Left and right brain dominance, Reflectivity and impulsivity, and Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic styles

Group 7:

Anis Rovita
Samrotul Ma'sumi

Left-and right-brain dominance

Left-and right-brain dominance is a potentially significant issue in developing a theory of second language acquisition. The left hemisphere is associated with logical, analytical thought, with mathematical and linear processing of information. The right hemisphere perceives and remembers visual, tactile, and auditory images; it is more efficient in processing holistic, integrative, and emotional information. Krashen, Seliger and Hartnett (1974} found support for hypothesis that left-brain-dominant second language learners preferred a deductive style of teaching, while right-brain-dominant learners appeared to be more successful in an inductive classroom environment.

Ambiguity Tolerance

“Intolerance of ambiguity [is] the tendency to perceive ambiguous [i.e., novel, complex, or insoluble] situations as sources of threat” (Budner, 1962).“In second language learning a great amount of apparently contradictory information is encountered…successful language learning necessitates tolerance of such ambiguities” (Brown, 2007).Tolerance of ambiguity (TA) has been shown to have a strong positive correlation with successful second language learning in many studies. Unlike some learning styles, such as reflectivity/impulsivity and left- /right-brain dominance, the other end of the spectrum—intolerance or low tolerance of ambiguity—has not been shown to be beneficial to language learning in any way. Instead, the low-TA learner is considered easily overwhelmed, quick to reject language concepts that don’t fit a known rule, and generally less likely to be a successful language learner.

Reflectivity and impulsivity

Reflectivity and impulsivity are polar ends of a spectrum in a third and very substantial cognitive style. Studies in this domain began in the early 1960s with several researchers, such as Jerome Kagan. One of the methods for testing this cognitive style involves administration of the Matching Familiar Figures Test, which requires subjects to view a picture of an object and then attempt to match the object when presented with the same object in a group of similar objects. The test is then scored according to the time required to identify the objects and the accuracy of identification.

Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic Styles

Visual learners tend to prefer reading and studying charts, drawing, and other graphic information. Auditory learners prefer listening to lectures and audiotapes. And kinesthetic learners will show a preference for demonstration and physical activity involving bodily movement.