The Study Of Learners' Learning Style Preferences And Their Adaptability To Computer-Assisted Language Learning

Modern foreign language teaching operates on the principal of individualized teaching and Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), attaching importance to the study of learners'individual differences, among which learning style is one indispensable composition. The present study focuses on participants'learning style preferences based on Reid's Learning Style Preference Questionnaire and their adaptability to CALL, intending to find answers to the questions of : 1) participants'learning style preferences; 2) participants'adaptability to CALL, including learning environment, learning motivation, assessment on online learning resources, learning strategies, progress in language skills, metacognitive strategies and the application of learning materials; 3) the relationship between learners'learning style preferences and their adaptability to CALL.The 208 participants are non-English Majors of different language proficiency at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) enrolled in 2009, who were tested through Reid's perceptual learning style preference questionnaire and the questionnaire on their adaptability to CALL after one year of language learning with computer.Based on a quantitative and qualitative analysis, some results are concluded. Firstly, participants major learning style preference types are visual, individual, kinesthetic, tactile, group and auditory in order. Secondly, more than half of the participants demonstrates inadaptability to CALL, among which individual learners share a large proportion. Thirdly, there is no significant correlation between either learners'gender or language proficiency and adaptability. Lastly, participants show a low level in learning autonomy and application of learning strategies.In terms of the above findings, some pedagogical implications are offered to improve learning autonomy in CALL. Teachers should help students to develop diverse learning styles to be more adaptive to CALL. Meanwhile, teachers can give constructive advice on how to learn with computer and on how to select online resources. Besides, there should be a strong connection between instructors and learners as well as a monitor system to give supervision and feedback to students. Developing kinds of learning models in CALL environment is also necessary and urgent.