1、What is my learning style? Answer the following 9 questions by ticking the box that is nearest to your own experience: 1 When I read grammar explanations in coursebooks . A g111 I usually find them difficult to understand B g111 I can usually understand and use them C g111 some I can follow, others
2、I cant D g111 (I havent seen enough to judge) 2. When I see a grammar table . A g111 I usually skip it B g111 I usually try to learn it C g111 sometimes I skip it, other times I try to learn it D g111 Im not sure what I usually do 3. I prefer to learn by . A g111 talking with others rather than lear
3、ning rules and word-lists B g111 getting a grammar and vocabulary base, then using the language C g111 (I can learn either by talking to people or by studying the language) D g111 (I havent enough experience to judge) 3. If I have a grounding in one language (e.g. Spanish) and then start a second la
4、nguage in the same family (e.g. Italian), the first language . A g111 confuses me more than it helps B g111 helps me more than it confuses me C g111 sometimes helps, sometimes confuses me D g111 (I have never tried to learn two languages in the same family) 4. If I hear or see a new word or phrase w
5、hose meaning I cant work out . A g111 I usually dont worry about it B g111 if possible, I usually look it up in a dictionary C g111 sometimes I look it up, at other times I dont worry about it D g111 (I havent been in this situation) 5. If I hear or see a new word or phrase whose meaning I can guess
6、 at . A g111 if possible, I try to use it when talking with a native speaker B g111 if possible, I try to check it in a dictionary before using it C g111 sometimes Ill check it in a dictionary, sometimes Ill use it straight away D g111 (I dont guess word-meanings) 6. When talking to real-life native
7、 speakers whose language I only know a little bit . A g111 I enjoy communicating with foreign words, gestures everything! B g111 I find my lack of knowledge embarrassing C g111 I try to communicate, though it can be scary or embarrassing at times D g111 (Ive never met any real-life native speakers t
8、o talk to) 7. If I am about to do a task in the foreign country (e.g. reserve train tickets) and I dont know all the key words . A g111 I usually just have a go and try to get the meaning across somehow B g111 if possible, I quickly look them up in a dictionary or phrasebook C g111 I sometimes stop
9、to look them up, and sometimes just have a go D g111 (Ive never been in such a situation) 8. If, after doing such a task, I realise I made a very basic grammar or vocabulary mistake : A g111 I dont worry about it B g111 I make a mental note not to make that mistake again C g111 sometimes I make a me
10、ntal note, at other times I dont worry D g111 (Ive never been in such a situation) 9. Feedback on how my language learning is going . A g111 comes more from speaking with people than from tests and exercises B g111 comes more from tests/exercises than from speaking with people C g111 comes both from
11、 exercises and from how well I actually communicate D g111 (I dont know) Scoring To find your learning style, count up how many A answers you have, how many Bs, how many Cs and how many Ds. Enter the totals in the boxes below. How many. As? g111 Bs? g111 Cs? g111 Ds? g111g32You can now use this to m
12、ake your own learning style profile: As are experiential answers, Bs are studial answers, Cs are mixed-style answers. You can make your answers into a learning style profile by adding them to the chart below. If you had 5 As, shade in squares 1 to 5 (starting at the bottom) on the left-hand scale; i
13、f you had 3 Bs, shade in squares 1 to 3 on the right-hand (not the middle!) scale; and if you had 2 Cs, shade in squares 1 to 2 on the middle scale. Leave the Ds for now 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 A C B EXPERIENTIAL MIXED STUDIAL Now look at your profile, and see which of the shapes below describes you be
14、st. If you are not sure which to choose, you are probably a mixed learner, though maybe slightly more studial or slightly more experiential. 2 More experiential learners You have a good number of As and very few if any Bs. Look carefully at the advice in the Experiential Strengths & Challenges secti
15、on, and try to follow it up. YOUR LEARNING STYLE PROFILE ACB3 More studial learners You have a good number of Bs and very few if any As. Look carefully at the advice in the Studial Strengths & Challenges section , and try to follow it up. 4 Learners with a mixed learning style You have a fairly bala
16、nced profile, with a good number of Cs. Read through both the Experiential and the Studial Strengths & Challenges sections below. Put a pencil tick against which of the strengths and which of the challenges apply to you. Follow up the advice for the strengths and challenges you have ticked. What if
17、I had more Ds than anything else? This shows that you are a less experienced learner. Most of the activities you use were probably suggested by your teachers, so they may not be a very good guide to your own learning style. In a few months, when you have tried out a range of new activities, do the q
18、uestionnaire again. ACBACBComments on the results Each type of learner has certain strengths, but also faces certain “challenges”, i.e. obstacles to learning, or learning activities which go against the grain. Below we list the main strengths (g167) and challenges (g183), and give tips (g252) connec
19、ted with each. Strengths of the experiential learner g167 You probably like learning by communicating with people. g252 For ideas on how to meet people and use them to help your language learning, ask in the Self Access Area about a Language Exchange. g252 Dont just chat: give yourself a learning ai
20、m. For example, try to turn the topic to a vocabulary area you have just been learning. g252 Dont just speak write to people as well! g167 You probably like “having a go“ in conversations, even if you make mistakes. g252 This is an excellent way of learning. Dont worry about the mistakes: you will b
21、ecome more accurate with practice! g167 Talking with other people gives you good feedback on how you are progressing. g252 For feedback ideas if you have no-one to speak to, email m.r.ogdenas.leeds.ac.uk g167 You might well be good at “picking up” pronunciation. g252 If you feel youre not, or if you
22、 want to work actively on your pronunciation, email m.r.ogdenas.leeds.ac.uk Challenges for the Experiential Learner g183 You probably find coursebook language explanations hard to understand. g252 Dont worry: learning language rules “by feel” is just as good as learning by rote. g252 Try targeting c
23、ertain grammar forms in conversation (for instance, past verb endings): listen for what people use, and try out these forms when it is your turn to speak. g183 If you know one language (e.g. German) and then start on a second language in the same family (e.g. Dutch), you may feel that the first “int
24、erferes” with the second. g252 Dont worry: if you use an “alien” word, it will often be close enough to be understood! g252 Remember that, on balance, the first language is speeding up the learning of the second, because you have fewer totally new words to learn. g252 Dont worry: interference will v
25、irtually disappear after a couple of days in the second country. g183 You may feel the language youre learning is “difficult”. g252 Remember that no language is any more difficult than any other is. Ask any native-speaker toddler! g252 Much of what seems difficult is probably just unfamiliar. With p
26、ractice, things will get easier. g252 Every language (even English!) has one or two nasty areas that foreigners find very hard. Native speakers will know this, and will not be upset by foreigners mistakes in these areas. Strengths of the Studial Learner g167You probably like to understand how a piec
27、e of language works before trying it out. g252 See this as a strength, not a weakness! g252 In the foreign country, have a pocket dictionary (and maybe a grammar guide) on you at all times. If you have a difficult encounter coming up (e.g. booking places on an excursion), look up the key words a few
28、 minutes before and practise what youre going to say. g167You are probably quite good at coping with language explanations and learning grammar tables. g252 These give an excellent base. But dont forget practice activities: if you dont use it, you lose it! Try to use a grammar book that includes wri
29、tten exercises g252 Re-read explanations and re-learn tables at a later date, once you have experience of using and understanding the words and grammar. Youll remember them much more easily then. g167You are probably quite good at using similarities between languages to help you learn. g252 For more
30、 ideas on using vocabulary, email m.r.ogdenas.leeds.ac.uk g167“Difficult“ languages probably dont worry you. g252 Why not try a really exotic language? It might be fun! Examples might be Thai, Mandarin or Polish. Ask the Self Access Area staff to help you to find websites where you can learn more ab
31、out these languages and about others which would count as exotic. Challenges for the Studial Learner g183 If youre just beginning a foreign language, you may find native speakers hard to understand or too daunting to speak to in their language or they may not appreciate your efforts. g252 Try to fin
32、d ways of speaking that dont involve native speakers, e.g. imaginary conversations and recording yourself. g252 Take a trip to the foreign country as soon as possible, and try to do things (like go shopping) on your own, preferably in places where few people speak English. Once you see how far even
33、a few words can get you, it will boost your confidence. g252 As your knowledge of the language increases, communication will get easier, and people will be more appreciative of your efforts. g183 Native speakers may seem difficult to find. g252 Ask in the Self Access Area about a language exchange g183 You may find pronunciation difficult. g252 Regular work with cassettes (e.g. repetition) pays big dividends here: try it! g252 In the meantime, dont worry: comprehensibility is more important than native-like pronunciation.
