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A STUDY OF THE PREFERRED LEARNING STYLES OF STUDENTS TAKING THE

ENGLISH 1119 PAPER IN SMK TENGKU INTAN ZAHARAH: ARE THE TEACHERS
AWARE OF THESE LEARNING STYLES?

Thesis · November 2012

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.3212.2403

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 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Background of the Study

Every student attending public schools in Malaysia will have to sit for national

examinations set by the Malaysian Examination Syndicate. One of the compulsory

subjects that has to be taken by the students is English language. “The result of this

subject will appear in national standardized examination certificates” ( Rosadah,

Noriah and Zalizan, 2004, p.60 ). This has resulted in education institutions paying a

great deal of attention to students’ learning styles in order to nurture them to be

responsible towards their own learning process so that they can achieve excellent

results in the national examinations. “Some students prefer to learn by themselves in

their own time, in familiar surroundings rather than in groups. Students tend to

perceive information differently, such as by viewing and listening, reflective and

acting, to reasoning logically and intuitively and also scrutinizing and visualising”

(Felder & Henriques, 1995, p. 1). This has clearly portrayed that all students display

characteristics of various dimensions, and may move from one extreme to the other

depending on the topic, its context, and the particular task demands made on the

students (Wong, 2004, p. 9). The learning styles of the students influence their ability

to acquire information and respond to the learning environment (Azlinda, 2006, p. 1).

Students can plan and manage their language learning activities better if they can

discover their preferred learning styles. This can "assist the students to enhance and

take advantage of their natural skills and inclinations. As students’ motivation will be

sustained and they can progress well in the language learning process” (Azlinda, 2006,

p. 1).
1
 “What is more, when learning styles of the students in one class and teaching

styles of the teachers are mismatched, with hostile potential effects, the students may

be bored and become distracted in class, perform badly in tests, get disheartened about

the course, the curriculum and themselves, and in many cases the students tend to

change to another program or drop out from school” (Felder & Spurlin, 2005, p. 109).

Due to that, researchers have paid great attention to discovering the learning styles of

the students.

In the English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom, teachers can witness

that normally efficient learning shows an encouraging attitude towards learning of

English (Azlinda, 2006, p. 2). Furthermore, according to Nunan (1991), one of the

characteristics of good language learners is to be able to reflect on and communicate

the processes of their own learning, as learning a language is among the most

challenging lifelong pursuits to undertake (Almasa, Parilah & Fauziah, 2005, p. 9).

Therefore, teachers should not disregard the importance of choosing the

appropriate teaching method to suit students’ learning styles, as both teaching and

learning styles play a crucial role in language learning development and achievement.

1.1 Problem Statement

A great deal of attention has been given to the way individuals learn or

understand new information and as well as their preferred methods of learning. As a

consequence, it has become a crucial point for students to understand their own

learning styles to enable them to benefit from the language learning process well.

2
Once the students distinguish and know their own learning styles they can find

suitable activities that suit their learning preference which will enhance their

performance in English. In addition, if the students fail to identify their preferred or

compatible learning styles, they might lose interest in learning English as they fail to

find suitable activities that can boost their learning interest.

In addition, students study differently; “what works well for one student may

not be beneficial or favourable to another” (Man & Tomoko, 2010, p. 30). Hence,

Man and Tomoko (2010) added that individuals learn differently through many ways

from time to time, from culture to culture and from context to context. Thus, it has

become one of the pivotal factors to know students’ preferred learning styles that can

assist the learning process.

Moreover, many teachers do not seem to understand students’ learning styles,

so the teachers are unable to evaluate students’ learning styles as they do not have a

proper learning styles inventory (Almasa, Parilah & Fauziah, 2005, p. 12). It was

found (Almasa et al., 2005) that students’ learning styles have been disregarded by

teachers and have been considered a minor component in the learning process. Thus,

teachers may misinterpret students’ lack of attention or hyperactivity in class as

students’ bad attitudes which might be due to a lack of proper evaluation of students’

preferred learning styles. As a consequence, it has become a necessity for educators to

assess the learning style of students in order to accommodate different learners

(Almasa et al., 2005).

Furthermore, teachers do not teach according to learning styles preferred by

students; instead they are teaching based on either their own learning styles or

teaching styles. A study has found out that continuum of mismatch between teachings
3
and learning styles will hugely influence students’ attitudes and motivation towards

the subject matter (Almasa, Parilah & Fauziah, 2009, p. 102). They suggested that

when the learning styles of students do not match the teachers’ teaching styles,

students may get bored or pay less attention in the class or lesson, and this will result

in poor grades and lead to disinterest in the learning process. However, the statement

contradicts Felder and Brent’s (2005) notion, where they point out that it is pointless

for teachers to always accommodate to all students’ preferences. Instead teachers

should challenge the students to learn using techniques that are not in their preferences

and out of their comfort zone or techniques that are more workable (Rosniah, 2004).

Messick (as cited in Reid, 1998) pointed out that students gain more educational

experiences when they are required to adapt to diverse instructional techniques and

styles, as students should adapt to the instruction and not have the instruction adapted

to the learner.

1.2 Research Objectives

For the past five decades, educational bodies have shown a great interest in

exploring learning styles as they do know that people do learn and perceive things

differently. As a consequence this issue has captured the researcher’s interest as an

educator to know the most preferred learning styles of the students in Sekolah

Menengah Kebangsaan Tengku Intan Zaharah ( hence forth, SMKTIZ ), Dungun,

Terengganu, and if their teachers are aware of these learning styles. Therefore, the

objectives of this study are to:

4
 1) identify the most preferred learning styles of students in learning the

1119 English paper,

2) identify the most preferred learning styles of students in learning the

1119 English paper according to gender,

3) identify the most preferred learning styles of students in learning the

1119 English paper in pure science stream class,

4) identify the most preferred learning styles of students in learning the

1119 English paper in account stream class, and

5) investigate if their teachers are aware of the learners’ language learning

needs.

1.3 Research Questions

In this research, there are several questions that need to be focused on:

1) What is the most preferred learning style of SMKTIZ students in learning the

1119 English paper?

2) What is the most preferred learning style of SMKTIZ students in learning the

1119 English paper according to gender?

3) What is the most preferred learning style of SMKTIZ students in learning the

1119 English paper in Pure Science stream class?

4) What is the most preferred learning style of SMKTIZ students in learning the

1119 English paper in Account stream class?

5) To what extent, if any, are their teachers aware of the learners’ learning

preferences?

5
1.4 Significance of the Study

This study will be significant to the students of SMKTIZ, teachers, school

administration as well as to syllabus and module designers. The results from the study

will provide the students an opportunity to assess their learning preferences especially

in learning the English 1119 paper. Besides that, it will enlighten them that there is

more than one learning style or preference in learning (Azlinda, 2006, p. 8). As a

result, students will develop a sense of responsibility towards their own learning and

at the same time they may want to implement other learning styles to suit and also to

prepare themselves for advanced learning at the tertiary level.

The findings from this study will also benefit English teachers as it will

provide a platform to understand their students’ learning styles much better, as it will

make them conscious of various learning styles and learning preferences that exist in

their classrooms. In addition, it will augment teachers’ teaching styles as they will

approach their lessons differently by using appropriate instructional activities and

materials that will complement students’ learning styles. Knowing the students’

learning styles will lead to a successful teaching and learning process, as this is the

main predictor of students’ success.

Moreover, the school administration will also find this study to be beneficial as

it will apprise the variety of learning styles that students adopt in learning English.

The information can aid administrators to conduct courses, activities or prepare

instructional materials that complement students’ learning styles. Furthermore, the

findings will enable the administrators to realise that there is a need for them to pay

6
more attention to the problems regarding the students’ performance in English and

find suitable measures to rectify the learning problems.

1.5 Limitations of Study

The researcher only focused on VAK learning styles model which consists of

Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic concepts rather than all the six basic models

introduced by Reid (1987). As such, the findings focused only towards the VAK

model. The reason why the VAK dimensions were selected for the study is to focus

only on the main learning styles that are commonly used in English language classes

in Malaysia. For instance, teachers usually use visual aids such as flash cards, movies,

photos to name a few, to assist students with vocabulary building. As for auditory

aids, teachers tend to use songs, sound effects or even lectures to capture students’

interest in learning English. Last but not least, Malaysian teachers tend to practise the

Kinesthetic style through drawing, highlighting important notes or copying notes

directly from the board to name a few. On top of that, the results from this study

cannot be generalised to the entire population as it is confined to upper secondary

students consisting of one class each of Form 4 and 5 representing the Pure Science

stream and one class each of Form 4 and Form 5 representing the Accounts stream.

Besides that, another reason for choosing these classes is due to the time constraint,

thus by selecting these classes it minimised the time taken to collect and analyse the

data gathered. Moreover, the researcher was also the teacher teaching English 1119 to

these classes and it was more convenient for the researcher to approach the students to

distribute the questionnaires as well as to collect the questionnaires back.

7
1.6 Delimitations of Study

The population of this study consisted of 250 students of all upper forms of

students in SMKTIZ, Dungun, Terengganu. The main reason that only the upper

form students were selected for this study was to investigate preferred learning

styles among Pure Science and Account streams students. In the Malaysian

secondary school education system, upper secondary level students are allowed to

choose subjects that can channel them to the appropriate scope of studies later at

the tertiary level as to enable them to find proper jobs according to their expertise.

1.7 Definition of Terms

1.7.1 VAK Model

The best way to define learning styles is to derive the definition for learning

itself, as learning is a process whereby knowledge is created through the

transformation of experience (Kolb, 1984). Although this study employs only the

VAK model, yet comprehending all the learning styles, developed by Reid (1987),

will broaden the understanding of preferred learning styles of students:

1. Visual – Students learn better from seeing words as in books, and on the

chalkboard as they can remember the information and instructions better if

they can read them.

8
2. Auditory- Students learn from hearing words spoken and from oral

presentations. They can recall information by reading aloud or moving their

lips as they read.

3. Kinesthetic- Students learn through experience and being involved physically

in the classroom. Students tend to remember information well by actively

participating in activities, field trips and role plays in the classroom.

4. Tactile- Students learn through hands-on experiences with materials. They

love working on experiments in a laboratory and handling and building

models. These students can remember information by writing notes or

instructions.

5. Group- Students learn well when they study with at least one other student.

These students can complete work well when they work with others. The

stimulation received from group work helps them to learn and understand new

information.

6. Individual- Students learn best when they work alone. When they study alone

they can remember information well.

(adapted from: http://lwtoefl.ielp.pdx.edu/internal_resouces/tutor/level_1_regular/

Learning_Styles_ESL%20_%20Reid.pdf)

9
 1.7.2 Teaching Style

Teaching style, according to Cook (1991), refers to a loosely connected set of

teaching techniques which is believed to share the same goals and views of

language learning. Grasha (1996, p. 157) identified five potential approaches for

classroom teachers:

1. Expert- Teacher holds the expertise and knowledge that students need.

Information, knowledge and skills are possessed by the teacher.

2. Formal authority- Teacher holds status due to knowledge and position.

They also hold the standards and structure of teaching. This method also

focuses on clear expectations and acceptable ways of doing things.

3. Personal model- Teaching by personal example. This is a watch and learns

approach. This teaching method emphasizes direct observation.

4. Facilitator- emphasises the personal nature of teacher and student

interactions. This approach focuses on students’ needs and goals.

5. Delegator- this approach emphasises on student autonomy and

independence. The teacher is available on request by the students. This

helps to create an independent learning spirit.

(adapted from: http://ilte.ius.edu/pdf/teaching_with_style.pdf)

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 1.7.3 1119 English Paper

All students’ aged sixteen to seventeen are prepared to sit for the 1119 English

paper in the Malaysian Certificate of Education also known as the Sijil Pelajaran

Malaysia (SPM) in the national language, once they reach their fifth year of secondary

school. This exam is set by the Malaysian Examinations Syndicate, where this exam is

equivalent to O-level and also equal to the British GCSE or also known as the General

Certificate of Secondary Education. This gives the students the opportunity to further

their studies to pre-university level. Up to 1978, the examination was handled by

University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (hence forth, UCLES), which

still advises the Malaysian Examinations Syndicate on the standards of the

examination. As for the 1119 English paper, it is separately graded by the national

examination board as well as UCLES, and both grades are displayed on the statement

slip. However, on the actual certificate, only the national examination board's grade is

listed.

According to the curriculum specifications for English for Form 4 and 5 the

English 1119 paper is used as a medium to evaluate the four language skills of

listening, speaking, reading and writing (Ministry Education, 2003). All these skills

are tested through the 1119 Paper 1 and Paper 2. Paper 1 assesses writing ability

distributed in two sections, Section A and Section B. In Section A, also known as the

directed writing section, the students are required to write a guided composition based

on a given stimulus. The question given may require the students to write a report,

speech, interview and to name a few. Continuous writing appears in Section B of

Paper 1. Students are required to write one composition of at least 350 words, out of

11
the choice of five topics given. The types of composition can be descriptive, narrative,

argumentative, reflective, expository or factual and free writing.

For Paper 2, there are four sections divided into Sections A, B, C and D.

Section A consists of 15 multiple choice questions, where Questions 1-8 are based on

a variety of graphic stimuli and texts. The types of stimuli include notices, news

reports, graphs, comic strips, charts, letters and advertisements. Multiple-choice

questions of rational cloze text will be asked in Questions 9-15. The students are

required to read a passage and then fill in the blanks from the options given. In

Section B is the information transfer section, where students are required to compare

and match various short texts and analyse the information to enable them to answer

ten subjective questions based on the information given in either a pamphlet, leaflet,

brochure, newspaper cutting, advertisement to name a few.

Meanwhile in Section C, 5 open-ended questions based on a passage of 700-

1000 words long is to test students’ reading comprehension. Moreover, based on the

same passage provided in Section C too, students are asked to write a short summary

of not more than 130 words. A literature component appears in Section D, paper 2. It

tests reading and comprehension skills at the production (written) level, based on one

of the poems taught in Forms 4 and 5, by answering 3 open-ended questions. Besides

that, based on novel that they have studied in form 5 students are also required to

answer an open-ended question, which might revolve around themes, moral values,

characters or short phrases taken from the novel itself.

Besides the 1119 English Paper 1 and 2, students are also assessed through an

oral-speaking test, where the students are required to either to participate in a group

presentation on a certain topic or an individual presentation.

12
1.8 Conclusion

This chapter discusses the background of the study, problem statement,

purpose and significance of this study. It also explains the priority of learning styles to

students, teachers and school administrations. Once the students are aware of their

learning styles they will be able to assess their preferences and be responsible for their

own learning. The study will also assist teachers to choose and use suitable activities

and materials to suit the students’ learning styles. The school administration will also

benefit from this study as it will provide them with useful information to establish

conducive learning environment and also to provide sufficient workshops or seminars

to the teachers as well as the students so that they are aware of their own learning

styles. Apart from that, this chapter also lists the research questions, limitations and

delimitations of the study as well as provides the definition of the VAK model as

described by Joy M. Reid, brief explanation regarding teaching styles, and 1119

English paper.

13
 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction

Students’ learning styles and preferences have raised significant interest in the

administrative and the academic community. For that matter, many researchers have

conducted numerous investigations on students’ learning styles either in schools or

institutions of higher learning (Azlinda, 2006). This chapter discusses the definition of

learning styles, models of learning styles and also related literature review from

previous corpus.

2.1 Definitions of Learning Styles

According to Kolb (1984), learning refers to the process whereby knowledge is

created through the transformation of experience. There are numerous definitions of

learning styles being used and redefined by researchers to suit purpose of their studies.

There is “perplexity that comes from deviation in the scale and scope of learning,

school achievement and other behaviour predicted by diverse learning style terms”

(Nel, 2008). As stated by numerous researchers, the term ‘learning style’ has been

defined differently by different people. For some, it is “congruent with ‘cognitive

style’, and for others it denotes preferred approaches to learning based on modality

strengths” (Nel, 2008).

Lawrence (1984) stated that the term learning style is used to “incorporate

four aspects of the person which include, cognitive style (preferred or habitual

14
patterns of mental functioning), patterns of attitudes and interests that affect an

individual’s focal point in a learning situation, a tendency to pursue situations attuned

to one’s own learning patterns, and an inclination to use certain learning strategies and

evade others”. Bennet (1979, p. 262) has defined learning styles as:

“A constant pattern of behaviour and performance by which an individual

approaches educational experience. It is the composite of characteristics of

cognitive, affective and physiological behaviours that serve as relatively stable

indicators of how a learner perceives, interacts with and responds to learning

environment. It is formed in the deep structure of neural organization and

personality which moulds and is moulded by human development and the

cultural experience of home, school and society.”

Stewart and Felicetti (1992) elucidated learning styles as those educational

conditions under which a student is most likely to learn. As such, learning styles are

not really concerned with "what" learners learn, but rather "how" they prefer to learn

(Rosalind, 2001).

2.2 Models of Learning Styles

These models of learning styles provide good frameworks for designing

assessment instruments. It is difficult to single out learning styles without appropriate

assessment instruments. Beaty (1986) noted that teachers cannot recognise students’

learning styles meticulously without using any valid instrument. In addition, Dunn and

15
Dunn (1993) stated that a decisive, valid and comprehensive instrument can diagnose

many learning styles traits that perturb individuals. This chapter discusses a few

learning styles models that can be used in determining students learning styles.

2.2.1 Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Learning Styles (VAK)

The VAK learning style model is based on three main sensory receivers:

Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic to determine the dominant learning style (Clark,

2008). Clark (2008) stated that:

“VAK is derived from the accelerated learning world and seems to be about

the most popular model as a result of its simplicity. While research has shown

a connection with modalities and learning styles (University of Pennsylvania,

2009), however the research has so far been unable to prove the using one's

learning style provides the best means for learning a task or subject. This is

probably because it is more of a preference, rather than a style.”

According to Clark, learners use all three modalities to receive and learn new

information and experiences. Nonetheless, according to the VAK or modality theory,

one or two of these receiving styles are normally dominant. This dominant style

delineates the best way for a person to acquire new information by sifting what is to

be learned. This style may not always be similar for some tasks. The learner may

16
prefer one style of learning for one task, and a combination of others for a different

task (Clark, 2008).

Clark (2008) also mentioned that classic learning style is enforced via stages.

From kindergarten till the third grade (in the Malaysian context third grade is between

the ages of 8 to 9 years old), information is presented kinesthetically, while starting

the fourth until the eighth grade (fourth grade in the Malaysian context is between 9 to

10 years old, while eighth grade is between 13 to 14 years old), information is usually

presented visually. While starting from the ninth grade to college and going on into

the business environment, information is presented mostly via the auditory channel

through the use of lecturing mode.

According to the VAK theorists, educators need to present information by

using all the three styles. This allows the learners to become involved, regardless of

their preferred learning style (Clark, 2008), thus VAK theorists have come up with

three main categories as follows:

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

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

They often do better in talking to a classmate or a tape recorder and

hearing what has been said.

2. 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

17
 who are visual-spatial usually have difficulty with the written language and

do better with charts, demonstrations, videos, and other visual materials.

They easily visualize faces and places by using their imagination and

seldom get lost in new surroundings.

3. Kinesthetic learners do best by touching and moving. They also have two

sub-channels, which are kinesthetic (movement) and tactile (touch). They

tend to lose their focus or attention 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 to get the big

picture. They use colour highlighters and take notes by drawing pictures,

diagrams, or doodling.

(Adapted from: http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles/vakt.html)

2.2.2 Kolb's Learning Styles and Experiential Learning Model

Kolb’s learning styles model were popularized by Professor David Kolb, the

Professor of Organizational Behaviour at Case Western Reserve University. Kolb

acknowledges that his theory is eclectic, and that its applications are drawn from the

work of John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, Carl Jung, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky (cited in

Azlinda, 2006, p. 29). Kolb’s learning theory defines the cognitive mechanism of

learning and demonstrates the importance of critical reflection in learning. According

to Kolb’s model (1984), effective learning incorporates four phrases as listed below:

18
 1. Concrete Experience, where the students correspond to knowledge by

acquaintance which means direct practical experience (or "Apprehension"

in Kolb's terms).

2. Reflective Observation, in which the students like to watch and observe

others and develop surveillances about their own experience.

3. Abstract Conceptualization, where the students create ideas or theories to

explain observations.

4. Active Experimentation, in which students use theories to solve problems

and make decisions.

(Kolb 1984, cited in Azlinda, 2006)

Richmond and Cummings (2005), have looked into the application of Kolb’s

theory in online distance education. The research involved undergraduate students in

doing Educational Psychology in the University of Nevada-Reno. This research was

done via online in which the questionnaire as well as interactive discussion on subject

matter were done via online chatting box. In the study the researchers wanted to

investigate how Kolb’s theory could be applied to online instruction. The significance

of this research is to demonstrate that students’ enjoyment in one class assisted the

learning process, thus by knowing students’ learning styles it would help the students

to focus on the lesson. The results showed, through four major course activities such

as affective learning environment, symbolic learning environment, perceptual learning

environment and behavioural learning environment it was vital to design a course that

can accommodate students learning styles and adapt online course design to

accommodate these styles (Richmond & Cummings, 2005).

19
2.2.3 The Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles Model

The Dunn and Dunn learning style model (1993) presents a clinical or

diagnostic teaching framework. The model is designed and planned based on the

theory that individual students learn best in different ways. As a consequence, a

productive approach to teaching and learning should incorporate identifying the ways

(modalities, preferences and styles) in which an individual student learns best. The

findings then can be used to plan instructional procedures and arrange learning

situations to accommodate the students’ learning preferences or styles. The model is

based on the assumption that:

1. it is possible to identify individual students’ preferences for learning

process.

2. it is possible to use a variety of instructional procedures and to modify the

instructional environment to match the preferences. As a result the student

will improve his or her ability to learn.

The Dunn and Dunn Learning Style Model has distinguished several main

principles or theoretical assumptions. Teachers and administrators must be committed

to the following principles:

1. Most individuals can learn.

2. Instructional environment, resources and approaches respond to diversified

learning style strengths.

3. Everyone has strengths, but different people have different strengths.

4. Individual instructional preferences exist and can be measured reliably.

20
 5. Given suitable environments, resources and approaches, students will be

able to attain statistically higher achievement and attitude test scores in

matched, rather than mismatched treatment.

6. Most teachers can learn to use learning styles as a cornerstone of their

instruction.

7. Many students can learn to capitalize their learning style strengths when

concentrating on new or difficult academic materials.

(Dunn and Dunn cited in Azlinda, 2006)

Dunn, Dunn and Price (1985) have stated that students can achieve more when

their teachers teach according to the students’ learning styles. A meta-analysis of forty

two experimental studies was conducted by employing the Dunn and Dunn model.

The research was conducted from 1980 to 1990 by 13 different institutions of higher

learning in the U.S. The results revealed that the students whose learning

characteristics were accommodated could be expected to achieve 75% higher in their

language class achievement than students whose styles were not accommodated. This

result has given a great impact to teachers as to be aware of their students learning

styles so that they can accommodate their students’ learning with a variety of

materials or activities that suit their students’ needs.

21
2.2.4 The Gregorc Style Delineator

Gregorc (Gregorc, 1979, cited in Melba, 1997) reconstitutes the previous

learning and teaching styles models by encompassing two qualities that are perception

and ordering. Perception in this context depicts that a learner grasps information,

while ordering is where learners “authoritatively arrange, systematize, refer to and

dispose of information” (Gregorc, 1982, cited in Melba). Besides that, he initiated four

learning styles in this model; Concrete-Sequential (CS), Abstract-Sequential (AS),

Abstract-Random (AR) and Concrete- Random (CR).

1. Concrete Sequential (CS) learners prefer direct, hands-on experience.

They exhibit extraordinary development of their five senses. They like

touchable, concrete materials, and orderly presentations. The learners

are hostile to change and do not oppose to tradition. They are habitual,

punctual, and desire perfection. These types of learners are organized and

thorough. CS learners favour teaching approaches that bind workbooks,

computer-assisted instructions and learning kits.

2. Abstract Random (AR) learners have a high capacity to sense moods

or in another words these learners are emotionally sensitive, and they use

intuition to their advantage. They prefer to learn in an unstructured

environment such as usage of media like movies and documentaries

and like to get involved in group discussions as well as activities.

Besides that, they prefer not to be restricted by unnecessary rules and

guidelines. Because AR learners continuously discharge energy,

they may appear “hyper” when indeed they are not. AR learners use

hand and body movements when communicating.

22
 3. Abstract Sequential (AS) learners tend to be more logical, analytical,

rational as well as evaluative when given problems to solve.

Moreover AS learners have excellent capabilities with written,

verbal, and image symbols. They like to read, listen, and use their

visual skills, and because of that AS learners prefer to gain knowledge

via lectures, audio tapes and will love to be given reading assignments.

They are too highly verbal; therefore, one will never have a short

conversation with an AS learners. AS learners are “fence straddles”

and highly sceptical.

4. Concrete Random (CR) learners like to experiment using

trial-and-error approaches, as they are independent, instinctive,

intuitive and authentic. They tend to jump to conclusions and prefer

to work independently or in small groups, with annexation of games

and attention-grabbing simulations. They are gamblers and risk takers.

Gregorc (1984) concludes that most successful students in a classroom happen

to possess learning preferences that match the instructional method preferences of the

teacher. He also contends that many students who refuse to accommodate to different

styles may sometimes be labelled learning disabled.

(Adapted from Melba Taylor, 1997, from: http://www.vccaedu.org/inquiry/inquiry-

spring97/i11tayl.html)

23
2.2.5 The Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

The Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is based on Carl (1971), cited in

Nurul Bazilah (2011). Myer was the first individual to delineate the concept of

Extroversion and Introversion. This concept later on was used in the Myers-Briggs

Type Indicator which included categories such as, sensing and intuition, thinking and

feeling, and judging and perception.

Extroversion and introversion scale is used to discover where learners gain

their energy and strength when learning. To simplify this, extraverted learners are

those who prone to be socially inclined and take action. They like to be surrounded by

people and learn better in groups rather than in seclusion. Moreover, these learners

value communication with interaction the most and also believe that impression

without expression is worthless. On contrary, introverted learners are those who raise

the value of individual learning and space together with working in isolation. Even

though these learners are able to intermingle with their friends, they favour working

on their own without being distracted by others.

Meanwhile, sensing learners need to make use all of their five senses in

obtaining information during engaging in a lesson. They are fact-oriented and they

give top priority in deciding if information is valid. As for Intuitive learners, they do

not depend much on five senses yet accentuate more on their sixth sense, which means

they trust their intuition more than the fact themselves.

(Adapted from: http://www.personalitypathways.com/MBTI_intro.html)

24
2.3 Previous Researches on Learners’ Learning Preferences

Research done by Reid (1987) to know the learning style preferences among

ESL students in 43 university-affiliated intensive English language programs across

the United States, found that most Korean students preferred the visual learning style.

They were significantly more visual than U.S. and Japanese students (Reid, 1987).

The selection of visual learning style seemed minor to the native speakers which

negated Bennett’s (1979) research, which reported that ‘mainstream culture

emphasized visual learning through the written word’.

As for the auditory style, Japanese speakers least preferred this style compared

to Arabic and Chinese speakers who manifested a strong preference for auditory

learning. Chinese speakers had similar preferences with Korean, Indonesian and

English speakers, all whom had chosen the auditory learning style as their preeminent

learning style.

Reid’s study found that most ESL students strongly preferred the kinesthetic

learning style as a major learning style. The strength of most ESL students’ preference

for kinesthetic learning has given sigificant implications for both teachers and students

in rolling in and learning English language programs (Reid, 1987).

In connection with this study, Reid found that Malay respondents were prone

to the kinesthetic learning style followed by tactile, auditory and visual. Based on the

research, Malay students’ preferred to move around and make physical contact during

their learning to enable them to comprehend the subject better.

25
 In terms of interaction, the Malay respondents exhibited the highest scores for

group learning style among all the samples selected by Reid. According to Reid this

could be attributed to the influence of the students’ culture as well as previous

educational experience that emphasised the feeling of togetherness while attempting

any learning activities. This is a very important research as it has studied a Malay

sample which is also the focus of this study. In this study similar variables were

investigated that is the most preferred learning style of SMK Tengku Intan Zaharah

students who were all Malay in learning the 1119 English paper.

Reid’s findings are supported by Siti Hamin’s study (2000) which found that

her respondents also preferred to work in small groups and in pairs. Through this

finding, she concluded that the respondents “feel comfortable, productive and relaxed

by working in small groups and in pairs, where their voices would be heard, and views

listened to and valued (Siti Hamin, 2000, pgs. 159-160).

Besides culture and previous educational experience affecting the students’

preferred learning style, emotional as well as curiosity also play a big role in affecting

students’ learning styles preference. Research done by Rosadah, Noriah and Zalizan

(2004, p.66) with the attention of investigating what make a lesson perceived easy by

the students. The researchers chose 66 form four students from a day school in Shah

Alam. The research revealed 33 Academically Talented Students (AT) and 33

Average Students (AS) agreed that learning becomes less complicated if they were

emotionally inclined to learn. This reveals that it is vital for students to have positive

attitudes towards a particular subject in order to learn the subject easily (Rosadah,

Noriah & Zalizan, 2004, p. 66). Lowenstein (1994) as cited in Rosadah, Noriah &

Zalizan, stated emotional attachment factor is influenced by curiosity, which refers to

26
the feeling to know something when a gap is detected in the scheme of knowledge.

Interest and curiosity do play a vital role to make learning process easy to perceive by

the students (Rosadah, Noriah & Zalizan, 2004, p. 69). Thus the students need to be

curious in order to feel that a particular subject is easy to learn. Moreover, the

researchers stated that learning would become easy if the students’ attitude is right for

learning to take place.

Rosniah (2004) conducted another study with four less proficient first year

Bachelor of Arts students’ studies at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. These students

scored less satisfactory results in the English proficiency exam. This study

investigated the major and minor learning style preferences of the students and to

discover whether the students could adapt to the other learning styles that were not

their preferred styles. The result shown that the students had multiple learning styles

with at least a Kinesthetic or Tactile as their major preferences (Rosniah, 2004, p.77).

Besides, the research revealed that students were having problems in coping with

Visual and Auditory activities during the early stage of the research. These students

had difficulties in listening to a passage without seeing it in written form. One of the

reasons according to the researcher was because the students were not familiar with

the tasks provided as they did not have the exposure and unfamiliarity with listening

techniques in school (Rosniah, 2004, p. 77). However, throughout the eight months all

the four students manage to integrate well to the new Visual and Auditory learning

styles. The investigation supported Claxton and Murrel’s (1987) statement that

personality traits and information-processing is the most stable component of an

individual learning style and the least to change even been intervened by the teacher.

This is also one of the issues that were investigated in this research, which looking

27
into the matter whether the students of SMKTIZ will prefer Visual and Auditory for

their most preferred learning styles in learning the 1119 English paper.

Moreover, in this research, the researcher is interested in identifying the most

preferred learning styles of the students in SMKTIZ according to gender and also

slightly related to the students race as the entire sample used in this research are

Malay students. Almasa, Parilah and Fauziah (2009) had investigated UNITEN

(Universiti Tenaga Nasional) ESL students Perceptual Learning Style and had

analysed the differences in the learning styles based on students’ demographic factors

such as gender and race. 160 students were selected with racial composition of 56

Malays, 52 Chinese and 52 Indians. The study findings revealed that there as a

significant difference between male and female students towards Auditory and

Kinesthetic learning styles (Almasa, Parilah & Fauziah, 2009, p. 14). The male

students favoured Kinesthetic and Auditory learning styles more than the female

students. According to the researchers, the male students preferred field-

independency and they were objective as well as analytically minded in processing the

language and due to that they were prone to Kinesthetic and Auditory learning styles.

On the other hand, the female students favoured learning styles that associate with

feelings, as they were more reflective, field-sensitive and subjective compared to the

male students. Besides that, this research has given an insight of how ethnicity does

play a major role in students’ learning styles. The result revealed the Malay students

preferred Kinesthetic learning style but showed a negative learning towards Tactile

learning style. Moreover the Malay students reported to be minor in group and

individual learning compared to other races in the study. This research has somehow

motivated the researcher to look into the difference of learning styles according to

28
gender and ethnicity, as it is important to determine students learning styles especially

for teachers as it will help them in accommodating those differences in the classroom.

By accommodating with the differences of learning styles it will “influence students’

achievement at all levels” (Almasa, Parilah & Fauziah, 2009, p.14). Due to that it is

vital for the teachers or lecturers to be aware of the students preferred learning styles

Abdul and Abdullah (2000, p. 9), stated that “teachers who manage to understand and

are aware of the students learning styles will be able to adapt with appropriate

teaching styles to suit the students as to make the learning more effective”.

2.4 Conclusion

This chapter discusses the various definitions of learning styles. The chapter

also explains several models of learning styles and learning styles instruments used in

studies. In addition, this chapter reveals the findings of the studies conducted

according to specific models of learning styles.

29
 CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.0 Introduction

Information on learning styles is extremely helpful as it will help teachers to

become more aware of the different learning styles students manifested in the ESL

classroom. Thus, this study attempts to address the research questions of the study,

which were to find the learning styles which were most adopted by upper form

students of SMKTIZ; their major, trivial and negligible learning styles and their

preferences in learning English. This chapter describes the research design comprising

the population and sample, the sample selection, instrumentation, administration of

instrument and collection procedures as well as the data analysis procedures.

3.1 Research Design

The diagram below is a visual representation of the research design. The

diagram provides a concise picture of the components of this study’s research design.

In the first box the population is mentioned which consists of Form 4 and 5 students as

well as their English teachers. The second box illustrates the sample and sample

selections, which consist of two classes each, of Form 4 and 5 from Pure Science

stream as well as Accounts. Besides that, selection of 5 English language teachers

teaching form 4 and 5 are shown in the second box. The data-gathering instruments

diagram exemplify the use of 2-sets of questionnaires and the interviews for the

students and teachers respectively.

30
 In procedures employed diagram the researcher explains briefly that the data is

collected at one particular point in time. Besides, method of answering questions

through dissemination of likert scale questionnaires was used. Moreover, interviews

were conducted to validate the respondents’ choices in the questionnaires.

Data analysis diagram illustrates the use of Statistical Package for Social

Sciences (SPSS) to analyse all the data collected. This data was analysed through

descriptive statistics, frequency and independent T-test. As for the interview data,

discourse analytic method was used to analyse data gathered from the interviews.

RESEARCH DESIGN

POPULATION

 Form 4 & 5 of SMKTIZ students.

 English teachers of SMKTIZ.

SAMPLE AND SAMPLE SELECTION

 2 classes of Form 4 & 5 of Pure Science Stream.

 2 classes of Form 4 & 5 of Accounts.
 5 English language teachers, teaching the sample classes.
 These classes were chosen because the researcher and the five
teachers were the subject teachers and it was convenient for her to
carry out the study.

DATA-GATHERING INSTRUMENTS

 2 sets of Questionnaires for the 2 sample groups.

 Interviews of both students and teachers

31
 PROCEDURE EMPLOYED

 Data being collected at one particular point

in time.
 Adopted the method of answering questions
through dissemination of likert scale
questionnaires to selected respondents.
 Interviews with selected respondents.
 Comparison of sample’s examination grades.

DATA ANALYSIS

 Adopting the frequency distribution method

using Statistical Package for Social Sciences
(SPSS)
 Descriptive Statistics
 Frequency
 Independent T-test
 ‘Quote-research method used to analyse all
the interviews data.

So in this research the researcher attempts to investigate the most preferred

language learning styles of upper form students (Form 4 and 5) in Pure Science as

well as Account stream classes. The researcher employed a qualitative as well as

quantitative approach for her study. Quantitative researchers usually “base their work

on the belief that facts and feelings can be separated, that the world is a single reality

made up of facts that can be discovered” (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2008, p. 15). This

quantitative research design tends to be pre-established with a research that seeks to

32
develop and prove (often mathematical) theories or equations that can be used to

explain or predict the observations made via qualitative methods (Fraenkel & Wallen,

2008). Therefore, quantitative research is effectively used in this research as to collect

raw data through two set of questionnaires that were provided to both students and

teachers. Moreover, quantitative research is concerned with counting and measuring

things, producing in particular estimates of averages and differences between groups

(Fraenkel & Wallen, 2008). Quantitative research is used by the researcher “to

establish relationships between variables and sometime explain the causes of such

relationships” (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2008, p. 15) for example, ‘does gender influence

the students’ choice of learning styles?’, so here the researcher tries to establish a

relationship between the students gender and their preferred learning styles in learning

the 1119 English paper.

Besides that, the researcher used the qualitative approach to interpret and

analyse the data that she had collected in order to find underlying meanings and

patterns within it. The qualitative approach is suited to uncovering how the

respondents interpret situations, and what their perspectives are on preferred learning

styles as well as their teachers’ awareness of the matter. Furthermore, the use of

qualitative approach in this research is to assist the researcher to collect verbal data

other than numbers (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2008, p. 423). This was done through a short

interview with the respondents regarding their responses to the items in the

questionnaires. Besides that, the qualitative approach is chosen to assist the researcher

to focus on ‘how things occur’ (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2008, p. 423) such as how the

class streams affect the students’ preferred learning styles or does gender affect

students’ preferred learning styles.

33
 This research is important as some students might see learning styles as one of

the learning methods to assist and encourage them to be responsible for their own

learning, while others may find learning styles a discouraging matter as they just want

to rely on being ‘spoon-fed’. Because of these reasons the researcher employed both

quantitative as well as qualitative approaches in her research design as it allowed the

researcher to develop a deeper understanding of the samples’ perceptions and learning

styles preference. The use of both quantitative and qualitative approaches is to provide

an in-depth investigation as both questionnaires as well as interviews are being used in

this research. These approaches will produce potential of accurate (refers to

quantitative approach) and alternative visions (refers to qualitative approach) results.

3.1.1 Population

The population of this study consisted of Form 4 and Forms 5 students of

SMK Tengku Intan Zaharah, Dungun, Terengganu. There were 160 Form 4 students

and 149 Form 5 students in the school. There were five classes of Form 4, of which

four were in the Pure Science stream. These students had to take all the core subjects;

Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathematics, History and Islamic Studies, while their

elective subjects were Additional Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Another class in Form 4 was in the Accounts stream where the students took similar

core subjects but with a different selection of elective subjects, that is Additional

Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Accounts.

As for Form 5, there were six classes of which four were in the Pure Science

stream, while the other two were in the Accounts stream.

34
 Moreover, 5 English teachers, 3 male and 2 female were selected to participate

in this study. 4 of the teachers are the subject teachers for the samples of the Pure

Science and Accounts stream, while the other is teaching other upper form classes. All

of these teachers are experienced and well trained teachers. One of them has been in

the teaching service for almost thirty years and is soon going to retire, while the rest

are in the range of 11 to 25 years of teaching experience.

3.1.2 Sample and Sample Selection

According to Fraenkel and Wallen (2008) sampling refers to the process of

selecting a group of people (students, teachers, administrators and so on) to participate

in the research. There are two main types of sampling which are random sampling and

non-random sampling.

Random sampling refers to a group of people that presumably has an equal

chance of being selected in the study. There are four most common ways of attaining

this type of sample which are simple random sampling, stratified random sampling,

cluster sampling and two-stage random sampling. A simple random sample is one

where each and every member of the population has an equal and independent chance

of being selected. If the researcher has an outsized or large sample, this method is

suitable to be applied yet devised to obtain a sample representative of the population

of interest. As for stratified random sampling, it is a process in which certain sub-

groups are chosen for the sample in the same proportion as they exist in the

population. By using stratified sampling, the researcher can increase the

representativeness of the respondents especially in a small-scale sample. In both

random and stratified sampling, the researcher will focus on certain individuals to be
35
included in the sample, but there are times when it is not possible to select a sample of

individuals from a population, as sometimes certain members of population of interest

are not accessible or available. Thus, cluster random sampling is applicable where

selection of groups or clusters of population are used with larger numbers of clusters.

Cluster random sampling can be used when it is hard or impossible to select a random

sample of individuals and it is normally applied in research done in schools as it is less

time-consuming. Two-stage random sampling is often useful to combine cluster

random sampling with individual random sampling, where it is much less time-

consuming as instead having 100 classes to participate in the research; the researcher

might want to select 25 classes randomly from the population of 100 classes and then

randomly select 4 students from each class.

Non-random sampling refers to a group of people which possesses certain

criteria that suit the study and due to that, not all will be selected to participate in the

study. There are 3 main non-random sampling procedures; systematic sampling,

convenience sampling and purposive sampling. Systematic sampling is a random

sampling technique which is frequently chosen by researchers for its simplicity and its

periodic quality. It allows the researcher to add a degree of system or process into the

random selection of subjects.

By using systematic random sampling over simple random sampling is the

assurance that the population will be evenly sampled. There exists a chance in simple

random sampling that allows a clustered selection of subjects. This is systematically

eliminated in systematic sampling. For instance, in a population of 1,000 names, to

select a sample of 100, a researcher would select every tenth name on the list until

reaching a total of 100 names.

36
 Convenience sampling is referred to a group of individuals who (conveniently)

are available for study or in another words the subjects are selected because of their

convenient accessibility and proximity to the researcher. However, in general,

convenient samples cannot be taken as representative of any population and should be

avoided if at all possible.

Purposive sampling is the third sampling procedure, which targets a particular

group of people that will provide the data the researcher needs. When the desired

population for the study is rare or very difficult to locate and recruit for a study,

purposive sampling may be the only option as in the case where a researcher is

interested in studying Learning Styles preferred by left handed students or those who

come from dysfunctional families. This would be a difficult population to find.

The researcher choose to work with cluster random sampling procedure, due to

the unevenness of Accounts stream classes between Form 4 and Form 5, as there are

only one Accounts stream class in Form 4 and two classes in Form 5. Due to that, the

researcher decided to choose only one class each of Accounts stream class to

participate in this research. While, one class each from Form 4 and Form 5

representing the Pure Science stream classes and Accounts stream classes. The main

reason for choosing cluster random sampling was because it was difficult to randomly

select students due to the unevenness of the number of Accounts stream classes.

Fraenkel and Wallen (2008, p. 95) agreed that by using cluster random sampling the

researcher own the advantages of the sampling where it ‘can be used when it is

difficult or impossible to select a sample of individuals from a population because a

list of all members of the population may not be available’. Another reason for

choosing cluster random sampling was due to time constraints, thus by implementing

37
this sampling procedure it would minimise the time consumed by the researcher to

collect the questionnaires. The table below is a graphic representative of the sampel

size and categories according to streams.

Table 3.1: Sampling

STREAMS FORMS STUDENTS

MALE FEMALE

PURE SCIENCE 4 Intan Science 1 7 22

5 Intan Science 1 7 21

ACCOUNT 4 Intan Account 5 11 20

5 Intan Account 5 2 18

The sample consisted of 29 students from 4 Intan Science 1 with 7 male and 22

female students while 28 students represented 5 Intan Science 1 which consisted of 7

male students along with 21 female students. As for 4 Intan Accounts 5, 31 students

represented Accounts stream with 11 male students and 20 female students. While 5

Intan Account 5, 20 students took part in the research with 2 male students along with

18 female students.

To make matter clearer only form 4 Intan Science 1 and form 5 Intan Science

1 participated in this research to represent Pure Science stream while 4 Intan Account

5 as well as 5 Intan Account 5 represented the Accounts stream. Furthermore, these

38
classes were selected for investigation by the researcher as she was the subject teacher

and due to that it was convenient for her to carry out the study. Thus, the researcher

also used convenience sampling as a procedure to gather data.

3.1.3 Data-gathering Instrument

Depending on the nature of the data collected, different instruments are used to

gather data of one study. In this study the researcher used subject-completed

instruments which are questionnaire and researcher-completed instrument which is an

interview to collect her data. The reasons for the choice of instruments will be

explained below.

There are several types of subject-completed instruments used in gathering

data. Subject-completed instruments according to Fraenkel and Wallen (2008) refers

to instruments that are used by the researcher to get the data by asking the respondents

to respond to either a questionnaire or self-checklist, while researcher-completed

instrument refers to instruments which the researcher has to complete or answer by the

researcher, for example rating scales or interview. However in this study the

researcher only used questionnaires and interviews.

All data were collected through 2 sets of questionnaires as well as an interview

with both teachers and the students. For the first set of the questionnaire for the

students, the researcher decided to use a likert-scale response questionnaire. The

questionnaire had been adapted from Perceptual Learning Styles Preferences (PLPS)

Survey by Joy Reid (1984) while a close-ended questionnaire adapted from Brindley’s

(1984) was used for the teachers. Both Reid and Brindley’s questionnaires were
39
reported to be effective, consistent and appropriate in ascertaining learners’ learning

styles as well as their teachers’ awareness regarding these preferences according to

Azlinda (2006). The second set of questionnaire was meant for the English language

teachers teaching Form 4 and Form 5, and the researcher decided to use dichotomous

questions and five open-ended questions. Using these questionnaires as the

instruments in data gathering, enabled the researcher to gain insights into the

responses provided by both the learners and teachers.

The first part in the questionnaire for the student sample was demographic

section which looked into students’ gender, race, form as well as academic streams.

The second part of the questionnaire focused on items on students’ preferred learning

styles, consisting of 36 items that looked into learning styles that students normally

employed within their learning session and was adapted to suit the level of Form 4 and

Form 5 Malaysian secondary school students. The first 12 items (Items 1-12) looked

at the Visual learning style while the next 12 items (Items 13-24) focused on the

Auditory learning style and the last 12 items (Items 25-36) revolved around the

Kinesthetic learning style.

In order to identify teachers’ awareness of the learners’ learning preferences,

the researcher distributed a second set of questionnaires with 10 items with each

investigating teachers’ satisfaction of their students’ overall achievement, their

students’ most preferred VAK learning styles, whether the students inclined to have

group or individual learning styles, their favoured vocabulary learning style, what type

of instrument or teaching aids they opted for, what type of class activities they

preferred most while learning English, the best time for error correction and method of

error correction, which ways the students preferred to know their achievement in

40
English language and last but not least, the final item delved in students attain their

sense of satisfaction in learning English. Table 3.2 below a graphic representation of

the items included in the teachers’ questionnaire.

Table 3.2: Teachers’ Questionnaire Items

Items Explanations

1. Are you satisfied with your Investigating teachers’

students’ overall achievement in satisfaction with their students

English? overall achievement.

2. Do they like to learn Their students most preferred

a) by listening?
b) by reading? VAK learning styles.
c) by copying from the board?
d) by listening and taking notes?
e) by reading and making notes?
f) by repeating what they hear?
g) by making summaries?
h) other (please specify)

3. In class, do your students prefer to Whether the students inclined to

learn
group or individual learning
a) individually?
b) in pairs? styles.
c) in small group?
d) in one large group?
e) other (please specify)

41
4. When learning new vocabulary, do The students favoured vocabulary
they like learning
learning style.
a) by using new words in a
sentence
b) by thinking of relationship
between known and new
c) by saying or writing the new
words several times
d) by avoiding verbal translation
e) by guessing the unknown
f) by using dictionary

5. Do they like learning from Type of instrument or teaching

a) television/video/films?
b) radio? aids that the students most opt for.
c) tapes/CD?
d) written material?
e) the whiteboard?
f) pictures/posters?
g) other (please specify)

6. Do you do the following in your Type of class activities that the

class?
students fancy most while
a) Role play?
b) Language games learning English.
c) Songs
d) Talking with and listening
to other students
e) Memorizing
conversations/dialogues
f) Writing a learning diary
g) Use module/ work books
h) Learning about culture

7. When they speak, do they want to The best time of being corrected
be corrected
a) immediately in front of by teachers.
everyone?
b) later, at the end of the
activity, in front of everyone?
c) later, in private?

42
 8. Do they mind if Methods of being corrected.
a) other students sometimes
correct their written work?
b) you as the teacher sometimes
ask them to correct their own
work?

9. How do you think students like to Ways the students preferred to

find out how much their English is
know their achievement in
improving? By….
a) written tasks set by you? English language.
b) seeing if they can use the
language they have learnt in
real-life situations?
c) their increasing grade?
d) Other (please specify)

10. Do you think students get a sense Students attain their sense of
of satisfaction from
a) having their work graded satisfaction in learning English.
b) being told that they have made
progress?
c) feeling more confident in
situations that they found
difficult before?
d) Other (please specify)

The questionnaire provided the data for the quantitative portion of the study.

For the qualitative portion short interviews were conducted for both student and

teacher respondents to investigate their choice of preferences in studying and teaching

1119 English. The usage of interview was crucial in this study as to validate the

students as well as the teachers’ responses in the questionnaires. Interview is “a

systematic way of talking and listening to people and this is one of the best ways to

collect data from the respondents” (Kajornboon, 2005, p. 2). In addition, the

respondents are able to discuss their perception and interpretation with regards to a

43
given situation (Kajornboon, 2005, p. 2). There are four types of interviews, which

include structured interview, semi-structured interview, unstructured interview and

last but not least is non-directive interview.

For this study the researcher used a structured interview, where all the

respondents (students and teachers) were asked questions related to the learning styles

preferences for the students and awareness questions for the teachers. This type of

data gathering was used to validate the answers that the respondents had chosen in the

questionnaires that had been distributed.

A structured interview is also known as a standardized interview. The same

questions are asked of all respondents with the same wording and in the same

sequence (Corbetta, 2003, p. 269). The aim for giving the respondents similar context

questions is to make sure the respondents receive similar interview stimulus as all the

others and also to make sure interviewees’ replies can be aggregated (Bryman, 2001,

p. 107). In a structured interview, the researcher has full control over the topics and

the format of the interview.

10 students were chosen to represent each class and streams while 5 teachers

were chosen to be interviewed as to acquire in-depth clarification on their responses in

order to support the research questions. The interview questions for the students had

been altered from the questionnaire to suit the students’ level of understanding of the

interview questions and also to validate the answers given in the questionnaire. For the

teachers, the researcher used similar questions from the questionnaire as the interview

questions. The ‘quote-research’ method (Folkestad, 2008) was used to analyse the

interview results. The main reason for choosing this method was due to no particular

arrangement of the interview responses through charts or graphs. By using the quotes

from the interview the researcher can “provide information about the student and
44
teachers subjective perspective on the subject matter” (Christensen, Johnson &

Turner, 2011, p.58). Below were the three interview questions asked of the students:

1. Item 1-12 (Visual Learning Style): Why do you prefer to study through

pictures, diagrams, videos etc..?

2. Item 13-24 (Auditory Learning Style): Do you learn best through listening

to your teachers’ explanation, read aloud or listening to audio recorder?

3. Item 25-36 (Kinesthetic Learning Style): Do you learn best when you are

involving in the learning process? Like participating in role-play, drama

act or experiments.

The questions were altered based on the questionnaire given to the students.

Items 1-12 focused on the Visual learning styles, due to that the interview question

asked by the researcher was based on students’ preferences in learning English 1119

via pictures, diagram and a few. Items 13-24 looked at the Auditory learning style

which the interview question asked whether the students learnt best by listening to the

teachers’ explanation, read aloud or listening to audio recorder. As for items 25-36

focused on the Kinesthetic learning style, thus the researcher asked questions

pertaining the best way the students learn 1119 English through participating in the

learning session by take part in drama or role play.

45
3.1.4 Procedure Employed

This research was a cross-sectional study, as it elaborated the data being

collected at one particular point of time and adopted the method of attempting to

gather information through dissemination of questionnaires to selected respondents, as

for this case, 48 were upper form Pure Science stream students and plus 60 Account

stream students, of SMK Tengku Intan Zaharah, Dungun, Terengganu.

Before the questionnaires were handed to students and their teachers, the

purpose along with the aims of this study were briefly explained by the researcher.

They were also guaranteed that their responses would be confidential. Furthermore,

they were reminded about the time they would spend in filling up the questionnaire.

The respondents were also informed that they could request for extra time. Once they

had finished answering the questionnaire, the respondents were asked to double check

their incomplete or missing answers. All the respondents were to complete and return

their questionnaires within eight to ten minutes. As for the teachers, the questionnaire

was distributed to them during their free time and collected once school was over,

because the researcher did not want to interfere with the teachers’ teaching sessions.

3.1.5 Data Analysis

The data obtained from this study were analysed by adopting the frequency

distribution method using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) in order

to clearly observe the numbers and means, and to clarify the dissimilarity between

these different responses. The main reason for using SPSS is its ability to inspect

every single detail with regards to the vital features from the data collected in order

46
for the researcher to learn about the preferred learning styles of the students, along

with the teachers’ level of awareness towards these preferences. The researcher used

descriptive statistics to obtain the frequency counts and percentages for Research

Question 1, 2 and 5 while an independent T-test was employed for Research Question

3 and 4.

The analyses of the data were tabulated using Microsoft Excel, where data

calculations could be clearly presented via tables, column bars and pie charts. Levels

of agreement for each research question would be shown through analyses of the data,

according to the items provided in the questionnaire.

To analyse the interview results of both students and teachers, the ‘Quote-

research’ method was used. This method was chosen as to provide new insights to the

researcher on how the respondents (students and teachers) think and reflect regarding

the students preferred learning styles as well as the teachers’ awareness of the students

learning preferences.

3.2 Conclusion

This chapter presents a discussion of the research design, population and sample

selection using a cluster random and convenience sampling procedure. In addition,

this chapter also provides information on the data gathering procedure, instruments

used and procedures employed. All the data was calculated using SPSS software and

presented in tables, column graphs and pie charts. The data and interview analysis was

carried out to answer the five research questions of this study.

47
 CHAPTER 4

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

4.0 Introduction

This chapter presents the findings obtained from the analyses of the

questionnaire and interview. For section A of the students’ questionnaire, the data

clarifies the respondents’ demographic profiles while the rest of the data elucidates the

findings obtained from the questionnaires that have been distributed as to discover

learners’ preferences in learning 1119 English subject in SMK Tengku Intan Zaharah,

along with their teachers’ awareness on the students’ preferred learning styles.

4.1 Presentation of Data

4.1.1 Demographic Profiles

Students

This study involved a total of 60 Form 4 students and 48 of Form 5 students.

Figure 4.1 above illustrates that the respondents consisted of upper form students of

SMKTIZ.

48
 Figure 4.1: Number of Student sample according to Forms

After the data was analysed Figure 4.2, reveals that female students

outnumbered the male students with 81 females compared to only 27 male, which

means, 75% of the student sample was female and only 25% was male.

Figure: 4.2: Gender of the Students

49
 Figure 4.3 above indicates that 57 students were from the Pure Science stream

while 51 were from the Accounts stream. The 57 students of the Pure Science stream

were from 4 Intan 1 with 29 respondents, and 28 students from Form 5 Intan 1. As for

Accounts stream, 31 students were from 4 Intan 5 and 20 students were from 5 Intan

5.

Figure: 4.3: Academic Streams

In term of ethnic background, all the sample were 100% Malay. Figure 4.4.

shows that 108 samples were Malay.

50
 Figure 4.4: Race of the Students

Teacher Sample

In this research, a total of 5 English language 1119 teachers were chosen to

answer the questionnaires on their awareness of the students’ preferred learning styles.

3 male teachers represented by 60% of the percentage and 2 female teachers

represented by 40% of the percentage from the Figure 4.5 below, were involved in the

research.

Figure: 4.5: Gender of the Teachers

51
 Based on Figure 4.6 below, 3 English 1119 teachers who took part in this

study are in the age range of age between 36 to 40 while, 1 was in the range between

41 to 45 and another 1 was between 51 till 55.

Figure 4.6: Age of the Teachers

With this age range we can estimate the years of services of these teachers.

Figure 4.7 below shows that, 1 teacher has been in the service between 6 to 10 years,

while 2 teachers have been in service between 11 to 15 years, while one more has

been serving from 21 up to 25 years followed by another with 26 to 30 years of

teaching experience.

52
 Figure 4.7: Years of Teaching Experience

There is no participation from Chinese or Indian teachers in the school as all of

the teachers who are teaching English are Malays. This is shown in Figure 4.8.

Figure 4.8: Race of Teachers

53
4.1.2 Presentation of Data according to the Research Questions

Research Question 1

(What is the most preferred learning style of SMKTIZ students in

learning 1119 English paper?)

The first Research Question uncovering the most preferred learning

style of SMKTIZ students in learning 1119 English. Table 4.9 reveals the data

gathered from the questionnaires administered to Form 4 and 5 students of

Pure Science and Accounts streams, focusing on Visual, Auditory and

Kinesthetic learning style.

Table 4.1: Descriptive Statistics

N Mean Std. Deviation

Visual 108 4.14 .544
N Mean Std. Deviation
Auditory 108 3.61 .417
N Mean Std. Deviation
Kinesthetic 108 3.76 .456

Table 4.1 highlights the highest preferred learning style by upper form

students to be the Visual learning style with the mean of 4.14, followed by

Kinesthetic with a mean of 3.76. The least preferred learning style was

Auditory with the mean of 3.61.

54
 Research Question 2

(What is the most preferred learning style of SMKTIZ students in

learning 1119 English paper according to gender?)

In Research Question two, the researcher wanted to find out the most

preferred learning style according to gender of the sample. Table 4.10 shows

the independent sample t-test result for the students’ most preferred learning

styles according to gender. This table revealed that the significant value for

Levene’s test for the Visual learning style was 0.91 and Auditory learning

style showed 0.123, which is higher than 0.05. These values mean that the

equal variances were assumed. Looking at the equal variances assumed for

Visual learning style, the t value was -1.436 and the probability in the

significant two-tailed column (p = 0.154) was higher than 0.05. This depicted

that there was no significant difference students in preference of the Visual

learning style in terms of gender. As for Auditory learning style, the t value

was -0.966 and the probability in the significant two-tailed column (p = 0.336)

was higher than 0.05. This showed that there was no significant difference in

terms of gender in preference of the Auditory learning style. Table 4.2 reveals

that the significant value for the Levene’s test for the Kinesthetic learning style

was 0.003 which was less than 0.05. This value depicted that the equal

variances were not assumed. Looking at the equal variances not assumed, the t

value was 0.198 and the probability in the significant two-tailed column (p =

0.843) was higher than 0.05. This showed that there was no significant

difference in preferring the Kinesthetic learning style in terms of gender.

55
 To sum up table 4.2 indicates that there is no significant difference in

terms of gender in students’ preferred learning styles.

Table 4.2: Independent Samples Test

Independent Samples Test

Levene's
Test for
Equality of
Variances t-test for Equality of Means
Sig. (2- Mean Std. Error
F Sig. t Df tailed) Difference Difference
Visual Equal 2.908 .091 -1.436 106 .154 -.173 .120
variances
assumed
Equal -1.587 54.018 .118 -.173 .109
variances
not
assumed
Auditory Equal 2.418 .123 -.966 106 .336 -.090 .093
variances
assumed
Equal -.870 38.093 .390 -.090 .103
variances
not
assumed
Kinesthetic Equal 8.936 .003 .172 106 .864 .017 .102
variances
assumed
Equal .198 59.216 .843 .017 .088
variances
not
assumed

56
 Research Question 3

(What is the most preferred learning style of SMKTIZ students in

learning 1119 English paper in Pure Science stream class?)

In Research Question three, the focal point is on Pure Science stream, where in

Table 4.3, Pure Science students preferred the Visual learning style, with a mean

of 4.51 making it the major style, followed by Kinesthetic with a mean of 4.01

which is the trivial style, compared to Auditory with the mean of 3.56 which is the

negligible style. This means that Pure Science students preferred the Visual and

Kinesthetic learning style in learning English language as compared to the

Auditory learning style.

Table 4.3: Preferred Learning Style in Pure Science Stream Class

Learning Style Mean

Visual 4.51
Auditory 3.56
Kinesthetic 4.01

57
 Research Question 4

(What is the most preferred learning style of SMKTIZ students in

learning 1119 English paper in the Accounts stream class?)

Focal point of Research Question four is to investigate the most preferred

learning style of Accounts stream students. Table 4.4 indicates that Accounts

students seemed prone to Visual learning style in learning English language with a

mean of 3.72 followed by Auditory learning style with a mean of 3.67, and

Kinesthetic learning style with the mean of 3.49. In conclusion, Accounts stream

students preferred the Visual learning style during learning English language,

which was similar to the preference of Pure Science stream students, but the minor

learning style preference different to the Pure Science going for Kinesthetic while

the Accounts went for Auditory.

Table 4.4 Preferred Learning Style in Accounts Stream class

Learning Style Mean

Visual 3.72
Auditory 3.67
Kinesthetic 3.49

Students’ Interview Responses

10 students were chosen to represent each classes and streams to be

interviewed as to acquire in-depth clarification on their responses in order to support

the research questions. The interview questions have been altered to suit the students

58
understanding of the questionnaire items. The reason of doing this was due to validate

the answers given in the questionnaire. ‘Quote-research’ method was used to analyse

the interview result.

Following were the responses provided during the interview:

1. Question 1-12 (Visual Learning Style): Why do you prefer to study through

pictures, diagrams, videos etc..?

Table 4.5: Students’ Interview Responses

Students Response

1 As a pure science student I have been exposed to replica of human

body and images of various science symbols, so I think it has
somehow influence my way of studying.

2 It assists me in understanding one subject better by looking at the

diagrams or pictures. So I use the same method in learning English
too.

3 My English teacher is the one that influence my way of studying

English as she uses a lot of video clipping and posters during her
lesson. But it helps me in understanding English 1119.

4 My friends and I have been taught to visualise thing inside our

head for example the shape of an atom as to strengthen our
memory so that we can answer the chemistry questions. So I
applied the same method when I learn English by visualising the
setting, plot and the characters face.

5 I am used to Facebook, Friendster and Tagged. One of the ways to

make me know how to use the social networking sites is by
looking at the symbols shown in them. So in learning English this
has influenced me as I need to look at the symbol or pictures to
help me understand what I learn.

6 In Account class my teacher has used a lot of charts and diagrams

to illustrate the topic of the day and I think that influence my way
of learning English.

59
 7 I tend to understand better when I looked at my own note rather
than discuss it with my friends. As in our Accounts class we have
been familiarised with digits, symbols and we are asked to copy
down notes and draw some pictures to make us recall and
memorise the subject. So during English lesson I prefer to jot
down or draw mind map and reread my literature notes to help me
in understanding the plot better.

8 Watching too many movies and drama series have influenced me

in my way of studying because I can see the flow of what is going
on in the movie and this goes the same with learning English. I
need to use pictures with explanation or synopsis (pictorial plot) to
help me in understanding the novel that I learn.

9 I would get confused by listening to my teacher explaining about

the grammar rules, but when she display pictures or diagrams it
helps me to understand the lesson better.

10 Thanks to my teacher of teaching me to understand grammar rules

better by illustrating them with pictures and diagrams.

Based on Table 4.5 above majority of the students prefer to learn through the

Visual learning style. Reasons given that they were influenced by learning and

teaching styles used while learning other subjects like Biology, Chemistry and

Accounts. For some of them, their learning styles have been influenced by media and

Internet usage either at home or school. One student responded that by listening to

explanation solely has confused him and he preferred to learn with the help of visual

aids. This has been supported by Oxford (2003) who stated, for the Visual learning

style students, listening to lecture, conversation, and oral direction without any visual

backup can be very confusing. Due to that, these students agreed that through visual

learning style they could learn and understand the 1119 English lesson better.

60
2. Question 13-24 (Auditory Learning Style): Do you learn best through listening

to your teachers’ explanation, read aloud or listening to audio recorder?

Table 4.6: Students’ Interview Responses

Students Response

1 Even though my teacher showed me pictures and videos but still I

need my teacher to explain to me as it helps my understanding of
the subject better.

2 I can’t stand listening to my teacher explaining about the synopsis

of the novel, it makes me sleepy.

3 I like when my teacher continuously repeating the main points

again and again. It helps me to memorise and understand the
poems better.

4 I can focus more when I’m listening to people talking rather than
reading.

5 I need to look at pictures or read the notes to understand the lesson

better.

6 Well, even I have looked at the pictures or videos without my

teacher explanation I wouldn’t understand it either. So I need to
listen to my teacher explanation regarding the grammar rules.

7 When we have listening class, I tend to understand the

conversation wrongly as the English accent used was too thick.
Hardly understand it.

8 Listening to my teacher explaining about the synopsis of the novel

helps me to understand the plot better.

9 At home I listen a lot to online radio and mp3 player, so I learn

best when listening to my teacher explanations.

10 When I read aloud I can understand the passage or questions

better, it has somehow stimulated my understanding receptors.

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 Table 4.6 revealed 7 students tendency to use the Auditory learning style.

Based on the responses the students seemed to focus on 1119 English lesson when

their teachers give explanation or use repetition about the synopsis, plot or poem that

they learn. Oxford (2003, p. 4) has agreed to this when she stated, “auditory students

are comfortable without visual input and therefore enjoy and profit from

unembellished lectures, conversations, and oral directions”. For one student, the habit

of listening to radio and mp3 player influenced him to perform well when their

teachers give explanations for 1119 English subject. As for another, reading out loud

has helped her to comprehend the passages or questions given during the lesson.

Meanwhile another 3 students seemed to respond negatively towards the Auditory

learning style as they either prone to the Visual learning style or just simply could not

adapt to Auditory learning style.

3. Question 25-36 (Kinesthetic Learning Style): Do you learn best when you are

involving in the learning process? Like participating in role-play, drama act or

experiments.

Table 4.7: Students’ Interview Responses

Students Response

1 In Biology class we were exposed to several of experiments. And

through that I could understand few Biology concepts. So in
English class I prefer to involve in the role-play or drama act as it
helps me to understand the novel better.

2 I prefer to read rather than involve in the drama act.

3 I need to be a part of the learning process so that I can understand

what been taught better, and because of that I love to participate in
the drama act, role-play and experiments.

62
 4 My teacher taught us how to bake a pizza and at the end of the
class we had to write an essay about our experience in baking the
pizza. It was fun and I could produce beautiful essay that day.

5 When I listen I tend to forget but when I involve in the lesson I

tend to understand.

6 I like to move around. If I sit too long I will easily snooze off (fall
to sleep).

7 I prefer to listen to my teacher teaching rather than involving in

the act.

8 In science class we do a lot of experiments. So it has influenced

me to learn English by participating in class activities such as
Newspaper in English activity, where I participate in mini
scavenger hunt.

9 I am a shy person. So I prefer to read the notes to play low key

(low profile).

10 My teacher love to do activities in her lesson. That is one of the

reasons why I prefer to participate actively in her class. Recently
she did a scavenger hunt where we needed to find all the answers
to idioms and questions related to our form 4 poems and short
stories around the school compound.

Responses shown in Table 4.7, depicted that 2 students were influenced by

experiment activity during their Biology and Science lessons and due to that they have

gravitated towards the Kinesthetic learning style during their 1119 English lesson. For

some of the students being a part of the learning process, like being involved in role-

play, assisted them in understand the 1119 English lesson better. As for another

student, being given hand-on learning activity manages to trigger his creativity in

writing beautiful essay during English lesson. Another student in his response stated

that he needed to move around in the class to do activity if not he would fall asleep.

Kinesthetic type of student according to Oxford (2003) could not sit still at a desk for

a very long time, and prefer to have frequent breaks and move around the room.
63
 Research Question 5

(To what extent, if any, are their teachers aware of the learners’ learning

preferences?)

Item 1 of the teachers’ questionnaire examined teachers’ satisfaction

with their students overall performance in English language and the results are

shown in Figure 4.9.

Figure 4.9: Are You Satisfied With Your Students' Overall Performance
Achievement In English?

3 out of 5 teachers teaching Form 4 and Form 5 students indicated that they

were not satisfied with their students’ performance in English language, which makes

it 60% of the respondents who are not satisfied with their students’ achievement.

Item 2, looks into teachers’ awareness of their students’ preferred learning

style in learning English and the result is shown in Figure 4.10.

64
 Figure 4.10: Teachers’ Awareness of Their Students’ Preferred Learning Style
in Learning English Language

The analysis of item 2 indicates that 80% or 4 of 5 teachers were aware of

their students preferred learning via listening, copying from the board, listening and

taking notes as well as learning method by reading. In the meantime, 3 teachers (60%)

were aware that their students preferred to learn English through reading and 2

teachers were aware of their students’ unfavourable learning styles towards ‘repeating

what they hear’ along with ‘making summaries’.

Furthermore, in order to identify which type of learning styles the students

preferred during their English session, item 3 investigated teachers’ perception

whether the students preferred to learn individually, in pairs, small group or in large

group. Figure 4.11 displays the results.

65
 Figure 4.11: Type of Learning Styles the Students tend to Exhibit
during the English Class

Figure 4.11 above reveals that 4 out of 5 teachers were aware that their

students tend to exhibit learning in pairs and learning in small groups, rather than

individually or in one large group.

Ways of learning new vocabulary adopted by the students is the main focus

of item 4 where Figure 4.12 illustrates that 3 out of 5 English teachers that stated that

their students favour learning new English vocabulary by using it in a sentence and by

thinking of relationships between the known and new along with guessing the

unknown. Moreover, 4 teachers agreed that their students like to learn new vocabulary

via the dictionary. However, only 1 indicated teacher aware ‘by saying or writing the

new words several times’ along with ‘avoiding verbal translation’ were preferred by

their students in learning new English vocabulary.

66
 Figure 4.12: Ways of Learning New Vocabulary

Item 5 focuses on the type of teaching aids that the teachers think that their

students most opt for while learning English. In Figure 4.13 reveals the results.

67
 Figure 4.13: Type of Instruments or Teaching Aids Students
Prefer while learning English

5 teachers responded ‘Yes’ to the whiteboard and the use of pictures/posters

for teaching aids that the students most preferred while studying English. Tapes/CD

and written material is the second favourable teaching aid that the students most

preferred with 4 teachers agreeing to it. Likewise, 3 of the teachers agreed that their

students were fond of lessons involving television/video/film whereas only 2 teachers

marked ‘Yes’ to the use of radio as their teaching aid that the students most preferred

while studying English.

The next item looks into type of class activities that the students favour while

learning English according to the teachers’ perceptions. Figure 4.14 shows the results.

68
 Figure 4.14: Class Activities

Based on the Figure 4.14 above the teachers mostly practiced language games,

talking with and listening to other students activity, using module/work books and

also learning about culture in teaching of English in their classes, as their students

were prone to these activities. Meanwhile, only 3 teachers agreed that their students

preferred to do role-play and writing a learning diary in learning English 1119.

However, only 2 teachers marked ‘Yes’ that their students preferred to listen to songs

or memorise conversation/dialogues in their lessons.

69
 Figure 4.15 depicts the results of the best time the students prefer being

corrected by their teachers according to teachers’ perceptions. The data is tabulated in

Figure 4.15 below.

Figure 4.15: Time the Students Prefer being corrected

by Their Teachers

Based on the data above, teachers tend to agree that their students like to be

corrected during their English lesson, in front of their classmates. 2 teachers indicated

that they would correct the students’ mistake later after the lesson but still in front of

everyone in the class, requested by their students. For this item only 1 teacher agreed

that he or she would correct the students privately after the lesson.

Item 8 is concerns the methods of correcting the students, and 3 teachers

agreed with the method that the students independently corrected their own work. 2

70
teachers agreed that they assumed their students like their written work corrected by

their classmates or other students. Figure 4.16 presents the data.

Figure 4.16: Methods of Correcting The Students

The focal point in item 9 is ways the students preferred to know their

achievement in English language. Figure 4.17 depicts that all 5 teachers came to an

understanding that the students prefer to assess their achievement in English via

written tasks set by the teachers along with the students increased marks in their tests.

At the same time, 4 teachers also agreed that seeing their students’ use English in real-

life situations was one of the ways to indicate their students’ English proficiency had

increased.

71
 Figure 4.17: Ways The Students Preferred To Know Their Achievement In

English

Last but not least, item 10 investigated teachers’ perception of their students’

sense of satisfaction in learning English. Figure 4.18 shows all 5 teachers agreed that

students attain their sense of satisfaction through their home works being graded as

well as being told that they have made progress in English language. Nonetheless,

only 2 teachers agreed that their students obtained a sense of satisfaction in learning

English via feeling more confident in situations that they found difficult before.

72
 Figure 4.18: Students’ Sense of Satisfaction in Learning English

Teachers’ Interview Responses

The teacher sample was also interviewed to obtain in-depth clarification on

their responses in order to support the research questions. The interview questions

replicated the questionnaire items because the researcher wanted to validate the

answers given in the questionnaire. ‘Quote-research’ method was used to analyse the

interview result.

Following were the responses provided during the interview:

73
Question 1: Are you satisfied with your students’ overall achievement in English?

Table 4.8: Teachers’ Interview Responses

Teacher Response
A Yes, as they managed to score B+ and above during the TOV test.
B Yes, they managed to produce band A and B essays during the TOV test.
C No, they made several grammar mistakes in their essays.
D No. The students haven’t achieved the school target in the examination.
E No, as most of them didn’t get A during the TOV test.

Table 4.8 reveals teachers A and B seemed to be satisfied with their students’

performance during the TOV test (Take of Value test) as most of their students scored

A, B and B+ during the test. Teachers C, D and E were dissatisfied with their

students’ performance in English as according to them their students still made

grammatical errors in their written test while the rest of the students still did not

achieve the school target in the examination (which was achieving all A’s in 1119

English paper).

Question 2: Do they like to learn (by listening, copying from board, listening and
taking notes and by reading and making notes)

Table 4.9: Teachers’ Interview Responses

Teacher Response
A The most common method used in school is by copying from the board.
B They love to listen and take notes as we have no other way to teach. So
the students are affected by these.
C I resort to this as I am an old school teacher. So my students will follow

74
 my way, by reading and making notes out of what they have read.
D My students prefer to use media as this helps them to understand and
relate the language better. So I think I incorporated all, so my students
will learn through listening, copying from the board or power point
presentation and make notes out of the power point been displayed.
E We have no other way to teach. So the students will follow my way that is
listening, reading and making notes.

Based on Table 4.9, teacher A responded that he was aware that his students

like to copy the notes from the board while teacher B mentioned that she had no other

way to teach so she assumed her students like to learn 1119 English by listening and

take notes. Besides that, teacher C and E applied an authority teaching style. Teacher C

taught his students to do notes taking from the reading that he assigned to the students

as teacher E did mention that she used listening, reading and making notes during her

class and her students seemed to learn well through those learning styles. While teacher

D incorporated media and she responded that her students like to learn through the

media and it included listening, copying and making notes from the board or power

point presentation that been provided by her.

Question 3: In class, do your students prefer to learn (in pairs and in small group)

Table: 4.10: Teachers’ Interview Responses

Teacher Response
A Few of my students love to isolate themselves from doing group work as
they prefer to do thing on their own.
B They love to talk, so working in pairs and small group are the one that
they prefer.

75
 C They just seemed to like each other’s company, besides they can give
ideas and share their opinion without being judge.
D They are chatterbox so being able to work in pairs and group will make
them excited to attempt the activities in class.
E They love doing group work as they tend to rely on their friends in
completing tasks given to them.

In Table 4.10 teacher A responded she was aware that few of her students love

to isolate themselves and avoiding working in group as they preferred to do thing on

their own. While teacher B, C, D and E agreed they were aware that their students

either preferred to work in pairs and group as they just love each other company.

Through the teachers response the researcher could infer that the students seemed to

favour more communicative and interactive approach when learning 1119 English

subject.

Question 4: When learning new vocabulary, do they like learning (by using
dictionary)

Table: 4.11: Teachers’ Interview Responses

Teacher Response
A They are attached to the dictionary as it seemed like their trusty guide.
B They trust the dictionary more than me.
C I enforce the use of dictionary in class so they seemed hooked to it.
D I enforce the use of dictionary in class.
E Some of them prefer me to provide them with the definition as they are
lazy to refer to the dictionary.

As seen in Table 4.11 above, teacher A, B, C and D aware that their student

showed positive responses towards their students’ usage of dictionary in learning1119

76
English subject. According to the teachers the students put their trust in referring to

the dictionary for accurate definitions. 2 out of 4 teachers enforced the use of

dictionary in their classes. Due to that, it had influenced the students in learning of

new vocabulary by using dictionary. Teacher E seemed to aware that her students

responded negatively toward learning new vocabulary through dictionary, as her

students seemed to be lazy to refer to the dictionary and they tend to resort to her to

provide them with the definition for the new vocabulary that they learnt.

Question 5: Do they like learning from (the whiteboard and pictures/posters)

Table: 4.12: Teachers’ Interview Responses

Teacher Response
A I used white board to write the notes, so my students seemed to attach to
it.
B So far I teach by using white board and my students succumb to it.
C Yes they like to learn by copying notes from the white board and looking
at pictures and posters pasted on the board.
D Yes, as I used white board to write the notes and paste pictures too. My
students seemed to give positive feedback towards these methods.

E I used white board to write the notes, as that is the only teaching aid that
can assist me in teaching, and my students’ feel comfortable learning
through it.

From Table 4.12, teacher A, B and C responded that they were aware their

students love to learn from copying the notes from the whiteboard. While another

teacher D and E mentioned that their students preferred to copy the notes from the

77
whiteboard along with the use of pictures and posters pasted on the board while

learning 1119 English paper.

Question 6: Do you do the following in your class (language games, talking with and
listening to other students, use module/work books and learning about culture)

Table: 4.13: Teachers’ Interview Responses

Teacher Response
A My students love to attempt language games as they have pictures that
assist them in understanding the task acquire.
B Positive thing about the kids in my class is that, they adore their friends
who able to speak in English as they look up at these students and praying
they be able to converse well in English like their friends one day.
C We created few modules for the students even our State Education
Department also supply us with it, so we make full used of the module,
and the students seemed to enjoy using them as it helps them to become
familiar to the real examination questions.
D These students are thirsty to know about others culture and the in-thing
now is Korean song and culture.
E My students seemed prefer to do exercises that relate to exam, and
because of that they prefer to use the module in the class.

Teacher A, according to Table 4.13, responded that she used language

games as her medium to teach and it attracted her student to learn English in her class.

While teacher B mentioned her students acted positively towards her ‘talking with and

listening to the other students’ activity. This activity had motivated the students to

speak openly in English during their 1119 English lesson. As for teacher C and E, they

made fully used of the module produced by the school and also the one provided by

78
Terengganu State of Education in their classes. According to these teachers, reason of

choosing to work with the module was to introduce real examination questions to the

students so that they could familiarise with the real exam questions. However,

according to teacher D, her students were interested in knowing about others culture,

especially Korean culture and song.

Question 7: When they speak, do they want to be corrected (immediately in front of

everyone)

Table: 4.14: Teachers’ Interview Responses

Teacher Response
A They seemed don’t mind to be corrected in front of the class.
B They don’t mind to be laughing stock in the class when I corrected them.
Their friends love ‘correction’ humour.
C Making mistake and being corrected directly is not really the in-thing in
class.
D Teenagers are full of pride, so they won’t like if you correct them in front
of their friends.
E Sometime they can accept being corrected in front of their peers but most
of the time they don’t.

Teacher A and B both stated that their students did not mind to be

corrected in front of the class as the students seemed to enjoy the ‘correction humour’.

However, teacher C, D and E in Table 4.14, seemed to be aware that their students did

not like to be corrected in front of their friends in the class. According to the teachers

their students seemed to be full of pride and that was the reason why they did not like

to be corrected in front of their friends.

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Question 8: Do they mind if (you as the teacher sometimes ask them to correct their
own work)

Table: 4.15: Teachers’ Interview Responses

Teacher Response
A They seemed at ease if I ask them to mark their own exercises.
B At least they can detect their own mistakes when they do the corrections
on their own.
C My students seemed to rely on me to check on their works.
D My students love the opportunity to mark their own works. But then I will
assist the correction.
E My students want me to check their works. They said mine is more valid
compare to their judgement.

According to Table 4.15 teachers A, B and D showed their awareness when

they realised that their students seemed to give positive respond when given a chance

to mark their own works. According to teacher B, through self-correction method, at

least the students could detect the mistakes that they made during the exercises given,

while teacher D would assist the students through the self-correction session in her

class. Teacher C and E responded that their students seemed to rely on them to check

and mark their works as their students wanted a valid judgement in assessing their

home works or exercises given.

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Question 9: How do you think students like to find out how much their English is
improving? By… (Written tasks set by you and their increasing grade)

Table: 4.16: Teachers’ Interview Responses

Teacher Response
A They love to compare their previous grade with the current one to see
their improvement.
B They like to come and see me personally to know whether they do well or
poorly in their written tasks and compare their previous grade.
C Being able to score higher than the previous test will make them happy.
D They love to see A+ their written tasks and grade in exam.
E They like to know whether they score well in English through written task
and examination grade.

Table 4.16 showed that teacher B, D and E showed that they were aware of

their students’ preference knowing their improvement in 1119 English subject by

comparing good marks in their written task as well as comparing their previous grade

with the current grade. As for teacher A and C, they were aware that their students

wanted to find out how much they had improving through comparing their previous

grade with the current grade only.

Question 10: Do you think students get a sense of satisfaction from (having their work

graded and being told that they have made progress)

Table: 4.17: Teachers’ Interview Responses

Teacher Response
A They prefer to look at their work being graded to know that they are doing
well in the lesson.

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 B I think they prefer both ways because they can compare their results with
their friends and it also a way to motivate them if I told them that they
make progress.
C They love their works being graded it shows they have made an
achievement.
D By using both ways, it somehow boosts the kids’ motivation to learn
more.
E They feel on the cloud nine when I mark their works and tell them that
they made good progress in their English.

From Table 4.17 teacher A, C and E seemed to be aware that their students

showed their satisfaction when their works being graded, while for teacher B and D

revealed their awareness of their students’ satisfaction through their work being

graded as well as telling them that they had made a good progress in 1119 English

subject.

The results depicted that the majority of upper form students’ preferred the

Visual learning style in learning English language. However, this does not mean that

they were only confined to one learning style as the students also shown positive

response toward trivial (Kinesthetic) and negligible (Auditory).

Another useful finding discovered through this research was that most all of

the teachers were seemed attentive to their students’ preferred learning styles. The

results revealed the teachers were aware that their students’ inclination to working

within small and larger groups when attempting their tasks. Besides that, this chapter

also analysed the teachers’ discernment in knowing their students favoured vocabulary

learning styles, teaching aids that the students opt for as well as the class activities.

Furthermore, the researcher also found out that the teachers were aware of the best

time to correct the students, together with ways the students preferred to know their

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progress and achievement while learning English. Last but not least, the researcher

managed to find out that the teachers’ were aware towards their students’ satisfaction

in learning English during their classes.

4.2 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

This study aimed to discover the most preferred learning styles of Form 4 and

5 from Pure Science and Accounts academic streams of SMKTIZ, as well as their

teachers’ awareness in relation to this matter. The analysed data is presented in this

chapter while the discussion of the result is presented according to the Research

Questions. In this section, a summary of the findings is provided following by a

discussion based on the research questions.

4.2.1 The most preferred learning style of SMKTIZ students in learning 1119

English paper.

After thoroughly analysing overall data in Table 4.1 the highest preferred

learning style by upper form students with the mean of 4.14, is Visual learning

style, which make it the major learning style preferred by the students, despite the

differences in their streams or gender. One of the reasons given by the students

through the interview was that they understood the real context of the literature

texts used like the short stories, novel, drama, poems as well as grammar better

with the aids of pictures or realias along with explanation given by the teachers

describing the plots or structures of the short stories or grammar rules. Besides

that, the students also prefer Kinesthetic learning style, which is known as trivial

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 learning style. According to the students they were prone to role-play or hand-on

learning, like what had been done by one of their teachers where she taught

writing about their enduring moment in baking a pizza, and their teacher went

beyond that by literarily asking the students to bake a pizza. For the students this

hands-on teaching would assist the students to experience the process of baking

the pizza and would help them to write the essays. Moreover, for the students who

preferred Auditory learning style, which also negligible learning style, stated even

though the teacher showed pictures or videos but they still needed their teacher to

explain and repeat the main points of the novel or poem to assist them in

understanding as well as memorising the lesson better.

4.2.2 The most preferred learning style of SMKTIZ students in learning

1119 English paper according to gender.

In Research Question 2, the most preferred learning style of SMKTIZ students

according to gender is still Visual learning style. Based on the finding in Table 4.2, it

is affirmed that there are no statistically significant differences between gender with

regards to learning style preferences. To put it simply, gender does not really impact

on the respondents’ learning styles preferences. However, this research contradicts

previous research undertaken in this specific area of study, where Almasa, Parilah and

Fauziah (2005, p.11) in their study entitled Learning-Style Preference Of ESL

Students, found that “gender plays a crucial role in students’ learning styles”. This is

perhaps because secondary school students are normally not being allowed to venture

out from their comfort zone in learning 1119 English. They are confined by teachers’

rules in learning English in their classroom as every lesson the aim is to make the
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students to be able to attempt the exam questions and be able to score with flying

colours. So the mould of learning in the Malaysian secondary school is confined only

to excel in the National Examinations and due to that, the data does not shown any

significant differences in gender with regards to learning styles, as the students are

being trained to have one way of learning English 1119 subject.

Another factor besides than not being allowed to experience other types of

learning styles, is that these students are actually being influenced in their choice of

learning due to the dissemination of digital technology. This new generation of IT

savvy students (despite of their gender) is brought up with the Internet, email,

computer games, cell phones and instant messaging as an integral part of their lives.

As a result of this ubiquitous environment and the absolute volume of their interaction

with it, has influence the way these students think and process information differently

from their predecessors (Prensky, 2001). These students are labelled ‘native speakers’

of the digital language of the Internet, computers, video games, digital music players

and video cameras. Due to that, this new generation of students is called ‘Digital

Natives’. ‘Digital Natives’ generation has formed a new notion of ‘singularity’, which

the students are confined to high-tech gadgets despite of their dissimilarity of their

gender. Both genders are being introduced to graphics more often in their computer

games, the Internet, email and to name a few. Thus, these ‘Digital Natives’ students

preferred to have graphics or pictures as one of the learning input rather than text, and

this has somehow influenced the students preferred learning styles in learning 1119

English despite their gender.

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4.2.3 The most preferred learning style of SMKTIZ students in learning

1119 English paper according to Pure Science stream class

Yilmaz-Soylu and Akkoyunlu (2002), stated that every learning environment

endeavours to produce successful students, and Research Question three focuses on

the most preferred learning style in learning English 1119 based on students’

academic streams. Table 4.3 revealed Pure Science students opt for the Visual

learning style as a result of being exposed to symbols and pictures during their

Biology, Chemistry as well as Physics classes. This conclusion was made based on the

interview responses from the students. The students then adopted the style to 1119

English classes where they favoured their teachers to display more pictures or bring

realias to the classes. Besides that, the students prefer Kinesthetic learning style too.

According to the students they were prone to do role-play or a hands-on learning as

they have been introduced with various experiments during their Biology, Chemistry

as well as Physics classes. Fortunately, one of the teachers taught writing class by

using hands-on learning method where she assigned the students to write about their

enduring moment in baking a pizza, and that particular teacher went beyond just

explaining as well as providing the essay points or ideas, she had literarily asked the

students to bake pizzas. For the students this hands-on learning would assist the

students to experience the process of baking the pizza and would help them to write

the essays with ease.

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4.2.4 The most preferred learning style of SMKTIZ students in learning 1119

English paper according to Accounts stream class.

Table 4.4, states that Accounts students’ also preferred Visual learning, as their

major learning style. Based on the interview with the students they were familiar with

digits and symbols in their Account classes as well as pictures shown by their teacher

in their Science classes, influenced them to adopt a similar learning style preference

while learning 1119 English. For some Accounts students, they preferred to learn

1119 English through the Auditory learning style where they wanted their teachers to

explain and repeat the main point of the theme in the novel or poem that they learnt.

According to the students’ interview responses, explanation or repetition helps them

memorise the lesson as well as understand it better.

4.2.5 To what extent, if any, are their teachers aware of the learners’ learning

preferences?

Brown (2003) reported that students’ learning styles and accomplishment is

normally enhanced when the learning and teaching styles match. Hence, the 10 items

provided in the teachers’ questionnaire together with a short interview have provided

sufficient evidence that the teachers are aware of students’ preferred learning styles in

learning English 1119.

In item one of teachers’ questionnaire, shows the teachers are aware of their

students’ preferred learning styles when two third of the teachers stated that they were

not satisfied with their students’ overall achievement in 1119 English. According to
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the interview, the teachers were dissatisfied with the students’ achievement as the

students made lots of grammatical errors and, eventually did poorly during the

examination and did not achieve the school target.

Item two revealed that the teachers were aware of their students’ preferred

learning style. The teachers were aware that most of their students preferred to learn

1119 English through listening, especially when the teachers provided explanations

and the students would take notes, copy notes from the board as well as through

reading.

Item three revealed that the teachers were aware that their students either

preferred to learn 1119 English in pairs or in small groups as shown in figure 4.11.

The teachers, stated that their students favour interactive and communicative approach

while learning 1119 English, as through working together either in pairs or small

groups the students would have a chance to voice out their opinions and receive

valuable feedback from their partners or friends in the group. Besides that, another

reason given by the teachers through the interview is that their students tend to rely on

their friends to complete tasks given to them; they needed peer support to enable them

to feel confident in getting the answers right or feel less guilty when their answers are

incorrect.

Furthermore, the teachers realised that their students have a preference in

learning new vocabulary, where according to figure 4.12 the students like to rely on

the dictionary as their sole companion in learning new vocabulary. Referring to the

teachers’ statement in the interview, these students are specially selected students as

the school itself is one of the most prestigious schools in Dungun and due to certain

expectations put on the students, the students feel awkward making mistakes as they

do not want to be labelled as not qualified to study in SMKTIZ. As they are scared to
88
make mistakes the students tend to use dictionary to learn new vocabulary as it gives

accurate definitions needed by them and will thus minimize the errors.

Item five showed that the teachers were aware that their students were fond of

learning from note written on the whiteboard as well as from pictures/posters pasted

either on the whiteboard or on walls in the class. Using teaching aids that enhance the

learning session has assisted the students to learn English.

Type of class activities that the students favour most while learning English

according to the teachers’ perceptions indicate that the students are fond of language

games, talking to their friends and listening to them conversing in English, using

module or workbooks and last but not least learning about culture. The teachers’

interview responses confirmed that, the students seemed to like language games as it

was fun and it had many pictorial items that could assist the students in their learning

of English. Moreover, the teachers also mentioned that their students pay great respect

to their friends who able to converse in English well. This has motivated the students

to work hard as to be equally competent as their friends. What is more, to be able to

converse in English according to the teachers as well as the students they bring an

image of an A class students in the school. This can motivate the students to learn

1119 English and also to have sense of responsibility towards their own learning and

at the same time they may want to implement learning styles to suit and also to

prepare themselves for advanced learning at the tertiary level.

In addition, the teachers said that their students learnt better from seeing

words in module or workbooks. They could comprehend the lessons and instructions

better when they were able to read them, and this has been validated by Azlinda

(2006) in her thesis entitled Learning Styles Adopted by Students in Learning English

as a Second Language. This has proven the main reason why the students preferred to
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do exercises from either the module or workbooks. Furthermore, these students are

confined to an exam oriented system, thus working with them by using language

games and module or workbooks could guide them to score A in their 1119 English

test or exam.

Moreover, even though the students are Malay students, surprisingly they are

pretty much open-minded in learning about other cultures and their own roots during

their English lesson. Knowing that their students were quite open in learning other

cultures the English teachers had provided the students with various articles and

videos to suit the students’ learning needs. One of the main reasons for this openness

would be the effect of being ‘Digital Natives’, where these students are exposed to

various cultures input from all over the world and they manage to learn about other

cultures through their interaction via social networking websites or while playing

online games.

Item seven deals with the best time to correct mistakes made by the students.

Errors are inevitable and if taken as positive part of language learning, the can then

viewed as a creative construction process (Hedge, 2000). Hedge stated that the

behaviourist sees an error as something to be prevented through intensive modelling

and eradicated through intensive drilling. Over and above that, knowing the

appropriate time to correct the students’ mistake is a substantial part of teachers work.

It is harmful to over-correct students’ mistakes and even worse to correct them at the

wrong time. This can discourage the students, what more rescind the learning process

or the activities by interrupting and correcting every single mistake made by the

students during English language class. It seemed that 60% of the teachers, which

means 3 out of 5 teachers, agreed that their students preferred to be corrected

immediately in front of everyone during an activity or lesson. As stated before by the

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researcher, this school is one of the leading premier schools in Dungun, and the

students seemed to willingly accept being corrected by their teachers as for them this

is one of learning process to elevate their English.

As for the method of error correction the teachers were aware that their

students preferred to correct the mistake on their own during the English language

lesson. According to some teachers, their students like to do correction on their own

because the students themselves could spot their own mistakes and later would consult

the teachers for the right suggested answers.

How do the students find out about their achievement in English language?.

The teachers agreed that their students use the grades given through written tasks as

well as increment of their test or examination grade, to know their improvement in

English language subject.

Last but not least, teachers’ perception in sensing students’ satisfaction in

learning English by ‘having their work graded’ and ‘being told by their teacher that

they have made a progress in learning English. According to the teachers, being in an

exam oriented system where increase in digit, in every test or exam, as well as grades

going up from C to B+ or A is what the students are longing to have, as it is a solid

measurement indicating that the students are improving in learning 1119 English.

The discussion based on Research Questions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, reveals that the

Visual learning style was the most preferred learning styles in SMKTIZ and through

the teachers awareness and also their method of teaching that enhancing more on

Visual learning styles had enhanced students learning. Nevertheless, referring to the

teachers, they affirmed not only embedding Visual learning styles in their teaching,

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but also they mixed and matched their teaching styles to suite other minority learning

styles preferred by other students, and this also had been supported by Brown (2003),

cite the use of learning styles information is to expose learners to a multiplicity of

learning activities, that may or may not match the students learning styles, but will

assist and guide them to develop enough language proficiency essential to handle a

range of different learning requirements. Moreover, these teachers believed in

matching their teaching styles to the most preferred learning style of their students

somehow would lead to positive outcome as proven with the TOV May 2012 results.

This statement had been fully substantiated by Huxland and Land (2000) who

advocate that once instructors (teachers) know their students learning styles, they can

establish approaches, methods and sequences that likely to make learning more

engaging and active for students.

4.3 Conclusion

This chapter presented the findings obtained from the analyses of the

questionnaire and interview. Besides that, it also discussed on the Research Question

1,2,3,4 and 5, which revealed Visual learning is the major learning style preferred by

the students in SMKTIZ and through the teachers awareness along with their teaching

method that enhance Visual learning style had enable to enhance students learning in

mastering 1119 English.

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 CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.0 Introduction

In teaching the English language, teachers are often confronted with

students who are opposed to learning just because they have been compelled to learn

by specific ways that not suitable their individual learning styles. This study aimed to

discover the most preferred learning styles of upper form Pure Science and Account

streams students in SMK Tengku Intan Zaharah, Dungun, Terengganu. What is more,

besides knowing the students’ preferred learning styles, this research also sought to

investigate the teachers’ awareness of their students’ preferred learning styles. By

knowing their students’ learning styles, these educators would tend to match their

teaching styles by preparing suitable activities that cater their students’ needs. Thus,

this chapter discusses the conclusions and recommendations of this study.

5.1 Conclusions

The findings revealed that the majority of the upper form students of SMKTIZ

preferred the Visual learning style which means that the students preferred the use of

more media, pictorial materials, written materials, to name a few during the 1119

English language lessons. In this way the students are able to grasp on the English

language even better as it assists them to have meaningful learning experiences, as

based on Kolb’s learning styles and Experiential learning Model, which closely refers

to Concrete Experience model, where the students correspond to knowledge through

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direct acquaintance with the subject matter as this is direct experience for the students

and because of that they will understand the lesson better. The researcher found out

one of the main reasons the students were fond of Visual learning style is because they

love to spend their time chatting and surfing the Internet, looking at pictures and

websites as well as playing online games all day long and this had been supported by

Prensky (2001, p. 1) they have spent most of their entire lives surrounded by and

using computers, videogames, digital music players, video cameras, cell phones, and

all the other toys and tools of the digital age. This new era students were called

‘digital natives’. They are born in the era of technology where their daily chores,

learning session and recreation activities evolved around computers, Internet,

computer games, smart phones to name a few. Due to that, the researcher believes her

samples are ‘digital natives’ and by knowing this, the approach of teaching and the

activities in the classes should cater to the need of these ‘digital natives’ students. Kirk

and Scott (2012) in their online journal stated, teachers who have access to blog,

Wikipedia, podcast, wireless access to internet, handheld computersonline textbooks,

and virtual experiments or activities allow the teachers to cater to the students’ need,

as these tools help to meet the needs of their students by tapping into their students'

learning styles and building upon their strengths.

Moreover, as these students are from one of the leading premier school in

Dungun, these students are under pressure to score and perform on top of the game.

As a result, these students feel that they need to work either in pairs or small groups as

they needed peer support to enable them to feel confident in getting the right answers

or feel less guilty of having their answers incorrect. Above and beyond, through

working in pair or small group these students are able to develop good communication

skill while sharing ideas and receiving feedbacks during the learning process. As for
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the teachers, they realise the fact their learners feel more contented and become

linguistically fecund by working in an environment where they are able to interact

positively while having their voices heard and their opinions respected.

Through the responses given by the teachers in the interview, the study shows,

by knowing the students’ preferred learning styles the teachers are able to suit and

prepare their teaching and learning session before hand. This will enable teachers to

be more creative and take into consideration the differences in learning styles among

the students in planning activities, coming up with workbooks or modules as to make

the lesson more meaningful to the students and also to assist the students to perform

better in their state examination. Moreover, by being aware of the students’ preferred

learning styles it would also remind the teachers that they must be sensitive to the

students’ needs.

Another eye opening result discovered through this research is that the

students unanimously agreed that they are fond of learning by copying notes from

board, listening to their teachers teaching and copying it and also through reading and

making some notes out of it. This is contrary to Nurul Bazilah’s (2011) finding, in her

unpublished dissertation, ‘Investigating the Language Learning Styles of Malaysian

ESL Learners: Are The Lecturers Aware of These Preferences?’, where she stated that

students do not like passive environment in their language class and merely copy what

it is that is being written by their lecturers. Here we can see that at school level

copying notes is considered as crucial component in being able to do well in the

subject matter while at tertiary level it has been taken as less important component in

learning as listening to lectures and during discussion in the class is able to assist the

tertiary level students to comprehend the subject matter better while at school level the

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students are not encouraged to share their opinions as what matters is teacher opinion

as that will be the answer script for their examination.

Students are like pieces of white cloth, teachers are the artists that colour them

and mould them according to the mould and due to that by helping the students to

know their preferred learning styles these students can develop new strategies and

techniques in learning. By the same token, once the students know their own preferred

learning styles these students also can utilize those learning styles to assist them in

improving their 1119 English, and besides that they can experiment with other

learning styles and consolidate their minor learning styles, as mentioned by Reid

(1998). Successful students normally, have a diverse range of learning styles and can

easily fit themselves in any classroom situation. This happens as the students are able

to adapt and adopt their learning styles accordingly to suit the teachers’ teaching style.

5.2 Pedagogical Recommendations

This study was conducted as to provide some light to students and teachers

regarding learning styles. On top of that, the outcomes from the research will provide

the students opportunity to assess their learning preference especially in learning the

1119 English paper. Besides that, it will enlighten them that there are more than just

one learning style or preference in learning (Azlinda, 2006).As a result, students will

have a sense of responsibility for their own learning and at the same time they may

want to adopt other learning styles to aid them for advanced learning in the future.

The findings from this research will also benefit English teachers as it will

give excellent opportunity for English teachers to understand their students’ learning

96
styles better, as it will make them aware that a variety of learning styles and learning

preferences do exist in their classrooms where it will assist teachers to incorporate in

their teaching materials and methods of delivery to address the need of each students.

In addition it will enhance teachers’ teaching styles as teachers will approach their

lessons differently by using appropriate instructions on activities and materials that

will proffer according to students learning styles, as a successful teaching and learning

process will be the main predictor of students’ success.

Withal, the school administration will also find this study to be beneficial as it

will appraise the variety of learning styles that students adapt in learning English. The

information can help administration to establish courses, activities or instructional

materials that suite students learning styles. On the other hand, the findings will make

the administrators realise that there is a need for them to look into the problems

regarding students’ performance in 1119 English and due to that, find suitable

measures to rectify the problems.

Simultaneously, this research is also a useful to syllabus and module designers

as it will be a guide in order for them to take necessary actions in augmenting suitable

syllabus, curricular or modules as to improving learners’ academic achievement in

learning English.

This study also can be a benchmark or as a reference to the Dungun

Educational District Department as well as Terengganu Educational Department to

plan and to produce suitable program for Terengganu state students and courses to

suite the need of SMKTIZ students. Since this study had been done in SMKTIZ which

is a leading premier school, obviously the programs will also benefit other premier

school in Terengganu.
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 So it is recommended that:

Understanding the Importance of Learning Styles in Learning

Students and teachers should be encouraged to keep abreast with the latest

subjects on learning styles. As we all know, it is not an easy task to adapt to a different

learning styles as perhaps one’s learning style has been in grained from young

(Rosniah, 2004). Thus students must take the responsibility and play an active role in

their own language learning. The students must take the initiative to increase self-

awareness, set goals and choose appropriate learning strategies to achieve successful

language learners. Meanwhile, teachers must provide opportunities for students to

venture into several learning styles and learning strategies through suitable class

activities and exercises. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education can provide sufficient

seminars or workshops for either the students as well as the teachers on the

importance of understanding and using learning styles in language learning classroom.

Effective and sensitive teaching style

Teachers initiate their lesson differently, so they should be aware of their

teaching style preferences. The teacher ought to vary their teaching styles as to carter

multiple learning styles of their students. By understanding students’ learning styles,

and by being flexible regarding their own teaching styles, teachers can amplify their

awareness and be more sensitive of their teaching environment, observation,

preparation, presentation, and interaction with the students. They can be more

effective if they can provide more variations and choices to tailor the stylistic

differences of their students. Messick as cited in Rosniah (2004) stated that it is not

always suitable for teachers to accommodate to students’ preferences, instead teachers

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should expose the students to techniques that are not their preferences. This somehow

helps the students to gain more educational experiences, as they are required to adapt

to diverse learning styles. Similarly Reid (1995) believes that versatility is important

in the classroom if learning is to transpire.

Flexible and wide-ranging of instructional planning

To plan an attentive lesson, teachers ought to recognise students preferred

learning styles, and this can be done via distributing language styles instruments to

identify the students’ learning styles. Once that has been done, teachers must keep a

record on this data. Documentation is crucial enough to observe students as they tend

to change or adapt new learning styles. Moreover, teachers should include diverse of

language learning activities, as this can avert their students from feeling exasperated

and inadequate when they are not able to attempt the activities provided. Learning

activities that teachers can include in their teaching are pair work or group work,

while for materials they can use more videos, CDs, Internet and to name a few, as

these students will respond better to different stimuli. On top of that, learning should

be made interesting in order to motivate the students as well as to cater their learning

styles.

Diversity of teaching aids

Teachers have to be ahead of everything, especially when it comes to teaching.

There is no such thing as, off the scale in teaching profession, everything is a ‘Yes that

will work too’. Teachers need to upgrade themselves either undergoing a course or

seminar that can assist them in coming up with creative, productive and reliable
99
materials, workbooks or modules to succour them in their teaching. What matter most

these teaching aids must suit the students’ needs and wants as this will lead to better

performance in their study. Besides that, providing the students with ample time to

study the lesson is also going to help the students to do well in their English language

lesson and with appropriate feedback along the way will also boost the students’

motivation to do well in the subject matter.

5.3 Recommendations for Future Researchers

For future research related to this topic, it is recommended that the researchers

use a bigger sample in order to acquire more reliable, informative and better results.

This is because present study was restricted to 108 upper form students comprising

Pure Science and Account academic stream classes which did not even involve all of

the classes in the form. Thus this can be considered imperative that a similar research

should be done with a larger sample to augment the generalisation of the findings. As

a consideration, a study with a sample from different form or school is also

recommended to compare whether the result is similar or different as compared to the

one obtained from the present study.

On top of that, the researchers should also take the consideration on other

variables such as lower form students, their previous test result, proficiency level as

well as their age that may influence their choice of learning styles. By ascertaining all

the above factors, the researchers along with many academicians can use the

information to accommodate effectively to the different learning styles of their

learners.

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 In spite of the stated shortcomings, this study acts as starting point to other

educators to open themselves towards their students’ preferred learning styles and also

a good platform for the students to get to know their preferences in learning English.

What is more, it is hoped that this research can become a benchmark to guide future

researchers to heighten current pedagogical instructions in the teaching styles,

materials development or enlighten the students of their own individual learning

styles.

5.4 Conclusion

This study has successfully investigated the most preferred learning styles of

students in learning the 1119 English paper. At the same time this study also

investigated the most preferred learning styles of students in learning the 1119 English

paper according to gender and class streams. Besides that this study has brought to

light some issues regarding teachers’ awareness of their learners’ language learning

preferences. The findings suggest the majority of upper form students’, despite their

gender and class streams, preferred the Visual learning style as the major style with

the Kinesthetic and Auditory as the students’ minor learning styles.

Another useful finding discovered through this research was that all of the

teachers were seemed attentive to their students’ preferred learning styles. The results

revealed the teachers were aware that their students’ inclination to working within

small and larger groups when attempting their tasks. Besides that, this study also

discovered the teachers’ discernment in knowing their students favoured vocabulary

learning styles, teaching aids that the students opt for as well as the class activities.

101
Furthermore, the researcher also found out that the teachers were aware of the best

time to correct the students, together with ways the students preferred to know their

progress and achievement while learning English. Last but not least, the researcher

managed to find out that the teachers’ were aware towards their students’ satisfaction

in learning English during their classes. Hopefully, this will provide useful

information towards significantly to improving the learning and teaching of 1119

English paper in SMK Tengku Intan Zaharah.

102
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APPENDICES

112
 APPENDIX A

NAME: WAN RAIHAN BINTI WAN SHAAIDI

ID NO: 2010416998
EMAIL:one_rayhan07@yahoo.co.uk

HOW DO YOU PREFER LEARNING IN THE ENGLISH 1119 CLASSROOM?

Dear Students

I am conducting a study on learning preferences in the English 1119 Classroom. I

would greatly appreciate it if you could answer this questionnaire as it is a crucial part
of my study. Please respond honestly to the items and you can be assured that your
responses will be kept confidential.

Thank you

SECTION A

Form: __________

Gender: Male Female

Race: Malay Chinese Indian Others: ________

Stream: Science Stream Account Stream

SECTION B

Read each statement carefully. To the right of each statement, circle the number that best
describes how each statement applies to you by using the following guide:

1 2 3 4 5

Almost Never Applies Once Sometimes Almost Always

Often Applies
Applies in a While Applies Applies

Answer honestly as there are no correct or incorrect answers. It is best if you do not think
about each question too long, as this could lead you to the wrong conclusion.

113
BIL STATEMENTS
1 I take lots of written notes and/or draw mind maps. 1 2 3 4 5
2 When talking to someone else I have a difficult time 1 2 3 4 5
understanding those who do not maintain good eye
contact with me.
3 I make lists and notes because I remember things better 1 2 3 4 5
if I write them down.
4 When reading a novel, I pay a lot of attention to 1 2 3 4 5
passages that picture the clothing, description, scenery,
setting, etc.
5 I need to write down directions so that I can remember 1 2 3 4 5
them.
6 I need to see the person I am talking to in order to keep 1 2 3 4 5
my attention focused on the subject.
7 When meeting a person for the first time, I notice the 1 2 3 4 5
style of dress, visual characteristics, and neatness first.
8 When I am at a party, one of the things I love to do is 1 2 3 4 5
stand back and people-watch.
9 When recalling information I can see it in my mind and 1 2 3 4 5
remember where I saw it.
10 If I had to explain a new procedure or technique, I would 1 2 3 4 5
prefer to write it out.
11 In my free time, I am most likely to watch television or 1 2 3 4 5
read.
12 If my teacher has a message for me, I am most 1 2 3 4 5
comfortable when he or she sends a memo.
13 When I read, I read out loud to hear the words in my 1 2 3 4 5
head.
14 When talking to someone, I have a difficult time 1 2 3 4 5
understanding those who do not talk or respond to me.
15 I do not take a lot of notes but I still remember what was 1 2 3 4 5
said. Taking notes often distracts me from the speaker.
16 When reading a novel, I pay a lot of attention to 1 2 3 4 5
passages involving conversations, talking, dialogues,
etc.
17 I like to talk to myself when solving a problem or 1 2 3 4 5
writing.
18 I can understand what my teacher says, even if I am not 1 2 3 4 5
focused on him/her.
19 I remember things easier by repeating them over and 1 2 3 4 5
over again.
20 When I am at a party, one of the things I love to do is 1 2 3 4 5
talk in-depth about a subject that is important to me with
a good conversationalist.
21 I would rather receive information from the radio, rather 1 2 3 4 5
than read a newspaper.
22 If I had to explain a new procedure or technique, I would 1 2 3 4 5
prefer explaining it.

114
23 In my free time I am most likely to listen to music. 1 2 3 4 5
24 If my teacher has a message for me, I am most 1 2 3 4 5
comfortable when he or she calls me on the phone.
25 I am not good at reading or listening to directions. I 1 2 3 4 5
would rather just start working on the task or project at
hand.
26 When talking to someone, I have a difficult time 1 2 3 4 5
understanding those who do not show any kind of
emotional or physical support.
27 I take notes and doodle (sketch), but I rarely go back to 1 2 3 4 5
look at them.
28 When reading a novel, I pay a lot of attention to 1 2 3 4 5
passages revealing feelings, moods, action, drama, etc.
29 When I am reading, I move my lips, without even make 1 2 3 4 5
my voice audible.
30 I often having conversation, about places or things, and 1 2 3 4 5
use my hands a lot when I can't remember the right thing
to say.
31 My desk appears disorganized. 1 2 3 4 5
32 When I am at a party, one of the things I love to do is 1 2 3 4 5
enjoy the activities such as dancing, games, and totally
losing myself in the action.
33 I like to move around. I feel trapped when seated at a 1 2 3 4 5
desk for long periods of time.
34 If I had to explain a new procedure or technique, I 1 2 3 4 5
would prefer actually demonstrating it.
35 In my free time, I am most likely to exercise. 1 2 3 4 5
36 If my teacher has a message for me, I am most 1 2 3 4 5
comfortable when he or she talks to me in person.

~THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRECIOUS TIME~

115
 APPENDIX B

Dear Colleagues

I am conducting a study on teacher awareness of their students preferred learning

styles in the English 1119 Classroom. I would greatly appreciate it if you could
answer this questionnaire as it is a crucial part of my study. Please respond honestly to
the items and you can be assured that your responses will be kept confidential.

Thank you

HOW DO YOUR STUDENTS LIKE LEARNING IN THE ENGLISH 1119

CLASSROOM?

School: SMK _______________________

Age:_______

Gender: Male Female

Race: Malay Chinese Indian Others: ________

Years of Teaching Experience: _________

Form: ________________________

LEARNING STYLES: Please circle your answer

1. Are you satisfied with your students’ overall achievement in English?

YES NO

2. Do they like to learn

i) by listening? YES NO
j) by reading? YES NO
k) by copying from the board? YES NO
l) by listening and taking notes? YES NO
m) by reading and making notes? YES NO
n) by repeating what they hear? YES NO
o) by making summaries? YES NO
p) other (please specify)________________________

116
3. In class, do your students prefer to learn
f) individually? YES NO
g) in pairs? YES NO
h) in small group? YES NO
i) in one large group? YES NO
j) other (please specify)________________________

4. When learning new vocabulary, do they like learning

g) by using new words in a sentence YES NO
h) by thinking of relationship
between known and new YES NO
i) by saying or writing the new
words several times YES NO
j) by avoiding verbal translation YES NO
k) by guessing the unknown YES NO
l) by using dictionary YES NO

5. Do they like learning from

h) television/video/films? YES NO
i) radio? YES NO
j) tapes/CD? YES NO
k) written material? YES NO
l) the whiteboard? YES NO
m) pictures/posters? YES NO
other (please specify)___________________________

6. Do you do the following in your class?

i) Role play? YES NO
j) Language games YES NO
k) Songs YES NO
l) Talking with and listening
to other students YES NO
m) Memorizing conversations/dialogues YES NO

117
 n) Writing a learning diary YES NO
o) Use module/ work books YES NO
p) Learning about culture YES NO

7. When they speak, do they want to be corrected

d) immediately in front of everyone? YES NO
e) later, at the end of the activity, in front
of everyone? YES NO
f) later, in private? YES NO

8. Do they mind if
c) other students sometimes correct their
written work? YES NO
d) you as the teacher sometimes ask
them to correct their own work? YES NO

9. How do you think students like to find out how much their
English is improving?
By…..
e) written tasks set by you? YES NO
f) seeing if they can use the language
they have learnt in real-life situations? YES NO
g) their increasing grade? YES NO
Other (please specify)______________________________

10. Do you think students get a sense of satisfaction from

e) having their work graded YES NO
f) being told that they have made
progress? YES NO
g) feeling more confident in situations
that they found difficult before? YES NO
h) Other (please specify) ______________________________

~THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRECIOUS TIME~

118
 Appendix C

5 INTAN PURE SCIENCE 1 TOV

BIL NAME MARK GRADE

1 AHMAD TARMIZI BIN MOHD ZANI 65 B
2 HAIDI HAZRI BIN SUKRI 65 B
3 MOHD AMALUDDIN BIN MOHD NOOR 66 B
4 MOHD IZZAT FARHAN BIN MOHAMAD RADZI 65 B
5 MOHD AIMAN BIN HASHIM 77 A-
6 MUHAMMAD ASRY BIN ISMAIL 77 A-
7 MUHAMMAD SHAFIQ AIMAN BIN ELEYAS 65 B
8 HAWA SYAFIQAH BT JAZIZ 72 B+
9 HAZREEN SYAHIRA BT AHMAD SABRI 61 C+
10 HIDAYATUS SUFIA BT ALIM 78 A-
11 LATIFAH MUNIRAH BT OMAR HOTAK 67 B
12 NADHIRAH BT YUHANY 72 B+
13 NATASHA SHAZLINDA BT ZAINUDDIN 75 A-
14 NOR HASNIDAR BT MOHAMAD 63 C+
15 NUR AIMI NASIHAH BT MULKIAMAN 76 A-
16 NUR AIN SHAHIDAH BT MOHD AZLI 69 B
17 NUR ATHIRAH BT MAZLAN 79 A-
18 NUR AZIRA BT JUSOH 61 C+
19 NUR ULFAH BT AMRAN 60 C+
20 NUR ZAKIAH HANAN BT HUSIN 65 B
21 NURFARENA BT BT DAHALAN 77 A-
22 NURUL FATIHAH BT YAHAYA 58 C
23 NURUL SUHANA AZMIRA BT ZAINAL ARIFFIN 65 B
24 NURUL SYATIRAH BT MOHD ANUAR 71 B+
25 RABIATUL IZZATI BT MOHD AZAM 64 C+
26 SYARIFAH SYAKIRA MARIANA BT SYD ABD RAHIM 63 C+
27 UMMU SAJIDAH BT AHMAD 72 B+
28 WAN NORFARHANA BT WAN SHAFIE 68 B

119
5 INTAN ACCOUNTS 5 TOV

BIL NAME MARK GRADE

1 AHMAD RIDHAUDIN BIN ISMAIL 68 B
2 MOHD HAZEER FITRI BIN KASMAN 83 A
3 JANATI BT ZAKARIA 53 C
4 NIK NOOR HANIAAH BT MOHD 74 B+
5 NOORHIDAYU BT CHE MD NOOR 60 C+
6 NOR ATIQAH BT MOHD NAWI 46 D
7 NOR INSYIRAH ZHAFRAN BT MOHAMAD 63 C+
8 NORFARHANA BT HARON 51 C
9 NORHIDAYU BT MD NOOR 50 C
10 NUR AIN HAFIZAH BT ISMAIL 52 C
11 NUR AMELIA BT MOHAMED 68 B
12 NUR AMIRA HUSNA BT AHMAD ZAM 66 B
13 NUR ANIS SYAZWANI BT JUSOH 70 B+
14 NUR HUSNINA BT MANSOR 64 C+
15 NUR SHARSA FATIHAH BT ROSLAN 65 B
16 NUR SYAMIMI AZWA BT MOHD WAHI 55 C
17 NURUL AYZULYANA BT CHE AYOUB 59 C
18 NURUL RAUDHAH BT ARIS 42 E
19 NURUL SYIFA BT ZULKIFLI 67 B
20 YUSRINA NAJIHAH BT AHMAD 79 A-

A+ 90-100
A 80-89
A- 75-79
B+ 70-74
B 65-69
C+ 60-64
C 50-59
D 45-49
E 40-44
F 1 to 39

120
4 INTAN PURE SCIENCE 1 TOV

BIL NAME MARK GRADE

1 ATIQAH BINTI ISMAIL 67 B
2 FATIN NADHIRAH BINTI SAIFUDDIN 71 B+
3 FIRUZ FARHANA BINTI MOHD AZMI 78 A-
4 INTAN ATIRAH BINTI MUHAMED 63 C+
5 IZZY ASYKIN BINTI ISMAIL 78 A-
6 KHAIRUL DANIAL B. KHAIRUL SALLEKH 69 B
7 MOHAMMAD ARIF AKIMIE BIN M ROSDEY 66 B
8 MOHD IQBAL AFIFI BIN MAT 77 A-
9 MOHD IZZAT AMIR BIN AWI 68 B
10 MOHD NASRI BIN MUSA NA NA
11 MUHAMMAD ABIDULLAH BIN MOHAMMAD FADZIR 61 C+
12 MUHAMMAD IRWAN BIN MAZLAN 70 B+
13 NOR AKILAH AMIRAH BINTI ISMAIL 73 B+
14 NOR ASHIRA BINTI AZEMMY 63 C+
15 NUR AQILAH BINTI ZAINAL 77 A-
16 NUR AQMAL BINTI ROSELI 71 B+
17 NUR FADHLIN SOFIYA BT IBRAHIM 74 B+
18 NUR IZYAN BINTI ISA 69 B
19 NUR LIYANA BINTI ADNAN 78 A-
20 NUR LIYANA FAZREEN BINTI SHA'ARE 78 A-
21 NUR SHAHIDAH BINTI ISMAIL 67 B
22 NURSYAHIRA BT MARIDANG 71 B+
23 NURUL AIZZA BINTI LATIF 68 B
24 NURUL AMARNI BINTI MOHD TAUFEK 73 B+
25 NURUL NURASYIKIN BINTI MAZLAN 63 C+
26 SHARIFAH BINTI ISA 69 B
27 SHARIFAH NORASYIKIN BINTI SYED SALLEHUDDIN 63 C+
28 TUAN NOR DALILAH BINTI TUAN IBRAHIM 71 B+
29 WAN MUHAMAD ASHSHAKIR BIN WAN AZMAN 71 B+

121
 4 INTAN ACCOUNTS 5 TOV

BIL NAME MARK GRADE

1 ABDUL AZIZ BIN RUSLIM 59 C
2 ABDUL MUIZ BIN SAPIAN 69 B
3 AHMAD SYAFIQ ASYRAF BIN ZAWAWI 52 C
4 BORHANUDIN BIN AB HALIM 53 C
5 MUHAMMAD ANIFF HAIKAL BIN AZMI 56 C
6 MUHAMMAD ARIF NAZIM BIN HAMZAH 61 C+
7 MUHAMMAD ASYRAF BIN ABDUL WAHAB 53 C
8 NASRUL HADI BIN MAZLAN 53 C
9 NOOR ATIKAH BINTI ALIM 57 C
10 NOOR AZLIN BINTI AB RAZAK 68 B
11 NOR AZILA BINTI ROMAZUKI 57 C
12 NORAIN BINTI TAHA 63 C+
13 NUR AISYAH BINTI ABDUL RAHNI @ ABDUL GHANI 51 C
14 NUR FATIHAH NABILAH BINTI AHMAD JELANI 59 C
15 NUR FATINI IZZATI BINTI MOHD 61 C+
16 NUR ZAKIYYAH BT EMBONG 61 C+
17 NURIN JAZLINA BINTI ABDULLAH 61 C+
18 NURRISHA SYAFIERA BINTI MOHAMAD ABDULLAH 59 C
19 NURSYAFINA BT ROSLAN 54 C
20 NURUL ASYIKIN BINTI A RAZAK 56 C
21 NURUL HAZWANI BINTI RUSHDI 51 C
22 NURUL SHAHIDA BT MOHD INDERAM 61 C+
23 RABIATU ADAWIYAH BT HASHIM 58 C
24 ROSMANIRA BINTI CHE JALI 69 B
25 SITI NOR FARIZLIN BINTI BADAROL ZAMAN 64 C+
26 SITI NURUL AINIZA BINTI MOHD NOR 61 C+
27 SUE IRINA BINTI OMAR ASRI 70 B+
28 SYARAH FARHANA BINTI SURMADI 71 B+
29 SYUKRIAH BINTI DAWI 65 B
30 WAN MOHD HAFIZ BIN WAN MOHD NASIR 58 C
31 WAN ZULHALIM FALIQ BIN WAN ZAULKFLI 58 C

122

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