Research has shown over the last decades that when teachers acknowledge students learning styles and learning strategies, they improve their academic skills. The role of the teacher is to enhance this process using multiple teaching strategies. These three variables become interrelated, especially when teachers want to improve English language learners’ performance.

1. The Role of Learning Styles,
Learning Strategies and Teaching
Strategies for English Language
Learners
Lucero Munoz-Raba
Applied Linguistics for Bilingual Education/ESL
University of Houston Clear Lake
November 17th, 2011

2. Sims and Sims 1995
Researchers have learned a
great deal over the last decades
about learning styles and how
to identifying and teaching
through learning styles can
improve student’s test scores
Ehrman 1996 and increase content
knowledge.
“Attention to variables such as
interests, culturally determined Guild and Garger 1998
gender roles, sex related
personality differences, and Understanding learning
learning circumstances may styles can help educators
suggest ways to enhance the facilitate, structure, and
language learning success of validate successful
both males and females” (Yi- learning for all students.
Chen, L., & Berg, D. (2008).
(Pitts, 2009)
What some research
says about
Learning Styles-
Strategies and
Teaching Practices

3. What some research
says about
Learning Styles-
Strategies and
Reid 1998 Teaching Practices Hill and Flynn 2005
Reid concludes that Hill and Flynn (2005) point
inherent differences in out that "English language
cultural or language learners represent the
background and fastest growing segment
disciplines play a crucial of the school-age
role in determine types of population“.
cognitive style. (Hsueh-Jui, Dunn et al. 2009 (Buteau,G.,True, M.(2009).
Liu, 2008) Dunn and Dunn (1992) demonstrate
that when students are taught using
their preferred learning styles, they
show increased academic
achievement, Improved attitudes
toward instruction, and better
discipline than when they are taught
using their nonpreferred styles.
Dunn (2009), Learning styles requires
recognition of the need of diverse
strategies to complement individual
differences. (Pitts, J. (2009)

4. (Oxford et al. 1988)
Preferred or habitual
It is inherent and
patterns of mental
pervasive.
functioning.
It is a blend of
A tendency to seek
cognitive, affective,
situations
and behavioral
compatible with
elements.
one´s own learning
patterns.
Patterns of attitudes
A tendency to use and interests that
certain learning affect what an
strategies and avoid individual will pay
others. most attention to in
a learning situation.

6. Differentiated instruction
has become part of every
school system´s lexicon but
without learning styles as
its cornerstone, no one
knows how to
differentiated instruction
or on what to base
differentiation (Dunn at al.
2009)

7. (Pitts, 2009)

8. accommodations • Visual cues, physical gestures
• Building upon student’s knowledge
instructional
that include:
ELLs require
and skills in their native language
• Summarizing text knowledge
• Repeated readings, targeting
vocabulary
• Paraphrasing student responses
• Cognates, avoid using idioms
• All together now
• React and rhyme
• Be a master thespian
• Create an individualized word library
• Create meaningful partnership
• Create “language free” activity spaces
• Recognize cultural differences while
encouraging parental involvement

9. Learning Strategies
Learning Strategies
Learning Strategies
• EFL Learner’s • Learning-Style • Language
uses of listening Responsive learning
comprehension Instructional strategies are the
Strategies and Strategies (Lauria,2010) often-conscious
Learning Style • Talk about similar steps or
Preferences (Chen, challenges
2010) behaviors used
• Listening • Share stories, by language
comprehension : mutual respect
learners to:
• Metacognitive • Read aloud books Enhance
• Cognitive • Computerized acquisition,
diagnostic
• Socio-affective storage,
assessment
(Vadergrift,1997;
Oxford,1990; O’Malley et
retention, recall
al, 1985)
• Individuated plan
homework • Use of new
descriptor information (Rigney,
1978; Oxford, 1990)
• Classroom
environment
change

10. References
Andreou, E., Andreou, G., & Vlachos, F. (2008). Learning Styles and Performance in Second Language
Tasks. TESOL Quarterly: A Journal For Teachers Of English To Speakers Of Other Languages And Of
Standard English As A Second Dialect, 42(4), 665-674.
Buteau,G.,True, M.(2009). Differentiating instructional strategies to support English language learners.
N Engl Read Assoc J, 44(2), 23-25.
Chen, K., Lee, I., & Lin, C. (2010). EFL Learners' Uses of Listening Comprehension Strategies and
Learning Style Preferences. International Journal of Learning, 17(6), 245-256. Retrieved from
EBSCOhost.
Dunn, R., Honigsfeld, A., Doolan, L., Bostrom, L., Russo, K., Schiering, M. S., & ... Tenedero, H. (2009).
Impact of Learning-Style Instructional Strategies on Students' Achievement and Attitudes:
Perceptions of Educators in Diverse Institutions. Clearing House, 82(3), 135-140. Retrieved from
EBSCOhost.
Hsueh-Jui, L. (2008). A study of the interrelationship between listening strategy use, listening
proficiency levels, and learning style. Annual Review of Education, Communication & Language
Sciences, 584-104. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Lauria, J. (2010). Differentiation through Learning- Style Responsive Strategies. Kappa Delta Pi Record,
47(1), 24-29. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Oxford, R., & ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics, W. C. (1989). The Role of Styles and
Strategies in Second Language Learning. ERIC Digest.
Pitts, J. (2009). Identifying and Using a Teacher-Friendly Learning-Styles Instrument. Clearing House,
82(5), 225-232. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Yi-Chen, L., & Berg, D. (2008). ESL Learners' Learning Motivations and Strategies. International Journal
of Learning, 15(1), 17-24. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.