A Study On The Correlation Between Perceptual Learning Styles And Vocabulary Learning Strategies Of Non-english Majors

Vocabulary,as the foundation of language learning,plays a significant role in the success or failure of language acquisition.However,due to various factors,the learning effect of English vocabulary of non-English majors is still far from satisfactory.Under the present situation,more and more scholars begin to pay their research attention to vocabulary learning,and they find that perceptual learning style,as an important variable of learners' individual differences,is one of the various factors that affect students' vocabulary learning effect.Therefore,the author decided to conduct a research on the correlation between students' perceptual learning styles and vocabulary learning strategies,which aims to help students flexibly use the corresponding vocabulary learning strategies according to their perceptual learning style preferences,and finally improve their vocabulary learning efficiency.In view of this,by using the method of both quantitative and qualitative analysis,this study was carried out among 186 non-English major sophomores in Xi'an Polytechnic University.First,subjects' preferences for perceptual learning styles and their use of English vocabulary learning strategies were investigated through a questionnaire study respectively.Then,the SPSS19.0 software was adopted to help analyze the descriptive statistical analysis of each 182 valid questionnaires collected by the two types of questionnaires,as well as the correlation analysis between 182 valid questionnaires collected by Perceptual Learning Styles Preference Questionnaire and 182 valid questionnaires got by Vocabulary Learning Strategies Questionnaire.Meanwhile,15 students were randomly selected for an interview so as to further understand the subjects' preferences for perceptual learning styles and their use of English vocabulary learning strategies.The research findings manifest that: 1)Non-English majors' overall situation of perceptual learning style preferences falls into major perceptual learning style preference.And among the six sub-categories of perceptual learning styles,the most preferred learning style for subjects is tactile learning style,then comes auditory learning style,visual learning style,kinesthetic learning style as well as individual learning style,and the least preferred is group learning style.2)Non-English majors' general vocabulary learning strategy use stays at a medium level.And among the four sub-categories of vocabulary learning strategies,the most frequently used strategy is cognitive strategy,then comes resource strategy as well as social/affective strategy,and the last one is meta-cognitive strategy.3)Non-English majors' perceptual learning styles and vocabulary learning strategy use are significantly correlated.Specifically speaking,among the sixsub-categories,there are three kinds of sub-categories,say,visual,auditory and tactile learning style,which are positively correlated with all sub-categories of vocabulary learning strategies.Besides,kinesthetic learning style is positively correlated with meta-cognitive strategy,cognitive strategy and social/affective strategy,but it is not related with resource strategy.And then,individual learning style is only correlated with social/affective strategy,while it has no relation with meta-cognitive strategy,cognitive strategy and resource strategy.However,group learning style has no relation with all sub-categories of vocabulary learning strategies,and even it has a negative correlation with meta-cognitive strategy and resource strategy respectively.As a result,teachers should guide students to know about their perceptual learning style preferences,especially the relationship between perceptual learning style preferences and vocabulary learning strategy use.In addition,they should encourage students to use vocabulary learning strategies that match their perceptual learning styles so as to improve their vocabulary learning efficiency.