based in 'talk-and-chalk' in the plenary grouping, a teacher centered and book-centered approach, grammar-translation method, and an emphasis on rote memory learning. This study, therefore, recommends that English second language teachers should accommodate learners’ learning styles. They should diversify their teaching styles, to meet learners’ needs and classroom activity preferences. For example, ‘visual’ learners should be exposed to the English language through the use of audio-visual resources. The additional language classroom should be print-rich, to cater for compound learning style learners. They should provide activities with different groupings. The researcher believes that an understanding of learners’ learning styles can help teachers to bridge the perceived mismatch confronting both educationally disadvantaged learners, and their teachers. It also has the potential to free teachers from methodological dogmatism, and cultural stereotypes, and help them look for alternatives that blend the best practices in English L2 learning and teaching processes. Keywords: English first additional language, educationally-disadvantaged, learning styles, teaching styles, teaching approaches.
Description
Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Magister Technologiae: Language practice in the Department of Applied Languages Faculty of Humanities.
Date
2014-09-01
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Tshwane University of Technology
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Keywords
Learning Styles, Educational Disadvantage, Grade 8 Learners, Alice District, English As First Additional Language (FAL)