A study on the relationship between language learning styles, reading strategies and reading achievement of English language learners at Thai Nguyen University

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

NGUYEN THI BICH DIEP

A STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

LANGUAGE LEARNING STYLES, READING STRATEGIES

AND READING ACHIEVEMENT OF ENGLISH

LANGUAGE LEARNERS AT THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

M.A. THESIS

Field: English Linguistics

Code: 8220201

THAI NGUYEN - 2020

ĐẠI HỌC THÁI NGUYÊN

TRƯỜNG NGOẠI NGỮ

NGUYỄN THỊ BÍCH DIỆP

NGHIÊN CỨU MỐI TƯƠNG QUAN GIỮA PHONG CÁCH

HỌC TẬP, CHIẾN LƯỢC ĐỌC VÀ KẾT QUẢ ĐỌC HIỂU

CỦA SINH VIÊN KHÔNG CHUYÊN NGỮ

TẠI ĐẠI HỌC THÁI NGUYÊN

LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ

Ngành: Ngôn ngữ Anh

Mã số: 8220201

THÁI NGUYÊN - 2020

i

DECLARATION

The thesis entitled “A study on the relationship between language learning

styles, reading strategies and reading achievement of English language learners at

Thai Nguyen University” has been submitted for the Master of English language.

I, the undersigned, hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. I have

fully acknowledged and referenced the ideas and work of others, whether published or

unpublished, in my thesis.

My thesis does not contain work extracted from a thesis, dissertation or research

paper previously presented for another degree or diploma at this or any other universities.

Thai Nguyen, 2020

Approved by Supervisor

Dr. Dang Thi Thanh Huong

Student

Nguyen Thi Bich Diep

ii

DEDICATION

I dedicate this research project to my parents. To my Dad, I thank you for

encouraging me to work hard to fulfil this study. To my Mum, thank you for your

encouragement and support throughout my studies. Special dedication goes to my husband

for being there for me when I needed his help most.

I love you all.

iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am deeply indebted to the individuals that provided support for the completion of

this study.

Dr. Dang Thi Thanh Huong supervised the entire study and, most importantly, read

and discussed every aspect and section of this dissertation with assiduity. Her

recommendations also helped to shape the form and contents of the final version. I am

equally indebted to her for the exceptional friendliness, kindness, and patience that her

demonstrated during my study at SFL-TNU and my research.

In addition, I would like to express my thankfulness to all the participating students

at the International School, Thai Nguyen University who helped me in my preliminary

research, especially the students who accompanied me during a long time of my data

collection time. The results I have achieved today partially belong to them.

Last but not least, I would like to thank my fellows for their dedication and support,

and my family members for their motivation for me to overcome all the difficulties and to

become a better me now.

Thank you.

Nguyen Thi Bich Diep

July, 2020

iv

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted at the International School, Thai Nguyen University with

152 non-English majored students. The participants come from different cultural settings

and countries. The purely quantitative research design was employed, and the model of

learning style developed by Reid (1987) was used as the theoretical framework for the

study. Two surveys of “Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire” (PLSPQ) and

“Survey of reading strategies” (SORS) were used to collect data. The Statistical Package

for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 was used to analyse the data. The findings of the

study indicated that (1) the preferred learning styles of Thai Nguyen University students

are Visual and Group. (2) Students who participated in the study use reading strategies at

medium level (M=3.1684). There is a significant difference between major learning styles,

minor learning styles, negligible styles, and the use of reading strategies. The students

majoring in visual use strategies more often (M=3.18). The students whose major styles

were tactile and kinesthetic use strategies at the frequency of (M=3.16). The auditory

learners use the least strategies at (M=3.11). The group learning styles ranked the top of

(M= 3.21). (3) Visual and individual learners attain the highest academic achievement,

while the tactile and auditory learners attain the lowest points. The visual and group

learning styles students use more reading strategies than the other groups.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION....................................................................................................................i

DEDICATION.......................................................................................................................ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..................................................................................................iii

ABSTRACT..........................................................................................................................iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS.......................................................................................................v

LIST OF TABLES...............................................................................................................vii

LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................viii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS...............................................................................................ix

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................1

1.1. Rationales........................................................................................................................1

1.2. Statement of the problem................................................................................................3

1.3. Significance of the study.................................................................................................3

1.4. Aims of the study............................................................................................................4

1.5. Research questions..........................................................................................................4

1.6. Scope of the study...........................................................................................................5

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ..........................................................................6

2.1. Theoretical framework....................................................................................................6

2.2. Definitions and nature of learning styles........................................................................7

2.3. A brief discussion of learning style models....................................................................9

2.3.1. Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles Model ...............................................................9

2.3.2. Kolb‟s Learning Style Model .............................................................................10

2.3.3. Honey and Mumford‟s Learning Styles Preferences..........................................11

2.3.4. Reid‟s Perceptual Learning Style Preferences....................................................12

2.4. Factors affecting learning styles preference .................................................................14

2.5. Learning styles and academic achievement..................................................................16

2.6. Reading strategies and reading comprehension............................................................18

2.7. Reading strategies and academic achievement.............................................................19

2.8 Reading strategies and learning styles...........................................................................22

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................................25

3.1. Research design ............................................................................................................25

3.2. Participants....................................................................................................................26

3.3. Data collection instruments ..........................................................................................27