Investigating The Preferences of The Learning Style in Third Language Learning at A Public University

Abstract

Students learned in many different styles. Identifying the learning style of the student is crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of both learning and teaching processes. Kolb's learning styles model and experiential learning theory are today acknowledged by academics and teachers and others, as fundamental concepts towards human learning behavior, and towards helping students to learn. This quantitative research is done to explore the learning style of a third language. The instrument used a survey adapted from (Honey and Mumford, 2002; Kolb's Learning Style, 1984). The study was completed by 420 respondents who were learning third language courses in Arabic, Mandarin, and Japanese. A quantitative survey consisting of 4 sections with items on the demographic profile and 40 items via Google Form using 5-Likert scales were used as the instruments. The findings revealed that the most preferred learning style among learners is Reflector, followed by Theorist, Pragmatist, and Activist. However, the variances in preferences lack significance for Theorists and Pragmatists. The results also revealed that third language learners' learning style preferences are not related to gender, except for the Activist learning style, and are also not related to learners' fields of study. Hence, educators, facilitators, universities, and policymakers need to grasp the importance of learning styles, as they play a crucial role in determining success in acquiring a third language. Additionally, educators should prioritize guiding students based on their learning styles rather than rigidly adhering to pedagogical approaches that instructors perceive as superior. Further research is recommended to explore the correlation between learning styles and performance in language learning.