The relationship among perceptual style preferences, language learning strategies, and personality types among Taiwan senior high school EFL students (China)

The major purpose of this study was to investigate whether perceptual style preferences, learning strategies, and personality types were significantly related among Taiwanese senior high school EFL students. Three survey instruments, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Perceptual Learning Preferences Survey (PLPS), and Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) were administered to Taiwan senior high school students learning English as a foreign language. The three self-report questionnaires were administered during a three-week period from October 25 to November 14, 2004. A total of 364 subjects participated in the study.; Six hypotheses were formulated in an effort to explore potential relationships between perceptual style preferences, language learning strategies and personality types among senior high school students in Taiwan. Factorial analysis of variance, One-way ANOVA and Pearson Chi-Square tests were used to test the null hypotheses.; Findings revealed that most Taiwan senior high school students (193) in the study have a visual preference in learning. Perceptual style preferences were significantly related to language learning strategies use (p = 0.032) on average, female students were found to use strategies more often than their male counterparts (Female M = 2.6638, Male M = 2.5719). In addition, females and males revealed differences in frequency in the use of language learning strategies. Female use of strategies was greater in the categories of cognitive (Female M = 2.625, Male M = 2.496), compensation (Female M = 3.138, Male M = 3.051), metacognitive (Female M = 2.605, Male M = 2.473), affective (Female M = 2.539, Male M = 2.429) as well as social strategies (Female M = 2.587, Male M = 2.546).; Personality type showed a significant relationship to language learning strategy use on the SILL (p < .05). However, this study did not find any significant relationship between students' perceptual style preferences and their personality types. In addition, none of the subjects' perceptual style preferences were found to be significantly related to gender.; This study focused on a population of senior high school EFL students in Taiwan. Additional research on populations representing different ages, geographic areas, and academic levels is recommended to determine if these factors would influence the use of learning strategies. It is recommended that students be taught through their individual learning style preference to help increase their probability of succeeding in their learning.