Learning Styles and the Role of Technology in Second Language Learning

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Learning Styles and the Role of Technology in
Second Language Learning
Fauzan Atsari
Faculty of Humanities
University of Indonesia
Depok, Indonesia
fauzan.atsari@ui.ac.id
Abstract— Language learning is an aspect of life that is
affected by technology. As we realize, for example, a smartphone
can function as reading text and dictionary. However, since every
learner has distinct learning style, it is important for teacher to
consider the way technological tools are used in teaching. The
appropriate use of technological tools is potential to encourage
learning activities. This literature study research is aimed to
review studies that have already been done in field of learning
styles and the role of technology in second language (L2) teaching
and learning. The researcher reviewed previous researches in
order to associate research findings in those fields to draw a
general conclusion. As a result, not all findings showed and
agreed that learning style affect learners’ achievement
significantly. Regardless of the data showing disagreement, it is
still necessary to pay attention to learners’ learning style to be
adjusted to selection and use of technology in the classroom.
Keywords: learning styles, technology
learners. At the same time, students belonging to the
kinesthetic category are those who feel more suitable to learn
by involving themselves directly in what they are learning.
The differences in learning styles is believed to influence
the level of acquisition of a learner when learning something.
So far, there have been various studies proved that learners
tend to achieve maximum results when learning something in
a way that suits their learning style. This also applies to
language learning. Therefore, it is proper for teachers to take
into account the differences between each learner when
teaching them. In addition, the use of tools that support
learning process can also be arranged to suit students’ learning
styles so as to create a comfortable and enjoyable learning
process.
It is undeniable that the role of technology nowadays is so
significant for the process of teaching and learning, both
inside and outside the classroom. In addition to helping
teacher teach, technology can also be used to create better
learning conditions and increase the acquisition of learners [2],
[3], [4]. Using technological tools to support language
teaching and learning has proven to be beneficial for both
teachers and learners. The use of technology also provides
positive impact on learning language [5].
The use of technology for the purpose of teaching second
language is not without reason. A number of studies have been
conducted to determine the purpose of teachers using
information and communication technology (ICT) to teach
languages. The first is to construct students’ interest in
learning [6]. Students’ interest in learning can increase when
they have the opportunity to choose their own technology
products that they want to use as a means of learning
languages. Products of technology are very diverse. Hence, by
letting students choose their own tools and ways of learning
according to their preferences, the possibility of them being
more motivated becomes higher. For example, students who
like to play games and are not really like reading books can
choose to learn English through game applications that
simultaneously teach English such as ubiquitous games (7).
The next is to provide opportunities for students to
communicate. By using technological equipment, students
who are initially quite in the classroom can be brave enough to
interact or simply ask questions and express opinions. This
also increases the level of interaction between teachers and
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 434
International Conference on English Language Teaching (ICONELT 2019)
Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press SARL.
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I. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, technology is being developed rapidly and
affecting various aspects in human life. By the development of
technology, various tools have been made to ease our daily
activities, including teaching and learning. Decades ago,
people should go to a bookstore for getting literature they
were looking for. They even could not ask anyone directly
when getting problem while learning something. This time,
people can look for, order, and purchase any book they want at
once even without moving from chair in their office. They can
also ask other people directly without making appointment
when facing difficulty in the learning process.
Nevertheless, despite the many positive effects brought by
the products of technology advancements, the potential for the
emergence of negative impacts in not immediately eliminated.
If not be used properly, the tools resulting from technology
developments can actually worsen the teaching and learning
process. For example, lately, there have been so many
researches integrating game and learning. Although the results
show that game can be used as a tool that supports learning
process, since not all learners like to learn by playing game,
the method cannot be applied to all learners as a whole.
According to Gilakjani [1], generally, a person’s learning
style is classified into three categoriess. There are people who
like to learn by watching, namely visual learners. There are
also those who like to learn by listening. They are auditory

students. The next purpose of using technology for teaching
language is becausr it is considered effective. In other words,
using technology provides flexibility in learning process. By
utilizing ICT products, learning can not only be held in the
classroom according to the learning schedule but also outside
the classroom based on the time agreed upon by the teacher
and students [3]. Moreover, ICT can reflect more authentic
context that describes the use of language in real life. This can
make students feel the language they learnt is applicable [8].
Despite of providing many advantages over traditional
language teaching and learning, the use of technology still
leaves some lacks that should be considered by teachers before
applying it to the teaching process. The first shortcoming is in
the teachers’ lack of preparation in using technological tools
that can actually hamper the learning process. There are many
factors that make teachers not ready to use ICT. Among the
factors are their comfort in traditional teaching methods that
make them not willing to bother studying how to use
technology properly for teaching, difficulty that prevents them
from using technology, and their attitudes and cognition
towards technology [9]. Regardless of various factors that
cause teacher to be unprepared to use ICT products, teacher
trainers must really ensure that language teachers are
technologically literate in order to be able to carry out
technology-based learning optimally. The second deficiency is
inadequate tools that support language learning process.
Sometimes, although teachers are ready to use technology for
teaching, available technological tools are damaged so the
teacher has to go back to using traditional ways to teach
language. For example, when a projector displays a yellowish
color or takes a long time to set, teachers who do not have
many choices must go back to using the whiteboard or any
traditional tool to teach. In addition to these two shortfalls,
attitudes of teachers and learners who are still lacking in
technology also hamper the teaching and learning process with
technological tools [8].
Furthermore, the role of teachers in learning language
using ICT is no longer merely using technology products as
assistive device for conveying learning material. More than
that, language teachers should be able to create interactive
teaching and learning conditions so that students can stay
motivated to learn the language [10]. It is important to note
considering the magnitude of the influence of motivation on
student learning achievement [11]. Therefore, teachers must
improve their self-efficiency in using technology. They must
also understand the interplay of technology, language
pedagogy, and content [12]. Successful implementation of
technology-based pedagogy in the classroom is more likely to
take place when teachers see technology as a means to an end,
rather than the goal itself, and when they see a close
relationship between technology and curriculum [13].
In fact, the positive influence of the use of technology in
language teaching have been proven by previous researches.
According to research conducted by Mafuraga and Moremi
[10], the majority of teachers have realized the importance of
using technology media in the process of teaching English.
The teachers, he added, must know how to use ICT to achieve
teaching goals so that the use of ICT is not only as teaching
aids that do not provide meaningful value. Basically, ICT is
dynamic and interactive so that it can meet every students
needs.
An example of the application of technology in second
language teaching and learning is the use of backchannel to
collaboratively build meaning with texts through discussion.
Backchannel is a real-time online conversations taking place
simultaneously with spoken discussion. This research was
conducted by Seglem and Haling [14] to find out how
undergraduate pre-service teachers make use of backchannels
to talk about class-assigned tests. One of the findings of this
study is that participants in the backchannel group can make
meaning through the interaction they do. In addition, the use
of backchannel also allows students to ask questions and
respond directly to their peers without having to wait for the
teacher to give them an explanation. This condition makes
both students and teachers as source of knowledge. The
prominent distinction that can be seen in the use of
backchannel, compared to traditional classroom teaching, is
student participation. In traditional classes, active and vocal
students tend to stand out while those who are quiet almost
never seem to ask questions or give opinions during the
learning process. By using backchannel, all students get the
opportunity to increase their participation.
Not only is it directly useful for increasing acquisition in
language learning, ICT have also been proven to have a
positive impact on the development of language teaching and
learning from various aspects such as the motivation sector
[14] and feedback [15]. However, to involve the role of
technology in the learning process, teachers must really
consider the benefits and risks of it. In addition, training is
also important to be held so that teachers and students have
good knowledge about technology and its use.
Research in pedagogy has proven that humans learn in
different manners, rates, and under different circumstances.
Therefore, it is necessary for teachers to pay attention to the
differences between students in order to maximize the delivery
of teaching materials. The variety of styles that become a
person’s tendency to learn is often referred to as learning style.
It is considered as a factor that directly affect students’
learning processes [16]. The existence of learning styles needs
to be considered by teachers in teaching language because, in
addition to using diverse teaching method, teachers should
also be able to teach by making the classroom environment as
interactive and interesting as possible. Furthermore, each
learning process carried out in accordance with students’
learning styles is proven to make the learning process more
effective and achieve maximum results [17], [18]. Otherwise,
since every student with a certain learning style has strengths
and weaknesses in dealing with certain circumstances,
teaching and learning process that is not suitable with the
students’ learning styles has the potential to reduce students’
motivation [19]. Therefore, teacher should adjust their
teaching style so that it is more congruent with a given
student’s or class of students’ learning styles.
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Research in the field of learning styles generally states that
people’s learning styles are divided into three; visual,
auditory, and kinesthetic [18]. In short, visual learners tend to
learn more easily from what they see while auditory learners
prefer learning by listening. Kinesthetic learners, on the other
hand, like to involve themselves physically with what they
learn. By knowing this, language teachers can incorporate
these learning styles in their teaching and learning activities so
that students will be more successful in receiving lessons.
A. Visual Learning Style
The first type of learner is visual who tends to prefer to
learn visually. This kind of learner likes reading and watching
something to get the information sought. For visual type
students, the sense of sight is very important in the process of
acquiring learning material. They also often pay attention to
the teacher’s body language and expressions to understand
instructions and material clearly. Visual students usually
prefer to sit near the teachers or other learning sources so that
they can pay close attention. Furthremore, they will more
easily remember things that are given or shown in form of
writing, igames, and other visual media rather than just sound
instructions [17]. The following are characteristics of visual
learners.
• Not really talkative
• Good in observing but may miss some oral
instructions
• Like to read
• Have strong concentration in reading
• Remember charts and diagrams well
To teach visual type students, it is good for the teacher to
use or at least involve visual devices such as picture and
writing. Paying attention to what will be written on the board
or be presented on presentation slides is important because
visual learners will really focus on it. Furthermore, the use of
media that allow teachers to write teaching material in various
colors is highly recommended. The following are some
recommendations to engage visual students.
• Write out the directions
• Demonstrate tasks physically
• Use color codes for organizing information and keep
the color codes consistent
• Use visual tools such as pictures, diagrams, and charts
• Provide note or written summary of lesson at the end
of class or presentation
B. Auditory Learning Style
The second type of learner is auditory learner. Learners
with this type rely on their ears, as a sense of hearing, to
achieve successful learning. Hence, teacher should pay
attention to the students’ hearing aids and ensure that they
hear every instruction clearly. Learners with auditory learning
style can learn faster by using verbal discussion and listening
to what the teacher says. Auditory learners can digest
meanings conveyed through tone, pitch (high and low), speed
of speech, and other auditory matters. Written information
sometimes has minimal meaning for auditory learners.
However, they can memorize more quickly by reading texts
aloud or listening to someone who reads it [20]. The following
are characteristics of auditory learners.
• Very talkative
• Prefer oral directions than written ones
• Enjoy listening to music or oral lessons
• Tend to lose consentration easily when in noisy
condition
• Like to read by moving lips
Unlike teaching visual students, teachers do not really need
visual teaching equipment to teach those with auditory
learning style. As mentioned, auditory students are considered
to enjoy lectures without much visual input. However, it is
better for teachers to increase the activities that give students
space to take oral interactions such as conversations, role-
plays, and debate. The following are some recommendations
to engage auditory students.
• Give clear verbal instructions
• Give tasks that make students discuss each other
• Ask questions that make students respond verbally
• Use audio tools such as beats, rhymes, and songs to
support the delivery of information
• Provide verbal summary of lesson at the end of class
or presentation
C. Kinesthetic Learning Style
The third type of learner is kinesthetic learner. Those who
have kinesthetic learning style tend to learn by involving
themselves physically to what they are learning. They like to
move, touch, and practice what they learn directly. It is
considered hard by kinesthetic learners to just sit for hours
since their desire to do activities and exploration is very
strong. Some characteristics of kinesthetic learner are as
follow.
• Like moving a lot
• Like to participate in learning
• Like to do things directly than just read about them
• Using gestures while talking
• Like to touch objects
How to teach kinesthetic students can be considered
different from the way to teach visual and auditory students.
Visual students can read comfortably for a long time and
auditory students can keep paying attention to the teacher
talking without getting bored quickly. Yet, kinesthetic students
enjoy learning activity with a lot of movement and the use of
real and touchable objects. Moreover, they will feel
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uncomfortable to sit for very long time. As a consequence,
teachers teaching kinesthetic students should provide
sufficient opportunity to break and move around the
classroom. Some of the recommended ways to teach
kinesthetic students are as follows.
• Present learning materials in an interactive way that
require students to be active
• Teach outdoors if possible
• Provide hands-on learning tools
• Let students answer question on whiteboard
• Give the opportunity to break and move regularly
So far, much research on the correlation between learning
styles and achievement in learning has been done. Some
researchers used an experimental and control groups to
compare the learning progress achieved by students taught by
considering learning styles and not [21], [22]. The results
show that teaching and learning activites adapted to learning
styles has positive effect on students achievement. On the
other side, there are researchers who claim that learning
strategies does not have significant impact on student learning
achievement but the environment. The appropriate use of
teaching and learning tools is more important than type of
media utilized [23].
II. CONCLUSION
A teacher cannot teach a class just by applying a single
teaching style and hope that it will be effective for the students
as a whole except if the class has been designed to be
homogeneous according to the student learning styles.
However, it is almost impossible since the division of students
will be very complicated. Therefore, teachers should be aware
to the differences in the learning styles of the students and try
to match the teaching and learning style so that the learning
environment become as effective as possible for all students in
the classroom or place of teaching and learning [17].
After analyzing the results of previous researches related
to the use of ICT for language teaching and the role of
learning styles in language learning, the author has several
recommendations that can be applied by teachers to teach or
be further investigated by researchers. The way is by using
technological tools that can integrate the delivery of material
visually, auditorily, and kinesthetically. The reason for the
need for instrument like this in teaching is because teachers
are most likely unable to teach each group of students with a
different learning style one by one. Actually, there is still
possibility for teachers to divide time to explain one material
visually for several minutes to a group of students with visual
learning style and then continue auditorily and kinesthetically
in turn. However, this method will be very time consuming
and make some learners not pay attention to the teacher. For
that reason, some technology products and how to use them
for teaching are recommended.
The first recommended technological tool is presentation
slides that can integrate lesson delivery visually, auditorily,
and kinesthetically in the classroom. It can support teachers to
present material with images, video, and sound. By using
presentation slides, teacher can display pictures of things or
activities with written and verbal description. At the same
time, the teacher can also display games or exercises that
make kinesthetic students go forward to answer questions or
demonstrate something. Still, this does not mean that the
teacher no longer needs to give instructions to students. The
teacher should continue to stimulate students so that they
remain enthusiastic and can be helped when getting into
trouble.
Another recommendation is to use video call applications
to carry out learning outside the classroom. Through video
conferencing, visual students can pay attention to the teacher
talking on the device screen. On the other hand, auditory
students who only want to listen the voice can also benefit
from it. For kinesthetic students, because it is done outside the
classroom, they can freely demonstrate or practice what is
instructed by the teacher via video conference. Nonetheless,
further studies still need to be held regarding the effectiveness
of this method since video conference participants in most
devices and applications are yet still limited for small
numbers. Further research is also expected to find more
efficient ways in using presentation slides or even other
technological tools that can be more effectively utilized.
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