Ann C. Wintergerst

Conceptualizing Learning Style Modalities for ESL/EFL Students.

Abstract A major hurdle in assessing the learning styles of English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL) students is the development of an instrument with established validity and reliability. This article reports the results of testing a newly developed learning styles instrument [System 29 (2001) 385; Wintergerst et al., TESL Canada Journal Revue TESL du Canada (in press)] on three groups of language learners: Russian EFL students, Russian ESL students, and Asian (specifically Chinese, Korean, and Japanese) ESL students to determine their learning style preferences. Results indicate that these students learn English under three modalities: Project Orientation, Group Activity Orientation, and Individual Activity Orientation. Findings further reveal that these three groups of language learners clearly prefer group activity above individual work, with the Russian EFL and Asian ESL students favoring group work and project work. The outcome of this study suggests that this instrument holds promise as a viable assessment tool for determining selected learning styles of ESL/EFL students and has sound implications for classroom teachers.

The construct validity of one learning styles instrument

Abstract Learning style research has become ubiquitous in second/foreign language teaching and research. While such an approach has a great deal of intuitive appeal, difficulties arise when researchers attempt to conceptualize actual learning styles and relate these to factors other than individual preferences. These difficulties are further compounded when working with second/foreign language learners and the inherent issues of learner proficiency and target language comprehensibility. The present study examines the reliability and validity of Reids (1984) Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSPQ), an instrument used to assess the learning style of English as a Second Language (ESL) students. Exploratory factor analysis was used to explore the dimensionality of the PLSPQ. Results showed that specific survey items did not necessarily group into factors conceptually compatible with Reids learning style model. Subsequently, an alternative learning style factor structure was explored.

Second-Generation Language Maintenance and Identity: A Case Study

While the benefits of bilingualism have been widely acknowledged, parents face many hurdles raising children bilingually. Factors such as consistency in language use, family, school, and social support networks, issues of ethnic and social identity, and the prestige value of language have contributed to successful bilingualism. This paper presents a case study exploring the maintenance of German in an English-dominant environment, the strategies the mother employed in fostering German, and how her strategies influenced the childrens perceptions of German. The findings offer insights into nurturing bilingualism, particularly when community and school do not support the heritage language.