Table Of ContentCULTURAL LEARNING STYLES IN
LANGUAGE EDUCATION
This book presents a nuanced look at the relationship between language learning
styles and culture to illuminate how these important constructs are understood,
employed and play out in the real world. Through the lens of different learning
style dimensions—cognitive, affective, process-c entred, environment-c entred and
cultural—Li unpacks and examines the commonly accepted tensions between
learning styles, culture, teacher assumptions and teaching approaches. With a
focus on Asian learning styles and Chinese learners, Li addresses the past and cur-
rent debates and reconceptualises the roles and tensions between students’ learn-
ing, students’ cultural backgrounds and teaching styles. Li adeptly navigates this
controversial arena to demystify preconceptions and provide avenues for innova-
tive and effective classroom practices in language teaching.
Ideal for pre-s ervice ESL/EFL teachers, researchers and scholars, this book
bridges the gap between research and practice on culture and language learning
in the classroom.
Lynne N. Li is a teacher of Chinese/English language, a researcher in languages,
cultures and learning styles, and a scholar seeking to bridge gaps in cultures,
ideologies, theories and practices for collaborative and harmonious learning and
teaching. She is a former senior lecturer in the School of Global, Urban and
Social Studies at RMIT University, Australia.
CULTURAL LEARNING
STYLES IN LANGUAGE
EDUCATION
A Special Reference to Asian
Learning Styles
Lynne N. Li
Cover image: © Yan Yu
First published 2022
by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
and by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2022 Taylor & Francis
The right of Lynne N. Li to be identified as author of this work has been
asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent
to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Li, Lynne N., author.
Title: Cultural learning styles in language education : a special reference
to Asian learning styles / Lynne N. Li.
Description: New York, NY : Routledge, 2022. | Includes bibliographical
references and index. | Identifiers: LCCN 2021056269 (print) | LCCN
2021056270 (ebook) | ISBN
9780367234881 (hardback) | ISBN 9780367234911 (paperback) | ISBN
9780429280061 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: English language--Study and teaching--East Asia. | English
language--Study and teaching--Chinese speakers. | Second language
acquisition. | Language and culture--East Asia. | Cognitive styles--East
Asia. | Learning--East Asia. | Learning, Psychology of. |
Teaching--Methodology.
Classification: LCC PE1068.E27 L5 2022 (print) | LCC PE1068.E27 (ebook) |
DDC 428.0071/05--dc23/eng/20220311
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021056269
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021056270
ISBN: 978-0-367-23488-1 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-23491-1 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-429-28006-1 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9780429280061
Typeset in Bembo
by SPi Technologies India Pvt Ltd (Straive)
This book is dedicated to my motherland, with love.
谨以此书献给我敬爱的祖国!
BRIEF CONTENTS
List of Illustrations xii
Introduction 1
1 Learning Styles: A ‘Somewhat Inappropriately Named Area’ 21
2 Cultural Dimension of Learning Styles 35
3 Learning Styles, Cognitive Styles and Thinking Styles 66
4 Learning Styles and Learning Strategies 86
5 Hofstede’s Cultural Systems Theory and Cultural
Learning Styles 109
6 Cultural Learning Styles and Asian Learning Styles 133
7 Cultural Learning Styles and Teachers’ Teaching Styles 157
8 Cultural Learning Styles and Collaborative Learning 178
Afterword 201
Index 203
CONTENTS
Introduction 1
Where Did It All Start? 1
Research on Learning Styles: ‘Toward a Paradigm Shift’ 3
Languages, Cultures, Learning Styles: An Ecological Structure 5
Aims and Purposes 8
Key Concepts 11
Book Structure 13
References 17
1 Learning Styles: A ‘Somewhat Inappropriately Named Area’ 21
1.1 The Origin of Learning Styles 21
1.2 Ways/Traits/Characteristics of Learning 23
1.3 Patterns/Modes/Approaches of Learning 24
1.4 Components/Elements/Dimensions of Learning Styles 25
1.5 Learning Styles/Intelligences/Abilities 27
1.6 The Trait-or-State Debate 28
1.7 A ‘Style War’, a Myth and a Leading Theme 30
References 31
2 Cultural Dimension of Learning Styles 35
2.1 Culture and Learning Environments 36
2.1.1 The Concept of ‘Culture’ 36
2.1.2 Learning Environments and Learning Contexts 39
2.2 Dimensions of Learning Styles 41
2.2.1 Meta-Analyses of Learning Style Theories/Models 41
2.2.2 Dimensions and Types of Learning Styles 43
Contents ix
2.3 Learning Environments in Learning Style Models 45
2.3.1 Selection of Learning Style Models for Analysis 46
2.3.2 Witkin’s Dependent and Independent Self Model 47
2.3.3 Myers–Briggs Type Indicator 49
2.3.4 Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory 51
2.3.5 Dunn and Dunn’s Learning Style Theory 53
2.3.6 Environmental Influence on Learning Styles: A Local
Perspective 54
2.4 Cultural Dimension of Learning Styles: A Global Perspective 55
2.4.1 Cultural Variations among Learning Style Models 56
2.4.2 Cultural Learning Styles: A Local–Global Nexus 59
References 60
3 Learning Styles, Cognitive Styles and Thinking Styles 66
3.1 Learning Styles and Cognitive Learning Styles 66
3.1.1 Learning Styles and Cognitive Styles: Overlapping Areas 67
3.1.2 Cognitive Styles and Cognitive Learning Styles 68
3.2 Learning/Cognitive/Thinking Styles and Processes 70
3.2.1 Learning/Cognising/Thinking: Overlapping Processes 70
3.2.2 Learning/Cognitive/Thinking Styles and Teaching Styles 73
3.3 Learning Intelligences/Abilities/Aptitude and Cultural Influence 74
3.3.1 Learning Styles/Intelligences/Abilities 74
3.3.2 Linguistic Aptitude and Communicative Competence 76
3.4 Cognitive Learning Styles and Sociocultural Environments 78
3.4.1 Thinking Styles: Variation among Learners across Cultures 78
3.4.2 Learning Styles: ‘Culture-bound Cognitive Schemes’ 80
References 82
4 Learning Styles and Learning Strategies 86
4.1 Learning Strategies: A Historical Perspective 86
4.1.1 Defining a ‘Good Language Learner’ 87
4.1.2 Cognitive, Affective and Social Dimensions of Learning
Strategies 89
4.2 Learning Styles and Learning Strategies: Where Do They Meet? 91
4.2.1 In between Conscious and Unconscious Learning 91
4.2.2 Interface Situating in Sociocultural Learning
Environments 94
4.3 Learning Strategies and Learning Styles in Diverse Contexts 96
4.3.1 Learning Strategies and ‘Culture Types’ 97
4.3.2 Weaving a ‘Grand Tapestry’ While ‘Walking in
Another’s Shoes’ 98
4.4 Learning Styles/Strategies in Language and Culture Learning 100
4.4.1 Language Learning and Culture Learning 101
