The Comparison Of Learning Styles Between Two Child English Learners

Learning style is one of the most important aspects of individual differences research. Lynn Curry organizes the contemporary theories of 'style' into an 'Onion Model' with three nested layers. The 'Onion Model,' she suggests, is made up of the inner core of personality-centered models, the middle layer of information-processing models and the outer layer of instructional-preference models of learning style (Rayner, 1997). The 'Onion Model' is an umbrella model which enables the contemporary learning style theories by different researchers to be categorized based on its three layers (Atkins, 2001). In this thesis, comparing two 6-year-old boys' achievements of English learning with the analysis of their behaviors, utterances and learning styles according to the three layers in Curry's 'Onion Model' of learning style, firstly, the author will answer whether they have special preferences for the learning environment and the learning materials, and whether these preferences can affect their English learning. Secondly, the author will present how they deal with new knowledge of a foreign language, and whether they have some patterns in manipulating the knowledge which differentiate their learning achievements. The third is what are the differences in their cognitive personalities, how diverse their learning styles are in the layer of cognitive personality, what kind of learning styles in their cognitive personalities are positive or negative to their foreign language learning.Two 6-year-old boys who have similar family and education backgrounds but have a large gap between their English learning achievements are chosen as the subjects of this case study by the author through more than a year's pre-observation in the two boys' kindergarten. In August 2004, by audio recording each time's tutoring process, the author began to collect data while tutoring English to these two subjects individually. The data-collection lasted for about 6 months. At the end of the data-collection, a final assessment was given to both subjects in the form of oral test in order to assess their achievements of half-a-year's tutoring. In addition, a learningstyle survey was given to the subjects' parents in the form of interview in order to find out their general learning styles. The data are processed according to three considerations. Firstly, based on each time's recording of tutoring, the two boys' English competence is measured from tow dimensions which are their ability to comprehend the target language and their ability to produce by using the target language. Secondly, the two subjects' mastery of the linguistic knowledge of the foreign language is investigated through the final assessment in the form of oral test. Thirdly, through the analysis of the interviews with their parents and each time's recording of tutoring, the two subjects' learning styles in English learning are compared.Through the processed data, some different patterns of the two subjects' learning attainments are demonstrated. The data exhibit that one subject has a better achievement in the foreign language learning, especially in the foreign language production. In addition, by interviewing the two subjects' parents and by recording the conversations between the subjects and the tutor, it is found out that some differences in their learning styles within the three layers of Curry's 'Onion Model' differentiate their learning achievements in the foreign language learning. However, the two subjects' achievements so far can not be regarded as a predictor of their achievements in future study because both subjects still have possibilities to accommodate their learning styles and become more tactical in their foreign language study.In addition, according to the analysis of the two subjects' learning styles, the author offers tow suggestions on the child foreign language teaching and learning. One is that a child learner, if his or her family are qualified with a considerable economic state, should learn his or her second language through one-to-one tutoring, which may allow the child to study in the most favorable learning environment, the other is that the parents should navigate the development of their children's learning styles and shape their learning styles by certain trainings. It is hoped that the present attempted research findings may shed light on the research field of learning style.