SLA RESEARCH ON SELF-DIRECTION: THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ISSUES



Aim: to consider the learning styles of
AMES clients

In Octoberand November 1984, a major survey of AMES (NSW)Clients was carried out,
focusing on their learning preferences. The following questionnaire was the basic instru-
ment. Over five hundred learners were consulted—through interpreters if there were any
doubt about an individual's ability to understand and respond correctly to the written form
(i.e. in practice intermediate down to ASLPR 1+ and below). An effort was made to
randomize the sample across ethnic groups, age groups, speaking proficiency level, AMES
programmes.

People were asked to respond honestly. It was explained that the experimenters would
naturally expect that each person would want to answer
lNo' to Somequestions, 'A little' to
some, 'Good' to some, and 'Best'only if the learning method in question was one of their
favourites or they judged it to be highly important.

Average response levels for each question were established by coding the answer zNo'
as 1, 'A little' as 2, 'Good' as 3, and 'Best' as 4. The overall results for the first thirty questions
were obtained (in rank order from the most highly rated question to the least).

AMES Learning Styles Inventory

How do YOU learn best?

Example:

I like to learn by listening to songs

no

a little

good

best

1.

In English class, I like to learn by reading

no

a little

g∞d

best

2.

In class, I like to listen and use cassettes

no

a little

good

best

3.

In class, I like to learn by games

no

a little

good

best

4.

In class, I like to learn by conversation

no

a little

good

best

5.

In class, I like to learn by pictures, films, video

no

a little

good

best

6.

I want to write everything in my notebook

no

a little

g∞d

best

7.

I like to have my own textbook

no

a little

good

best

8.

I like the teacher to explain everything to us

no

a little

good

best

9.

I like the teacher to give us problems to work on

no

a little

good

best

10.

I like the teacher to help me talk about my interests

no

a little

good

best

11.

I like the teacher to tell me all my mistakes

no

a little

good

best

12.

I like the teacher to let me find my mistakes

no

a little

good

best

13.

I like to study English by myself (alone)

no

a little

good

best

14.

I like to learn English by talking in pairs

no

a little

good

best

15.

I like to learn English in a small group

no

a little

good

best

A Teachers C vidt 13



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