Auditory and kinaesthetic learning styles and L2 achievement: A correlational study

Authors

  • Maximeliana Masela Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana Jalan dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo 5-25 Yogyakarta 55224
  • Adaninggar Septi Subekti Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana Jalan dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo 5-25 Yogyakarta 55224

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22373/ej.v8i2.7529

Keywords:

Auditory learning style, kinaesthetic learning style, L2 achievement, correlation

Abstract

This study investigated undergraduate non-English major university students’ auditory and kinaesthetic learning styles and their relationships to second language (L2) achievement in English. It was conducted to resolve the conflicting findings in the literature on the directions and strength of the relationships between learners’ learning styles and their achievements and to investigate the field in relatively under-researched Indonesian participants. The study used a survey as the method of data collection and found out that learners used auditory slightly more dominantly from kinaesthetic, yet both learning styles were merely used at low to moderate levels. The study further found very weak and statistically not significant associations between these learning styles and L2 achievements, suggesting that contrary to various learning theories highlighting the importance of learners’ learning styles in L2 learning, these learning styles may not be an important determinant of L2 achievement. Based on the findings, possible future studies are suggested concerning the implications, contributions, and limitations of the study.

Author Biographies

  • Maximeliana Masela, Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana Jalan dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo 5-25 Yogyakarta 55224

    Maximeliana is an upper-semester student of the English Language Education Department of Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana (UKDW). Her research interest includes Individual Differences of L2 learners, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), learning style, and learners’ and teachers’ beliefs. Her experiences of teaching were done in several levels of education such as teaching ESP for Hoteliers and fashion design, teaching ESP for culinary, teaching ESP for waitress, teaching English for kids in Perdikan Eco-Park, Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, and teaching kids in Gerpule Hamlet, Banjarharjo, Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta.

  • Adaninggar Septi Subekti, Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana Jalan dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo 5-25 Yogyakarta 55224

    The author, who obtained her M.Sc. in TESOL from University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, currently works as a lecturer at the English Language Education Department, Faculty of Education and Humanities of Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana (UKDW), Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The Editor-in-Chief of SAGA Journal UKDW, she is also a reviewer of IJELTAL journal, IAIN Samarinda and LLT Journal, Sanata Dharma University. Her research interest includes L2 learner’s individual differences, Global Englishes, L2 writing, critical literacies, and inclusive education in ELT. Throughout her teaching career, she has taught students from various levels of education, including teaching ESP to Medical students and Biology students as well as teaching non-English teachers of High Schools. She was also a teacher of the Indonesian language at Arizona State University from 2013 to 2014.

    Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.co.id/citations?user=f03gmioAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

    ORCiD ID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6641-0307

    SCOPUS ID: 57202583019 https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57202583019

References

Aboe, R. M. (2018). Correlation between students learning styles and their learning achievement. Seminar Nasional Pendidikan, December.

Afshar, H. S., & Bayat, M. (2018). Strategy use, learning styles and L2 achievement of Iranian students of English for Academic Purposes. Issues in Educational Research, 28(4), 1039–1059.

Ajideh, P., Zohrabi, M., & Pouralvar, K. (2018). Investigating the relationship between learning styles and ESP reading strategies in academic setting. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 7(3), 156–164. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.7n.3p.156

Aliakbari, M., & Qasemi, N. (2012). On the relationship between Iranian EFL learners’ learning style preference and their gender, proficiency level and achievement score. International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 7(3), 275–283. https://doi.org/10.5172/ijpl.2012.7.3.275

Bailey, P., Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Daley, C. E. (2000). Using learning style to predict foreign language achievement at the college level. System, 28, 115–133.

Barsch, J. (1991). Barsch learning style inventory. Open Library.

Bishka, A. (2010). Learning styles fray: Brilliant or batty? Performance Improvement, 49(10), 9–13. https://doi.org/10.1002/pfi

Brahmakasikara, L. (2013). Learning styles and academic achievement of English III students at Assumption University of Thailand. ABAC Journal, 33(3), 41–52.

Castro, O., & Peck, V. (2005). Learning styles and foreign language learning difficulties. Foreign Language Annals, 38(3), 401–409. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2005.tb02226.x

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2007). Research methods in education (6th ed.). Routledge.

Dornyei, Z. (2005). The psychology of the language learner: Individual differences in second language acquisition. Lawrence Erlbaum.

Gilakjani, A. P. (2012). Visual, auditory, kinaesthetic learning styles and their impacts on English Language Teaching. Journal of Studies in Education, 2(1), 104–113. https://doi.org/10.5296/jse.v2i1.1007

Gilakjani, A. P., & Ahmadi, S. M. (2011). The effect of visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic learning styles on language teaching. International Conference on Social Science and Humanity, 5, 469–472. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01660.x

Gray, D. E. (2014). Doing research in the real world (3rd Editio). Sage Publications, Ltd.

Huang, F., Hoi, C. K. W., & Teo, T. (2018). The influence of learning style on English learning achievement among undergraduates in Mainland China. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 47(5), 1069–1084. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-018-9578-3

Israel, M., & Hay, I. (2006). Research ethics for social scientists. SAGE Publications Ltd.

Liu, J., & He, Q. (2014). The match of teaching and learning styles in SLA. Creative Education, 05(10), 728–733. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2014.510085

Masela, M., & Subekti, A. S. (in review). Indonesian university students’ visual learning style: Learners’ and teachers’ perspectives. ETERNAL (English, Teaching, Learning, and Research Journal).

Moenikia, M., & Babelan, A. Z. (2010). The role of learning styles in second language learning among distance education students. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2, 1169–1173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.167

Naning, Z. A., & Hayati, R. (2011). The correlation between learning style and listening achievement of English Education Study Program Students of Sriwijaya University. Jurnal Holistics, 3(5), 1–11.

Oluremi, F. D. (2015). Learning styles among colleges students. International Journal for Cross-Disciplinary Subjects in Education, 5(4), 2631–2640.

Pritchard, A. (2009). Ways of learning: Learning theories and learning styles. Routledge.

Setyoningsih, D. L. (2019). The correlation of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning style on students’ English learning achievement. Language-Edu: Journal of English Teaching and Learning, 8(2), 1–6.

Tabatabaei, O., & Mashayekhi, S. (2013). The relationship between EFL learners’ learning styles and their L2 achievement. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 70, 245–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.01.061

Vaishnav, R. S. (2013). Learning style and academic achievement of secondary school students. Voice of Research, 1(4), 1–4.

Yildirim, O., Acar, A. C., & Bull, S. (2014). Relationship between teachers’ perceived leadership style, students; learning style, and academic achievement: A study on High School students. Educational Psychology, 28(1), 72–81. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410701417945

Yulia, Y. (2013). Teaching challenges in Indonesia: Motivating students’ and teachers’ classroom language. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 3(1), 1–16.

Downloads

Additional Files

Published

2021-05-03

Issue

Section

Article

How to Cite

Auditory and kinaesthetic learning styles and L2 achievement: A correlational study. (2021). Englisia : Journal of Language, Education, and Humanities, 8(2), 41-53. https://doi.org/10.22373/ej.v8i2.7529