The Study Of The Impact Of Language Learning Styles On Learning Strategy Preferences

This study is designed to explore the impact of language learning styles on learning strategy preferences. The aim of the study is to make an investigation of high vocational non-English majors'learning styles and their use of learning strategies, and to analyze the impact of learning styles on learning strategy preferences statistically so as to provide empirical evidence in this area, and then present some implications for high vocational English teaching and learning in Chinese context.This study is mainly quantitative analysis in nature. Questionnaires were used for data collection: one was Oxford's (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL), and the other was Reid's (1984) Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSP). The participants were 220 non-English majors (sophomore) from Qingdao Harbor Vocational and Technical College. SPSS 13.0 was used to analyze the frequency of six learning styles and of six learning strategies, and the correlation among learning styles and learning strategy use. Through this analysis, we deduced the impact of learning styles on learning strategy preferences. The study reveals the following three major findings:(1) Almost all the participants are multi-style learners. They prefer most to tactile, visual and kinesthetic styles and group style is their least favored style.(2) The majority of learners sometimes use learning strategies. Learners use compensation and memory strategies most frequently and use affective strategies least frequently.(3) There are complex relationships between learning styles and learning strategy preferences: there are close relationships between learning styles and learning strategies; learning styles affect the choice and use of learning strategies; persons with different learning styles choose different learning strategies in their learning process.This study has significance for pedagogy. Teachers should make language learners aware of their own learning styles and strategy preferences and help students to choose strategies matching their own style preferences in L2 learning. Moreover, teachers can also help students train strategies that are more important for L2 achievement or they use least frequently.However, it is insufficient to study the impact of learning styles on learning strategy preferences only through"questionnaire and data analysis". Perhaps with the help of some interviews and classroom observations, the results are much more convincing. But the results in this study can still prove the impact of learning styles on learning strategy preferences to some extent. It is hoped that this study can benefit language teachers, learners and researchers to a certain degree and can spark more research in this area in the future.