GENDER DIFFERENCES IN LEARNING STYLES AND STRATEGIES BETWEEN ADOLESCENT ...

245 Pages·2005·2.08 MB·English

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN LEARNING STYLES AND STRATEGIES
BETWEEN ADOLESCENT SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNERS.

Josephine Ann-Marie Dundas

This thesis is presented as fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters
in Education in Applied Linguistics of the University of Western Australia.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to acknowledge the help and support of my husband, Alan, in being there to
support me so that I actually finished this thesis. Also thank you to Dr. Marie-Eve
Ritz for your professional and determined support although I am sure that you
probably despaired that I would finish and to Dr. John West for his great help in the
preparation of the statistics for this thesis.

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Table of Contents
Table of Contents...........................................................................................................3
LIST OF TABLES...........................................................................................................9
ABSTRACT..................................................................................................................11
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................12
1 BACKGROUND TO STUDY.................................................................................12
1.1 Gender Differences in Enrolment Patterns.....................................................12
1.2 Gender Differences in Subject Choice and Implications for Employment......16
1.3 Political and Social Concerns With Gender and Schooling............................22
1.4 The Influence of Co-education and Single-Sex Schooling on Outcomes........24
1.5 Gender Differences in Learning Styles...........................................................25
1.6 Gender Differences in Verbal Ability..............................................................26
2 DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS..............................................................................27
3 AIMS OF THE STUDY..................................................................................32
4 OUTLINE OF PRESENT STUDY.........................................................................33
3.1 Topics in the Literature Review (Chapter 2)...................................................33
3.2 Research Methodology (Chapter 3)...............................................................34
3.3 Results, Discussion & Conclusions (Chapters 4, 5 & 6).................................34
CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................36
1 THE NATURE VERSUS NUTURE DEBATE.....................................................37
1.1 Gender Differences in Cognitive Abilities..................................................37
1.2 Differences in Sociability...........................................................................40
2 GENDER DIFFERENCES IN LEARNING STYLES AND STRATEGIES.............44
2.1 Differences in Learning Styles Among Adult Learners...................................45
1.1.1 Classification of Learning Styles...........................................................45
1.1.2 Relationship Between Gender and Preferred Learning Styles...........48
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1.1.3 Research into Learning Styles in Adolescent Second Language Study52
2.2 Differences in Strategies in Adult Learning....................................................59
2.2.1 Classification of Learning Strategies........................................................60
2.2.2 Sex Differences in Learning Strategy Choice..........................................60
3 SOCIETAL INFLUENCES UPON LEARNING BEHAVIOUR..............................70
3.1 Societal Influences on Communicative Style.................................................71
3.2 Social Factors Affecting Adolescent Learning Behaviour...............................74
3.2.1 Type of School Attended – Coeducation and Single-Sex........................74
3.2.2 Societal Influences Upon General Subject Choice..................................74
3.2.3 Influences of Society’s Construction of Masculinity and Femininity.........82
3.2.4 Participation in Speaking and Listening ActivitiesError! Bookmark not defined.
3.2.5 Different Social Maturation Rates of the Genders Attitudes Towards
Homework. ........................................................................................................88
4 AFFECTIVE FACTORS......................................................................................91
4.1 Sex of Teacher and ‘Sex’ of Subject..............................................................92
4.2 Presence/Absence of an Opposite Sex Sibling..............................................95
4.3 Response to Failure.......................................................................................96
4.4 Affective Factors Influencing Subject Choice.................................................97
5 MAJOR SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHING THEORIES.....................................98
5.1 Development of Language Acquisition Theory...............................................99
5.2 Implications for Classroom-Based Second Language Teaching..................100
5.2.1 Primary Processes in Unplanned Discourse.........................................100
5.2.2 Secondary Processes in Planned Discourse..........................................100
5.2.3 Integrated Approaches Using Both Primary and Secondary Processes.101
6 TEACHER’S ROLE IN STUDENT LEARNING BEHAVIOUR.............................103
6.1 Classroom Climate and Teachers’ Beliefs About Learning Styles...............103
6.1.1 Relationship Between Teaching Style & Motivation to Learn................105
6.1.2 Effect of Teacher Perception of Gender Influences...............................108
6.1.3 Summary of Diverse Influences upon Classroom Climate....................109
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6.2 Teacher’s Role in Strategy Choice...............................................................111
6.3 Importance of Attitude Towards Teachers...................................................112
7 CONCLUSION...................................................................................................113
8 RESEARCH QUESTIONS..................................................................................114
CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY.......................................................................................................117
1 FACTORS AFFECTING CHOICE OF METHODOLOGY...................................117
1.1 Nature of Second Language Classrooms....................................................117
1.2 Development of Classroom Climate and Learning Style..............................118
2 CONTENT & SETTING.......................................................................................119
3 PARTICIPANTS..................................................................................................121
4 INSTRUMENTS..................................................................................................122
4.1 Focus Interviews..........................................................................................122
4.1.1 Aims of Focus Interviews.......................................................................123
4.1.2 Participants in Focus Groups.................................................................123
4.1.3 Description of Focus Interviews.............................................................124
4.1.4 Analysis.................................................................................................124
4.2 Questionnaire...............................................................................................125
4.2.1 Aims of the Questionnaire.....................................................................125
4.2.2 Participants............................................................................................127
4.2.3 Description of Questionnaire.................................................................127
4.2.3a Background .........................................................................................129
4.2.3b Attitudes towards language study........................................................129
4.2.3c Ways students learn.............................................................................130
4.2.4 Analysis of Questionnaire......................................................................131
4.3 Classroom Observations..............................................................................132
4.3.1 Aims of Classroom Observations..........................................................132
4.3.2 Participants.............................................................................................134
4.3.3 Description of Observations....................................................................135
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4.3.4 Analysis of Observations....................................................................136
4.4 Teacher Interviews.......................................................................................136
4.4.1 Aims of Teacher Interviews....................................................................137
4.4.2 Participants............................................................................................137
4.4.3 Description of Interviews........................................................................137
4.4.4 Analysis.................................................................................................139
5 ANALYSES.........................................................................................................139
5.1 Focus Interview analysis.........................................................................140
5.2 Questionnaire Analysis................................................................................140
5.2.1 Chi-Square Analysis...............................................................................141
5.3 Observation Analysis...................................................................................142
5.4 Teacher Interview Analysis..........................................................................143
6 LIMITATIONS OF STUDY DESIGN...................................................................144
CHAPTER 4
RESULTS...................................................................................................................146
1 FACTORS AFFECTING QUESTIONNAIRE ANALYSIS....................................146
2 QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS.............................................................................148
2.1 Relationship Between Gender and Learning Styles.....................................148
2.1.1 Areas of Significant Differences..............................................................149
2.1.2 Areas of No Significant Difference..........................................................153
2.1.3 Learning Styles – Effect For Age & Gender............................................153
2.1.4 Results of Open-Ended Questions.........................................................156
2.2 Learning Strategies......................................................................................160
2.2.1 Areas of Significant Difference...............................................................160
3 OBSERVATION RESULTS................................................................................162
3.1 Response to Learning Activities...................................................................163
3.1.1 Recording of Classroom Activities..........................................................164
3.1.2 Level of Student Enthusiasm..................................................................164
3.2 Observable variables for which a significant difference was found.........165
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3.3 Observation results not related to the questionnaire....................................170
4 TEACHER INTERVIEWS...................................................................................174
4.1 Teacher comments upon areas of significant difference........................175
4.2 Teachers’ comments upon adaptation to single-gender classes............178
5 SUMMARY OF RESULTS & RESEARCH QUESTIONS...........................181
CHAPTER 5
DISCUSSION.............................................................................................................184
1 QUANTITATIVE RESULTS WHICH RELATE TO GENDER DIFFERENCES
IN LEARNING STYLES.......................................................................................184
2 QUANTITATIVE RESULTS WHICH RELATE TO LEARNING STYLES AND
COMMUNICATION STYLES..............................................................................189
3 QUANTITATIVE RESULTS WHICH RELATE TO LEARNING
STRATEGIES.....................................................................................................195
4 QUALTITATIVE INFORMATION FROM THE QUESTIONNAIRE,
OBSERVATIONS AND TEACHER INTERVIEWS RESULTS............................196
5 SUMMATION & MAJOR RESEARCH QUESTION............................................200
CHAPTER 6
CONCLUSION ...........................................................................................................203
1 LIMITATIONS AND STRENGTHS OF THE STUDY..........................................203
1.1 Choice of School Type.................................................................................203
1.2 Use of regular rather than set lessons.........................................................204
2 GENERAL CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.....206
2.1 General Conclusions..............................................................................206
2.2 Implications...................................................................................................207
2.3 Recommendations for Teacher Training.................................................211
2.4 Pedagogical Recommendations ..................................................................211
REFERENCES...........................................................................................................215
APPENDIX 1..............................................................................................................227
APPENDIX 2..............................................................................................................230
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APPENDIX 3..............................................................................................................235
APPENDIX 4..............................................................................................................237
APPENDIX 5..............................................................................................................241
APPENDIX 6..............................................................................................................244
APPENDIX 7..............................................................................................................245
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LIST OF TABLES

TABLE TITLE PAGE
1.1 Enrolments in LOTEs 12
1.2 Gender Differences in Average Performance on the
Western Australian Certificate of Education Subjects 1998 14
1.3 Summary of Industrial Priorities for Vocational Education
& Training 16
1.4 NSW – HSC Subjects with Significant Gender Imbalance 17
1.5 Victoria – VCE nits with Significant Gender Imbalance 18
1.6 Australia – Participation in Tertiary-Accredited Subjects
By Key Learning Area 19
1.6a Australia – Aggregated Participation in Tertiary-Accredited
Subjects 20
2.1 Girls & Boys – Relative Hours of Homework 90
3.1 LOTE Enrolments as a Percentage of Total Gender
Enrolments – Participating Schools & Government Schools 119
3.2 Breakdown of Students Participating in Questionnaire 121
4.1 Questions With Variations in Numbers of Respondents 146
4.2 Gender – Areas of Significant Difference 148
4.3 Boys – Areas of Significant Difference – Percentage of
Responses in Each Likert Category 149
4.4 Girls - Areas of Significant Difference – Percentage of
Responses in Each Likert Category 149
4.5 Boys – Percentage of Responses for Each Likert Category 151
4.6 Girls - Percentage of Responses for Each Likert Category 151
4.7 Results Which Yielded Little or No Significant Difference
Between Genders 152
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4.8 Areas of Significant Difference – Year 10 153
4.9 Areas of Significant Difference – Year 11 153
4.10 Boys – Ease of Listening & Understanding by Age, Gender 155
4.11 Girls - Ease of Listening & Understanding by Age, Gender 155
4.12 Percentage Response for Best Subject 155
4.13 Other Enjoyable Activities in LOTE Classes 156
4.14 Students’ Favourite Activities in LOTE 158
4.15 Strategy Use – Areas of Significant Difference 159
4.16 Boys – Percentage of Response in Each Likert Category 160
4.17 Girls - Percentage of Response in Each Likert Category 160
4.18 Boys – Number of Observed Uses of Choral Work 165
4.19 Girls - Number of Observed Uses of Choral Work 165
4.20 Boys – Levels of Enthusiasm During Group/Pair Work 166
4.21 Girls - Levels of Enthusiasm During Group/Pair Work 167

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