Promoting diversity in the esl classroom : An approach to learner training / Suchithra Nair

The ways in which students characteristically acquire, retain and retrieve information are collectively
termed as the students' learning style. This exploratory research project was conducted to foster
awareness of the diverse learning styles that co-exist in a language classroom. This study examines
the possibility of using learning styles as content and contextual theme for the first unit in a proficiency
class. At the heart of this study is the desire to help a group of Preparatory English Course
(PEC) students discover their language learning styles and to suggest appropriate strategies to deal
with their uniqueness. Research has proven that the integration of learning styles in the ESL classroom
not only facilitates academic success but also establishes good foundation to teach learning
strategies (Reid, 1996). Within this context, an instructional unit was designed and implemented.
This paper describes how the unit was used in a PEC classroom comprising 30 Part I Engineering
students. What conclusions can we make? Abetter understanding of learning styles can be beneficial
to both lecturers and students. The lecturers should be aware of the diversity in learning styles present
in the language classroom and adjust instruction accordingly. Just as importantly, students can benefit
by learning about their personal learning styles and becoming active participants in the language
classrooms.