A survey on the first year students’ english language learning style preferences at hanoi university of business and technology

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES TRẦN NAM THIÊN HƯƠNG A SURVEY ON THE FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS’ ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCES AT HANOI UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY (Khảo sát phong cách học tiếng Anh yêu thích sinh viên năm thứ trường Đại học Kinh doanh Công Nghệ Hà Nội) MA MINOR THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60.14.10 Hanoi, 2012 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES TRẦN NAM THIÊN HƯƠNG A SURVEY ON THE FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS’ ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCES AT HANOI UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY (Khảo sát phong cách học tiếng Anh yêu thích sinh viên năm thứ trường Đại học Kinh doanh Công Nghệ Hà Nội) MA MINOR THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60.14.10 Supervisor: NGUYỄN THỤY PHƯƠNG LAN, MA Hanoi, 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration ………………………………………………………………… i Acknowledgements ………………………………………………………… ii Abstract …………………………………………………………………… iii Table of contents …………………………………………………………… iv List of graphs and table …………………………………………………… vi PART A: INTRODUCTION Rationale ……………………………………………………………………… Aims of the study ……………………………………………………… …… Research question ……………………………………………………… …… Significance of the study ……………………………………………………… Scope of the study ……………………………………………………… …… Organization of the study ……………………………………………… …… PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Definition of learning style ………………………………………………… 1.2 The origins of human‟s learning style preference …………………… … 1.3 Background history – Categorization of learning styles ……………… …… 1.3.1 Background ……………………………………………………… 1.3.2 Categorization of learning styles ………………………………… 1.4 Students‟ learning style preferences ………………………………… …… 1.5 Mismatch between students‟ and teachers‟ perception of learning style … 12 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 2.1 Methods of the study ………………………………………………… …… 14 2.2 Methodology and procedures ……………………………………………… 14 2.2.1 Participants ……………………………………………………… 14 2.2.1.1 Students ………………………………………………… 14 2.2.1.2 Teachers ………………………………………………… 15 2.2.2 Instrument ………………………………………………………… 16 iv 2.2.3 Data collection procedure ………………………………………… 18 2.2.4 Data analysis procedure ………………………………………… 18 CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS 3.1 Students‟ interest in learning English ……………………………………… 19 3.2 Perceiving and processing information in real life and in classroom ……… 20 3.2.1 Perceiving and processing information in real life ……………… 20 3.2.2 Perceiving and processing information in classroom …………… 21 3.3 Learning mode ……………………………………………………………… 23 3.4 New words …………………………………………………………… …… 24 3.5 Teaching aids ………………………………………………………… …… 26 3.6 Classroom activities ……………………………………………….……… 27 3.6.1 Students‟ preferred classroom activities ………………….……… 28 3.6.2 Classroom activity frequency …………………………………… 29 3.7 Feedback and error correction …………………………………………… 30 3.7.1 Feedback ………………………………………………………… 30 3.7.2 Error correction ………………………………………………… 31 3.8 The importance of learning style …………………………………………… 32 CHAPTER 4: SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES 4.1 Suggestions for teaching visual style learners ……………………………… 33 4.2 Suggestions for teaching kinesthetic style learners ………………………… 34 4.3 Suggestions for teaching read/write style learners ………………………… 35 4.4 Suggestions for teaching auditory style learners …………………………… 35 PART C: CONCLUSION Major findings ………………………………………………………… …… 37 Contribution of the study ……………………………………………….…… 38 Limitations ……………………………………………………………….…… 39 Suggestions for further studies …………………….………………………… v 39 LIST OF GRAPHS AND TABLES GRAPHS: Graph 1: Students‟ interest in learning English Graph 2: Students' and teachers' perceiving style preferences in real life Graph 3: Students' perceiving information style preferences by age Graph 4: Students‟ and teachers‟ view on Perceiving style preferences in classroom Graph 5: Students‟ perceiving style preferences by age and gender Graph 6: Students' and teachers' view on learning mode Graph 7: Students‟ view on learning mode by age and gender Graph 8: Students and teachers‟ view on new words learning Graph 9: Students‟ view on new words learning by age and gender Graph 10: Students and teachers‟ view on learning aids Graph 11: Students‟ view on learning aids by age and gender Graph 12: Students and teachers‟ view on classroom activities Graph 13: Students‟ view on classroom activities by age and gender Graph 14: Students and teachers‟ view on getting feedback Graph 15: Students and teachers‟ view on error correction TABLE: Table 1: Students‟ characteristic of age and gender vi PART A: INTRODUCTION In this first part, the author states the rationale for the study Afterward, the aims, research questions, significance, scope of the study are discussed The chapter ends with an overview of the thesis structure Rationale Today's employers expect employees to have varied skills to be able to adapt to different situations and to communicate with different people from different cultural backgrounds Therefore, teaching students how to communicate effectively, cooperate with others and learn independently has become the basics of education That is the reason for the appearance of the new textbook set since 2006 in Vietnam, which mainly based on the learnercentered approach and communicative language teaching These approaches require educators to pay more attention to individual learners to help them expand and improve their communicative competence Hence, understanding students including understanding learning styles preferences plays an important role to educational improvement and success According to Reid (1987), the ways in which an individual characteristically acquires, retains, and retrieves information are collectively termed the individual‟s learning styles Learning styles reflect our preferred manner of acquiring, using and thinking about knowledge We not have just one learning styles, but a profile of styles Even though, our ability may be identical to someone else‟s, our learning styles might be quite different The students, for instance, learn in many ways – by seeing and hearing; reflecting and acting; memorizing and visualizing; some students prefer working individually, others learn a lot from group work While some students like learning through games and activities, others can get much from presentations Some students never mind being immediately corrected in front of the class, other students easy to lose face being corrected Furthermore, teachers not apply the same method of teaching Felder and Henriques (1995: 21) noted that “teaching methods also vary Some instructors lecture, others demonstrate or discuss; some teachers focus on rules and others on examples; some teachers emphasize memory and other understanding” Serious mismatches will occur when teachers ignore or are not aware of their students‟ learning style preferences It is the teachers‟ unawareness of students‟ learning style preferences that negatively affects the quality of students‟ learning, their attitudes toward the class and the subject, the atmosphere and the outcome Aims of the study The survey on the first-year students‟ English language learning style preferences at Hanoi University of Business and Technology aims at certain points Firstly, the study aims at investigating the first-year students‟ learning style preferences at Hanoi University of Business and Technology These preferences are going to be defined basing on two major criteria: the preferred style of acquiring knowledge and information in real life; and the preferred style of acquiring knowledge and information in classroom in terms of learning mode, perceiving and processing information, vocabulary, class activities, teaching aids, error correction and feedback Secondly, the survey intends to discover the teachers‟ learning style preferences and their awareness of their students‟ learning style preferences through their answers in the questionnaires Consequently, the author wants to check out whether teachers‟ awareness of students‟ learning style preferences can be influenced by their own preferences Finally, the study examines the effect of some elements such as age and gender to the students‟ learning style preferences Research questions The survey intends to investigate the English language learning style preferences of the first-year students at Hanoi University of Business and Technology and the extent of teachers‟ awareness of them Particularly, the study seeks answers to the following questions: What are the students‟ learning style preferences at Hanoi University of Business and technology? What is the gap between teachers‟ awareness of students‟ leaning style preferences and the real one? Significance of the study Learning style is a personal factor, which means that each has preferred ways of learning, approaches that work best for us In addition, our success is not just independent on whether we can learn, but on how we learn However, in the same way that each of us has preferred learning styles; instructors have their own styles of teaching Teachers may not even be aware of them, but their learning styles have an important impact on the way they teach Instructors who assign frequent activities involving oral presentations and demonstrations might be indicating that their learning style is somewhat auditory On the other hand, instructors whose assignments consist of frequent written work may have a more visual style So, what if students‟ learning styles are mismatched with learning and teaching styles of their instructors? According to Oxford (2003) cited in Le Sa‟s (2010), if there is a harmony between students‟ learning styles and given instructional methodology, the students are likely to perform well, fell confident and experience low anxiety If clashes happen, serious breakdowns in teacher-student interaction will occur These conflicts even result in the dispirited students‟ rejection of the teaching methodology, the teacher and the subject matter Consequently, finding out the students‟ learning style preferences is an important step to create the harmony between teachers and students The results gained from this survey can derive an overview of students‟ learning style preferences at Hanoi University of Business and Technology, as well as the extent to which teachers are aware of their students‟ learning style preferences The teachers can also find out their own learning styles and check out whether they impose their own one on their students The awareness of students‟ real language learning styles preferences is the basic for teachers to not only find out teaching methods that suit the best to them, but also make their lessons more attractive, effective and practical As a result, the atmosphere in the class, the outcomes, and the teacher-student interactions can be improved significantly The study‟s results can certainly improve the language learning and teaching at Hanoi University of Business and Technology Such information is also significant to other teachers from other universities in similar teaching context Scope of the study The study examines students‟ English language learning style preferences at Hanoi University of Business and Technology About 227 students from 10 classes randomly selected and 10 teachers teaching in these classes are invited to participate in the study This number of students is hoped to be sufficient to provide valid and reliable information, the contribution of which is vital to the success of this modest research Students‟ and teachers‟ answers in the 20item questionnaires on two major criteria: the preferred style of acquiring knowledge and information in real life; and the preferred style of acquiring knowledge and information in classroom help find out the answer to the question on students‟ English language learning styles preferences Moreover, the study can help to check out whether teacher are aware of students‟ learning style preferences; and figure out the relationship between age and gender to the students‟ learning style preferences Organization of the study The survey is divided into three main parts In the first part-Introduction- the rationale, aims, research questions, significance, scope and the organization of the study are presented The second part-Development- consists of three chapters Chapter 1, Literature review, deals with definitions of terms, the origin, background history and categorization of learning styles, students‟ learning preferences, mismatches between students‟ learning styles and teachers‟ awareness of them The methods of the study adopted as well as justifications for the chosen instruments, participations, data collection and analysis procedure are discussed in chapter 2-Methodology In the third chapter, the data on two major criteria: the preferred style of acquiring knowledge and information in real life; and the preferred style of acquiring knowledge and information in classroom in terms of learning mode, perceiving and processing information, vocabulary, class activities, teaching aids, error correction and feedback are presented This chapter points out the results combined with critical interpretation and analysis, from which major findings are revealed and discussed In the last part namely Conclusion, the author focuses on some major finding and contributions of the study Limitations and suggestions for further research are also mentioned To sum up, this chapter has presented the rationale, aims, research questions, significance, scope of the study The chapter ends with an overview of study‟s design Such information acts as the guideline or orientation for the development of the later parts of the thesis PART B: DEVELOPMENT Part B – Development – consists of three chapters: Literature Review, Methodology, and Data Analysis Specifically, this part gives a brief review of the literature, including the key concepts and related studies in the field; the methodology applied in the study; the data analysis as well as the study‟s results and discussion CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW Chapter – Literature Review – presents definitions of terms, the origin, background history and categorization of learning styles, students‟ learning style preferences, mismatches between students‟ and teachers‟ perceptions of learning styles 1.1 Definition of learning style In literary studies, first personal differences of individuals and then the effects of applying these differences in the environment have been investigated One of these personal differences is the individual‟s learning style When individuals learn with the same method, in the same learning environment and are assessed by the same evaluation tools, it should not be expected that all of them gain the same amount of success, because individuals have different learning styles Style, according to Brown (2007: 119), is a term referring to consistent and rather enduring tendencies or preferences within an individual Styles are those general characteristics of intellectual, and that differentiate you from someone else “Learning style refers to any individual preferred ways of going about learning It is generally considered that one‟s learning style will result from personality variables, including psychological and cognitive make-up, socio-cultural background, and educational experience” Nunan (1991: 168) 1.2 The origins of human’s learning style preferences According to Feldman (2003: 63), “For many of us, learning style preferences result from the kind of processing our brain „specializes‟ in” Left-brain processing concentrates APPENDIEXES Appendix 1: Survey questionnaire for students (English version) Questionnaire of learning style preference for students This questionnaire is to investigate the students‟ language learning style preferences of the first-year students at Hanoi University of Business and Technology Your assistance in completing my study is highly appreciated Thank you all! Age: Gender: Male  Female  Part I: In this part, I get the background information and your attitude toward English Yes  Are you interested in English? No  How long have you learnt English? ………………………years Are you satisfied with your achievement in English? Yes  No Part II: The answers for questions from number to number 11 will present your learning style preferences in real life (You should choose one) You are going to choose food at a restaurant or café You would A listen to the water or ask friends to recommend choice B look at what others are eating or look at pictures of each dish C choose from the descriptions in menu D choose something that you have had there before You are about to purchase a digital camera or mobile phone Other than price, what would most influence your decision? A The salesperson telling about its features B It is a modern design and looks good C Reading the details about its features D Trying or testing it You are not sure whether a word should be spelled “dependent” or “dependant” You would A see the word in your mind and choose by the way they look B write both words on paper and choose one C think about how each word sounds and choose one I D find it online or in a dictionary What would you when you want to remember a telephone number? A Try saying the number again over again B Try to see the number in your head C Think about the order and pattern of the number on the keypad D Press the number on the keypad What you when you operate new equipment for the first time? A Read the instruction B Listen to or ask for an explanation C Touch and see the machine‟s structure D Have a go and learn by “trial and error” You are helping someone who wants to go to the airport, the center of town or railway station You would A tell her the directions B draw or give her a map C write down the direction D go with her 10 Other than price, what would most influence your decision to buy a new non-fiction book? A The way it looks is appealing B A friend talks about it and recommends it C Quickly read parts of it D It has real-life stories, experiences and examples 11 What you prefer to when you have free time? A Listen to music/radio B Watch TV/ Video/films C Playing sports/games D Travel II Part III: The following questions are used to find out your learning style preferences in classroom Please circle the number to display your level of like or dislike toward each situation In this part, please circle the number of your interest in learning activities or learning methods on the scale from to 5, with 1=strongly dislike, 2=dislike, 3=neutral, 4=like, 5=strongly like 12 In English class, how you like learning? strongly dislike neutral like dislike strongly like A individually? B In pairs? C In small group? D In one large group? A by listening to cassettes, CDs? B by reading? C by copying from the board? D by games or conversations? 13 In English class, how you like learning 14 When learning new vocabulary, how you like learning A by listening and repeating them? B by seeing them? C by writing words several times? D by using the words in sentences? E by thinking of relationships between known and new? A Televisions/videos/films? B Radio/tapes/cassettes? C Written material? D The blackboard? E Pictures/posters? 15 How you like learning from III F Others (specific please)……………………………………………………………… 16 How you like doing the following activities in class? A Songs? 5 C Language games? D Role play? E Memorizing conversation/dialogues? F Discussion? B Talking with and listening to other students? G Others (specific please)…………………………………………………………… 17 Please tick the frequency degree of your teachers’ using activities in class Activities Always Often Sometimes Seldom A Using English tapes, songs, music B Using maps, wall-chart diagrams C Using role-play D Using discussion E Using power point presentation F Using video G Using handouts, pictures, games In this part, you should circle your answer for each question please! 18 You have finished a competition or test and would like some feedback You would like to have feedback: A from somebody who talks it through with you B using graphs showing that you have achieved C using a written description of your results D using examples from what you have done 19 How you like being corrected? A Immediately, in front of everyone B Later at the end of the activities, in front of everyone C Later, in private IV D Others (specific please)…………………………………………………………… 20 How you think learning styles are? A Not important B Important C Very important D Others (specific please)…………………………………………………………… Some of the questions are cited from VARK questionnaire on http://www.varklearn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire V Appendix 2: Survey questionnaire for students (Vietnamese version) Phiếu điều tra phong cách học yêu thích sinh viên Phiếu câu hỏi dùng để điều tra phong cách học yêu thích sinh viên trường Đại học Kinh doanh Công nghệ Hà Nội Chúng đánh giá cao giúp đỡ bạn việc hồn thành nghiên cứu Tuổi: Giới tính: Nam  Nữ  Phần I: Trong phần tơi muốn có thông tin quan điểm bạn với Tiếng Anh Bạn có thích học Tiếng Anh khơng? Có  Khơng  Bạn học Tiếng Anh rồi? ………………………năm Bạn có hài lịng với kết học tiếng Anh bạn khơng? Có  Khơng Phần II: Câu hỏi từ đến 11 dùng để điều tra phong cách yêu thích bạn việc tiếp nhận thông tin sống (Bạn khoanh trịn đáp án) Khi chọn ăn nhà hàng bạn A Nghe lời gợi ý phục vụ hỏi ý kiến bạn bè B Nhìn vào ăn mà khách hàng khác ăn nhìn hình ảnh ăn C Chọn dựa vào miêu tả thực đơn D Chọn ăn bạn ăn Bạn chuẩn bị mua máy ảnh kỹ thuật số điện thoại di động Ngoài giá điều ảnh hưởng đến định chọn sản phẩm bạn? A Sự miêu tả nhân viên kinh doanh đặc điểm sản phẩm B Thiết kế đại hình thức bắt mắt C Bạn đọc chi tiết miêu tả sản phẩm D Bạn dùng thử kiểm tra sản phẩm Bạn không viêt “dependent” hay “dependant” Bạn A Tưởng tượng chữ đầu chọn hình thức B Viết hai từ chọn lấy C Nghĩ cách hai từ phát âm chọn lấy D Tìm từ từ điển VI Bạn làm muốn nhớ số điện thoại? A Thử nhắc nhắc lại số B Cố gắng hình dung số điện thoại đầu C Nghĩ chuỗi thứ tự số máy tính D Bấm số bàn phím Bạn làm vận hành thiết bị lần đầu tiên? A Đọc kỹ hướng dẫn sử dụng B Lắng nghe yêu cầu người hướng dẫn sử dụng C Cầm thiết bị nghiên cứu cấu trúc máy D Bấm tất nút để thử vận hành máy Bạn hướng dẫn người tìm đường đến sân bay Bạn A Nói cho ta đường đến sân bay B Vẽ cho cô ta đồ C Viết lời hướng dẫn D Đi cô ta 10 Ngồi giá điều ảnh hưởng đến định chọn tiểu thuyết bạn? A Hình thức bề B Một người bạn nhắc với bạn C Đọc nhanh qua phần sách D Nội dung sách sống thực, có trải nghiệm sống 11 Bạn làm có thời gian rảnh rỗi? A Nghe nhạc, nghe đài B Xem ti vi, phim ảnh C Chơi thể thao, điển tử D Du lịch Phần III: câu hỏi dùng để điều tra phong cách học u thích bạn mơi trường lớp học Bạn khoanh tròn số biểu đạt mức độ thích hay khơng thích với tình Với 1=rất khơng thích, 2=khơng thích, 3=bình thường (khơng ghét khơng thích), 4=thích, 5=rất thích VII 12 Trong lớp học tiếng Anh bạn thích học nào? Rất ko ko thích Thích bình thích thích thường A Độc lập? B Theo cặp? C Theo nhóm nhỏ? D Theo nhóm lớn? 13 Trong lớp học tiếng Anh bạn thích học nào? A Qua đài, băng đĩa? B Qua đọc? C Qua chép bảng? D Qua trò chơi hội thoại? A Qua lắng nghe nhắc lại từ? B Qua nhìn từ? C Qua việc viết viết lại từ? D Qua sử dụng từ câu? 14 Khi học từ bạn thích học nào? E Qua việc nghĩ mối quan hệ từ từ cũ? A Từ Ti vi, phim ảnh? B Từ đài, đĩa? C Từ tài liệu viết? D Từ bảng? E Từ tranh ảnh, áp phích? 15 Bạn thích học từ nguồn nào? F Nguồn khác (mời ghi chi tiết)………………………………………………………… 16 Bạn thích học qua hoạt động sau nào? A Qua hát? 5 B Qua giao tiếp lắng nghe sinh viên khác? VIII C Qua trị chơi ngơn ngữ? D Qua đóng kịch? E Qua học thuộc lòng hội thoại? F Qua thảo luận? G Nguồn khác (mời ghi chi tiết)………………………………………………………… 17 Giáo viên bạn có thường xuyên sử dụng hoạt động sau lớp không? Hoạt động Luôn Thường Thỉnh Hiếm xuyên thoảng A Sử dụng nhạc, hát tiếng Anh B Sử dụng bảng biểu, đồ C Sử dụng hoạt động kịch D Sử dụng hoạt động thảo luận E Sử dụng máy chiếu, slide F Sử dụng băng đĩa G Sử dụng tranh ảnh, trị chơi 18 Khi bạn hồn thành xong công việc cần nhận xét, bạn muốn nhận lời nhận xét cách (chỉ chọn đáp án) A Người nhận xét nói chuyện trực tiếp với bạn B Người nhận xét sử dụng bảng biểu để diễn tả nhận xét C Người nhận xét sử dụng văn để đưa nhận xét D Người nhận xét sử dụng ví dụ từ điều bạn làm 19 Bạn thích sửa lỗi sai nào? (chỉ chọn đáp án) A Ngay lập tức, trước mặt người B Sau kết thúc trước mặt người C Sau kết thúc bài, sửa riêng D Hình thức khác (mời ghi chi tiết)…………………………………………………… 20 Bạn nghĩ phong cách học? A Khơng quan trọng B Quan trọng IX C Rất quan trọng D Ý kiến khác (mời ghi chi tiết)…………………………………………………… Một số câu hỏi trích từ hệ thống bảng câu hỏi VARK từ http://www.varklearn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire X Appendix 3: Survey questionnaire for teachers Questionnaire of learning style preference for teachers This questionnaire is to investigate the teachers‟ language learning style preferences and their awareness of their first-year students‟ learning style preferences at Hanoi University of Business and Technology Your assistance in completing my study is highly appreciated Thank you all! Age: Gender: Male  Female  Part I: In this part, I get the background information and your attitude toward English How long have you been learning English? ………………………years How long have you been teaching English? ………………………years Are you satisfied with your achievement in English? Yes  No Part II: The answers for questions from number to number 11 will present your learning style preferences in real life (You should choose one) You are going to choose food at a restaurant or café You would A listen to the water or ask friends to recommend choice B look at what others are eating or look at pictures of each dish C choose from the descriptions in menu D choose something that you have had there before You are about to purchase a digital camera or mobile phone Other than price, what would most influence your decision? A The salesperson telling about its features B It is a modern design and looks good C Reading the details about its features D Trying or testing it You are not sure if a word should be spelled “dependent” or “dependant” You would A see the word in your mind and choose by the way they look B write both words on paper and choose one C think about how each word sounds and choose one D find it online or in a dictionary XI What would you when you want to remember a telephone number? A Try saying the number again over again B Try to see the number in your head C Think about the order and pattern of the number on the keypad D Press the number on the keypad What you when you operate new equipment for the first time? A Read the instruction B Listen to or ask for an explanation C Touch and see the machine‟s structure D Have a go and learn by “trial and error” You are helping someone who wants to go to the airport, the center of town or railway station You would A tell her the directions B draw or give her a map C write down the direction D go with her 10 Other than price, what most influence your decision to buy a new non-fiction book? A The way it looks is appealing B A friend talks about it and recommends it C Quickly read parts of it D It has real-life stories, experiences and examples 11 What you prefer to when you have free time? A Listen to music/radio B Watch TV/ Video/films C Playing sports/games D Travel Part III: The following questions are used to find out your awareness of students’ learning style preferences in classroom Please circle the number to display the level you think your students like or dislike each situation XII In this part, please circle the number of your interest in learning activities or learning methods on the scale from to 5, with 1=strongly dislike, 2=dislike, 3=neutral, 4=like, 5=strongly like 12 In English class, how you think your students like learning? strongly dislike neutral like dislike strongly like A individually? B In pairs? C In small group? D In one large group? 13 In English class, how you think your students like learning A by listening to cassettes, CDs? B by reading? C by copying from the board? D by games or conversations? 14 When learning new vocabulary, how you think your students like learning A by listening and repeating them? B by seeing them? C by writing words several times? D by using the words in sentences? 5 E by thinking of relationships between known and new? 15 How you think your students like learning from A Televisions/videos/films? B Radio/tapes/cassettes? C Written material? D The blackboard? E Pictures/posters? F Others (specific please)……………………………………………………………… 16 How you think your students like doing the following activities in class? A Songs? XIII B Talking with and listening to other students? C Language games? D Role play? E Memorizing conversation/dialogues? F Discussion? G Others (specific please)……………………………………………………………… 17 Please tick the frequency degree of your using activities in class Activities Always Often Sometimes Seldom A Using English tapes, songs, music B Using maps, wall-chart diagrams C Using role-play D Using discussion E Using power point presentation F Using video G Using handouts, pictures, games In this part, you should circle your answer for each question please! 18 You have finished a competition or test and would like some feedback Your students would like to have feedback: A from somebody who talks it through with you B using graphs showing that you have achieved C using a written description of your results D using examples from what you have done 19 How you think your students like being corrected? A Immediately, in front of everyone B Later at the end of the activities, in front of everyone C Later, in private D Others (specific please)…………………………………………………………… 20 How you think learning styles are? XIV A Not important B Important C Very important D Others (specific please)……… ,…………………………………………………… Some of the questions are cited from VARK questionnaire on http://www.varklearn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire XV ...VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES TRẦN NAM THIÊN HƯƠNG A SURVEY ON THE FIRST- YEAR STUDENTS’ ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING. .. collection and data analysis procedures The presentation along with the interpretation of findings will be elaborated on in the up-coming chapter – Data Analysis 18 CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS In the. .. reflective observation), assimilator (characterized by abstract conceptualization and reflective observation) and accommodator (using concrete experience and active experimentation) Among the nine models,