Differences in Learning Styles and Personalities

Differences in Learning Styles and Personalities

Another useful tool for understanding the learners is being aware of their individual learning styles. We all learn and memorise information in a different way, and have our preferences for absorbing, processing and retaining information. The most common distinction is between visual learners (who learn by seeing), auditory learners (who seem to be learning best by listening) and kinaesthetic learners (who greatly benefit from physical actions such as miming or role-playing) (Lightbown, Spada, 2006). Other researchers differentiate between enthusiasts, who actively take part in learning and listen to the teacher; rebels, who prefer to do things their own way; communicative learners, trying to do everything by letting the language flow and analytic ones who spend their time trying to understand everything (Harmer, 2012).

There is no doubt that personality traits can greatly influence the learning process, however, some evidence suggests that the results of the studies have been inconclusive. It is generally argued that an extroverted person can be a highly successful language learner, but some studies show that the quiet language learners can achieve the same results. Something that all researchers agree on is the influence of inhibition and anxiety on the foreign language learners. Inhibition discourages risk-taking, which is necessary for progress in language learning. This often results in doubting one’s knowledge and being self-conscious about mistakes. Learners often refer to the feelings of anxiety, especially when they have to speak in a foreign language in a classroom setting. This can considerably interfere with the learning process (Lightbown, Spada, 2006).

A professional teacher will always do their best to try to understand the learner styles and personalities of their students and will try to organize the learning process incorporating activities that will make students feel comfortable and relaxed creating a welcoming learning environment. For example, to lower the anxiety levels for those students who are self-conscious to speak in front of the whole class, the teacher may first suggest completing the same activity in pairs or groups.