International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies

Volume 15 • Issue 3 • July-September 2020

Learning How to Learn:

An Analysis Through Styles and Strategies
Lili Kumari Padhi, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, India
Deepanjali Mishra, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, India

ABSTRACT

This article describes how every learner is a unique creative individual responsible for paving his/her
own way of learning in a preclusion of external restraints. Learners apply a bunch of idiosyncratic
means to segue the information into knowledge. The various implications of such manipulated
formulation by the learners implies strategic responses to new information and indicates a rational
commitment to learn in many different ways. Pertaining to this we have also different versions of
learning styles and strategies and their categories. The growing innovative and multiple dynamic
ways of learning here bring diffidence to the existence of those stipulated types of learning styles and
strategic traditions. This article makes an attempt to synthesize the different types of ways of learning;
the self- determined learning strategies along with the prevailing theories of learning styles hypothesis.

Keywords
Behaviour, Cognitive, Learning, Online Technology, Strategies, Styles

INTRODUCTION

Over the ages, continuously many teaching learning methods and techniques of language have emerged
and evanesced. They have their own underlying theoretical bases. These continual and acute changes
in language learning and teaching theories along with the extant drift to increase learners’ autonomy
have put the teachers’ self-confidence in a startlingly tough condition. So, the important part of giving
priority to promote learners’ independent learning is never to be left unattended. Moreover, talents are
not confined to biological limitations but can be heightened to an unlimited degree by virtue of long
practice and varied training. Assorted studies on language styles and strategies apprise about ‘how’ and
‘how better’ the learners acquire the language through self- directed involvements. It is often observed
that the teachers manifest their resistance towards the updated feasible facts and lie in the same track
of conventionality. There is a plethora of current research sources in this regard, but often teachers
follow no facts and evidence-based studies, thus lead the class in their own habits of conventionality,
imposing certain selected preferences on the learners, irrespective of their attentiveness. There is still
a need of more studies on the contradictory messing hypothesis of learning styles.
The educational philosophy revolving around ‘learning to learn’ has stimulated considerable
debates in both theoretical and practical fields of education. Many researchers such as Coffield, Mosely,

DOI: 10.4018/IJWLTT.2020070104
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 International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies
Volume 15 • Issue 3 • July-September 2020

Hall, and Ecclestone (2004); Sternberg, Grigorenko, and Zhang (2008), Kozhevnikov (2007), Dunn
(1990), Kolb (1984, 1985), Honey and Mumford (1992), Deshler and Schumaker (1986), Dunn and
Griggs (1988), Cornett (1983), etc., have done extensive studies on the support of the existence of
certain learning styles and about their impact on learning. However, in contrast to this, around these
last four decades, the researchers like Pashler (2009), Kirschner and van Merrienboer (2013), Massa
& Mayer (2006), Riener and Willingham (2014) have been active surging in the study of learning
styles seeking more empirical evidences.

The Concept of Learning Style

The idea of learning style deals with mode of instruction affecting learning outcomes. Different
definitions of this concept are found such as “way of concentrating, absorbing, processing, and
retaining new and difficult information” (Dunn & Dunn, 1993),“some cognitive styles and dispositions
influencing how and what students learn” (Ormrod, 2008), “summarize the environmental, emotional,
sociological, physiological, and global/analytic processing preferences that a student has for learning”
(International Learning Styles Network, 2008), “biologically and developmentally imposed set of
characteristics that makes learning terrible or wonderful”(Dunn & Griggs, 1988, p. 3) etc.
Various study preferences and educational practices pertaining to the theories of learning styles
are collected from different literature reviews and depicted below with prevailing categorizations.
Table 1 shows learning styles, ways of learning, course of teaching, learning activities.

STUDIES CONTRARY TO EXISTENCE OF LEARNING STYLES

Having reviewed extensive studies on learning styles and their categories, the general interrogation
of practicality and scientific base of those stipulated leaning styles are under discourse. The current
research studies display sizeable discredits acclaiming it as ‘brain myth’ in front of the traditional
anecdotes. The authentication of prevailing learning styles therefore is an analytical aspect in
pedagogical domain in order to combat its unscientific impressions on the learners and teachers as
well. Pashler and McDaniel (2009) in ‘Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence’ affirm sufficient
evidence to integrate learning styles into common learning practices. The stereotypical classifications
of learning styles claim about learning attached with specific sensory organs which contradict the
fact of most learning happening through multiple sensory domains at a time. Thus, the matching
hypothesis of a particular learner with a particular learning style falls flat when it surpasses beyond
the practical significance of mastering the subject matter in many different ways by the same learner.
“There lies a big gap between the actual way of effective learning and the way that someone prefers
to learn” (Kirschner, 2016).
As James Randi rightly quotes, “No amount of belief makes something a fact”, the theme of
this paper is to reveal whether any specific basis lies in the certain optimal learning strategies of a
particular learner and whether the learner sticks to that learning strategy consciously all the time.
“The self-reported preferred way of learning is often a bad predictor of the way people learn most
effectively, what people prefer is not per definition, what is best for them” (Kirschner, 2016).
Taking into consideration of low objectivity, lack of proven fact and significant empirical
evidences behind the learning style postulations, Kirschner gives the conclusive statement, “when
designing instruction that takes differences between learners into account, their cognitive abilities
are to be assessed rather than their preferred styles because abilities are better predictors of how
people learn most effectively. Moreover, these cognitive abilities should be objectively measured on
an ordinal scale and in an objective way, rather than by subjective self-reports that are used to assign
people to types on the basis of one or more arbitrary criteria” (Kirschner & van Merrienboers, 2013).
Earlier supporters of learning styles advocate the dichotomies of learning styles such as visual
vs. verbal, impulsive vs. reflective, linear vs. holistic etc. and that the learning can be bettered by
matching particular teaching with that style. Practically learning satisfaction is beyond own specific

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Table 1. Learning styles, ways of learning, course of teaching, learning activities

Learning
Ways of Learning Course of Teaching Learning Activities
Styles
Using white or black board writings,
text books with sufficient figures,
illustrations, colorful pictures and
Seeing and saying, seeing and doing,
highlights of major and minor visual
seeing and differentiating, seeing and
Through seeing links etc., overhead projectors, gestures
Visual drawing, seeing and guessing, use of class
(iconic or symbolic) and postures flash card, slide show,
notes, visual review, sticky notes, screen
screen displays, diagrams, graph, flow
shots, information sheets etc.
charts, different images, key points
on the screen and other info graphics,
colorful clear depictions etc.
Delivering undistorted lectures or Listening and doing, listening and
holding plain oral conversations, drawing, listening and narrating, listening
organizing role plays, mock interviews, and filling etc., loud reading, restating,
Auditory Through hearing
debate, elocution, quiz, rhymes, reciting, reviewing, rehearing, recalling
riddles, stories, jokes, explanations and things to self, interactions among peer
discussions. and with the teacher, voice records etc.
Collaborating with peers, doing
Making oral lectures, conducting
acronyms, rhymes, discussing in a study
rhymes, guessing words, tongue
group, recording speaking, setting some
twisters, limericks, collaborative
key points to text, speaking before
teaching- learning, oral lectures, use of
Verbal Through expression mirrors, and talking themselves through
mnemonics and acronyms, Scripting
simulators, public speaking, debating,
of memorable words and sentences,
politics, writing and journalism, verbal
reading things dramatically and in a
exchanges, music, performing arts, lyrics
varied manner, group work.
etc.
creating an active lab setting of
more physical involvements, class
demonstrations and field work,
stimulations of senses like sight, touch, Total physical responses, experiments,
smell, hearing and speaking through actions, demonstration. real-life
energetic activities like TPR (Total experiences, note taking, Studies in short
Through use of body Physical Response), music, rhyme, intervals of time, group presentations,
Kinesthetic
movements. video, power point presentations, field learning by frequent movements, physical
trips, real life examples, collections, responses, tangible objects, realia,
project work, role play, exhibitions, collages, models, experiments, action
Application of the knowledge such works etc. trial and error method etc.
as comparison and analysis of ideas,
taking help of references, scrutinizing
samples.
Use of tangible teaching learning
materials, reallia, collages (pictures
Tactile Through touch Touch and feel to learn.
made by sticking pieces of colored
paper and cloth onto the paper)
Organizing Group work, discussions, Social interaction, conversation with
Socio- Through working
forming specific clubs, role-playing others, social activities, imaginative
interpersonal with others
techniques etc. associations, group work etc.
Teaching to write personal diary, to
Through working Self-analysis, self-talk, silence,
Individual express likes, dislikes and independent
alone monitoring own progress.
views.
Through logic, Brainstorming, logical and
Doing brainteaser, Sudoku backgammon,
Logical reasoning and mathematical reasoning, comparing and
discovering solutions, comprehension etc.
systems. contrasting, analyzing etc.
Through
Multimodal Organizing different activities Doing many activities together.
miscellaneous modes

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sensory preferences. The striking factor is that if any person is asked to express his preference about
how he likes information to be presented to him, he may want to know about the subject matter before
responding to any interaction pattern, which loses credit to be taken as a precondition for validating
the educational application of respective learning styles. It is dependent on many other factors such as;
content of the learning, innate ability, capacity to learn, interest, background knowledge, circumstances,
availability of time etc. Music seeks auditory mode, dance demands kinesthetic mode, drawing is on
the lookout for visual practice and so on. An auditory learner does not learn drawing by listening to
it; a visual learner does not learn music by seeing it and so on. Learning needs different sense organs
to be engaged. Moreover, in the process of observation and experiments we use our smell to learn.
Will that be named as olfactory learning style!
There is a recognized fact that every learner is a unique individual having a special talent, ability,
intelligence of his own due to unique genetic traits, which leads his/her special interest for a particular
subject area and that necessarily should not be assimilated with teaching methodologies. Here few
lines are added from ‘the myth of learning styles.’
“But in separating the wheat from the pseudoscientific chaff in learning-styles theory, we will
make clear that the wheat is contained in other educational approaches as well. A belief in learning
styles is not necessary to incorporating useful knowledge about learning into one’s teaching… The
claim that the mode of presentation should match the preferred mode of learning subsumes several
other claims, and it is worth unpacking the learning-styles concept in order to consider its constituent
sub claims separately” (Riener and Willingham, 2014).

Role of Senses in Learning

To determine the best training protocol for a specific learning can involve multiple senses. Suppose
the learning is on distinguishing different features of insects. We can consider perceptual visual
learning to enable the learner to identify and discriminate different color, structure, shape, size of the
insects through different attractive visual images in video clips. How would it be when their sounds
are associated? Most probably a positive remark, since sound is also another prominent feature of
the insects to distinguish them. The soundless video clip will have less impact on the learners in
comparison to the moving noising insects in the video. Naturally in a garden or in an insect lab the
learning by touching (some harmless insects) and smelling (some produce odoriferous chemicals) may
make the learning more permanent. Human brain is designed that way to integrate information through
multiple sensory logical relations. The work of Shams & Seitz (2006) has shown a deep analysis in
this field. Studies of learning, and in particular perceptual learning, may have focused on learning of
stimuli consisting of a single sensory modality. But the above-mentioned authors’ experience in the
world involves constant multisensory stimulation. Since visual and auditory information are closely
integrated in performing many tasks that involve localizing and tracking moving objects. The training
conventions that employ unisensory stimulus management and do not engage multisensory learning
mechanisms might not be optimal for learning. On the other hand, multisensory-training protocols
may augment estimated natural settings and stand more effective for learning (Shams & Seitz, 2006).
To gain new knowledge one hardly confines his senses in one or two, rather engage all senses
together for a whole kind concrete and meaningful experience. Children delight to experiment with
different senses and learn in different situation. So they love active learning outdoors. Hence giving
stress on one particular sense to learn may discourage the incorporation of connective learning
through many senses together.

LEARNING STYLES HYPOTHESIS

Individual differences may bring in multiple ways of learning. But the stipulated ways, whether
being solely responsible for the enhancement of learning is again probed in many different contexts
by many researchers. Dr. Tesia Marshik, professor of psychology, at TEDxUWLaCrosse conference

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on February 24th, 2017 had a talk on learning styles narrating those as incredibly pervasive, ever
to be questionable. To hold an experiment, she took a list of words for different groups, made one
group listen, one group see the words, but the result was same regardless of how the material was
presented. From many other tests she mentioned that in classroom when a teacher teaches, he/she
does not put questions based on particular sensory mode, rather she wants to know the information
stored in terms of meaning. According to her when any learning material is presented, the learners
perceive it the way it is presented, say for example through audio or visual means, and not necessarily
through their preferable sensory modes. So, she discards the real existence of stipulated learning
styles and their making of any difference. ‘The Myth of Learning Styles’ begins with the statement
‘no credible evidence about the genuine survival of learning styles’. No doubt there is existence of
profuse theories about learning styles, but no sufficient evidence is found to support that definitely.
Some learning style theorists are in the reasoning that if there is no variety in learning styles, then
there is no variety in the abilities, interests, knowledge, backgrounds, talents among the learners, all
students are identical. The studies thus assert that the differences among students give rise to different
learning styles, but no strong evidence suffices to support the catering of particular preferences for
assuring finer and higher quality learning. It is a significant concern to take into account that there
has been a specific version of the learning styles hypothesis that manifestly appears most both within
the educational writings and within the minds of most people believing learning style with the idea
that instruction should be furnished in the mode that meets the learners’ style.
Exponents of learning-style postulation profess that optimum instruction calls for proper
diagnosis of individuals’ learning style in order to be tailored accordingly. Many organizations provide
professional development workshops for teachers and educators on the concept of learning styles.
Reputed schools are seen assessing their learners for their learning modalities to provide them with
proper instructional choices. Different learning style models, inventories, questionnaires and other
instructional tools such as OPAL (Observational Primary Assessment of Learning Style (OPAL), BE
(Building Excellence) are extensively in occurrence to trigger the maximum retention and memory
of the learners.
Despite the extensive assessment tools and techniques and wide popularity of the concept it does
require strong scientific evidences in order to gauge the actual effectiveness of learning enhancement,
as there seems missing of more other factors regulating the process.
Learning style theories lead to classification of learners into purely some distinct categories
and not a gradation of scores taking different dimensions into consideration. The irony is that every
individual is excited about being specifically treated as a unique learner but when the outcome is
below the satisfaction level, the fault is charged on the instructor and the style of instruction and not
on individual ability. So we are under hesitancy about suggesting the pure categories of learning
styles to be administered for the learners.
In fact, if a particular learning style is said to be diagnosed and then is imposed on a specific
child, the learning may not be accelerated or be made a large difference and may be found to be
equivalent irrespective of preferred mode as it is not independent of the subject matter, ability,
educational background and interest level of the learner. The general teaching methodology happens
to be different for different subjects; say for example auditory for music, kinesthetic for dance, visual
for mathematical equations or drawing, socio-inter personal for sociology, tactile for science, verbal
for language, solitary for creative writing etc. Different learners on the other hand have different
levels of weakness for particular subjects. Learning that subject will call for preferably the particular
choice of learning as the subjects are delivered or usually learnt and not any purely supposed mode
of sensory preferences.

Learning Strategies
The language learning is not about memorizing and vomiting in the exam, but shaping life through its
natural and confident use. Learning is more significant than teaching. Everything can’t be taught but

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everything can be learnt, since teaching loses meaning unless learning happens. The current context
is about effective learning. The learning tricks or the academic skills followed by the learners to
excel their performances are named as learning strategies. In this case the learner constructs his own
microcosms of knowledge from past or current experiences and assimilates, utilizes the knowledge,
gaining new units of experiences. Knowledge acquired by learners’ own effort reveals the far reaching
facts of cognitive development along with the pedagogical processes based on the two strong facets;
that knowledge is not unassertively accepted but vigorously constructed by the assimilated subject
and that the function of cognition is flexible and serves the undeniable establishments and not the
exploration of the metaphysical actuality.
Learners are the most prominent determinant in the whole teaching learning process. A system
of burdened and impulsive education without learner’s own interest, style and plan does not awaken
the mind and the dormant intelligence in it but stuffs it mechanically creating some chaos and
conflictions haemorrhaging the talent. So, a learner is better to follow his own built steps to learn
things properly. They need to participate rigorously and bring about efficient learning experiences
permanently. They work independently with individual accountability. Their active participation
multiplies the educational impact. Learners differ from each other by their different characteristics;
personal, academic, social, cognitive, emotional etc. Learners’ characteristic mode of functioning that
we reveal throughout our perceptual and intellectual activities in a highly consistent and pervasive
way. Their productivity certifies their learning. Their passive receiving of information shrugs of their
individual specific abilities. On the contrary their abilities are nurtured and fostered, when they create
their own exercises. Learning strategies refer to learners’ self-generated conceptions, emotions and
actions, which are meticulously aligned towards achievement of their goal.

CONCEPT AND TYPES OF LEARNING STRATEGIES

A learner applies various tricks of his own to remember things. Strategies improve student performance
in spite of lacking a good cognitive skill earlier. Learning strategies are defined as “the steps taken by
learners to enhance their own learning” (Oxford, 1990, p.1). In the opinion of O’Malley and Chamot’s
(1990), learning strategies are “the special thoughts or behaviours that individuals use to help them
comprehend, learn or retain new information” (1). These can play a role in lightening the second
language teachers’ burden and can help the learners manage their own process of learning (Cohen,
1998). These also help in increasing student independence and engagement with learning. Through
various strategies learners realize the best one and find out the weakness in ineffective strategies in
order to augment the performances and thus ultimately take new challenges. Thus, their opportunities
to practice skills become wider, eventually leading to a ray of positive hope in the fairness of the
education system.
As students step up from one class to another, they confront greater challenges of imbibing much
information, working independently, comprehending the extended and complicated written text,
expressing them properly, presenting well in tests, etc., and demanding higher order learning strategies.
“The strategies which may assist language learners to be more active and independent influencing
learning achievement are meta-cognitive strategies. According to O’Mally and Chamot (1990)
“These are higher order executive skills, which require planning for the positive results of learning
activities” (44). To induce the concentration of the mind and to increase its potentiality they have to
apply some learning strategies to accomplish any task more effectively and efficiently despite their
knowledge and versatility deficits. Scarcella defines learning strategies as “specific actions, behaviours,
steps or techniques; such as seeking out conversation partners, or giving oneself encouragement to
tackle a difficult language task used by students to enhance their own learning” (Scarcella& Oxford,
1992). “Learning strategies can also validate students to become more independent, autonomous,
lifelong learners” (Allwright, 1990). Students apply a broader range of learning strategies with their

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consciousness sometimes and acquire the skills of language and sometimes the skilled teachers make
them adopt the appropriate ones.
Schumaker and Deshler (1986) have the opinion that “learning strategies an individual’s approach
to a task. It includes how a person thinks and acts when planning, executing and evaluating performance
on a task and its outcomes.” It assures learning strategy is a deliberate individual practice to organize
and remember things in learning process.
Oxford (1990) compiles the learning strategies briefly as “any specific action taken by the learner
to learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self-directed, more effective and more transferable
to new situations, is a language learning strategy.” Rubin (1982) opines “learning strategies are
strategies which contribute to the development of the language system which the learner constructs
and affects learning directly”. Cohen (1998) gives his consent “in second language learning, learning
strategies constitute those processes which are consciously selected by learners and which may result
in actions taken to enhance the learning or use of a second or foreign language, through storage,
recall, application of information about the language”. Diverse definitions of learning strategies
have been accepted by the broad educational field of psychology depending on different theoretical
perspective of strategies. The encompassing definition of language learning strategies given by
Oxford is, “Language learning strategies are purposeful, conscious (or at least partially conscious)
mental actions that the learner uses to meet self-chosen goals in specific settings. These depend on
multiple interacting factors, can be learnt with the help of a teacher, book, friend, internet or can be
generated by self” (Oxford, 2017, p. 82).
The different definitions and opinions on language strategies can be analysed in brief as follows.
Learning strategies are learners’ actions or behaviour for improvement of their own apprehensions
and internalization. These may be behavioural or cognitive. They may have direct or indirect effect on
language development. They are flexible and often conscious. They are problem oriented and solution
intended. These may be conscious or subconscious steps towards goal. Use of right strategies at right
time helps the learners learn the language in a better way i.e. in an autonomous and independent
manner. According to Wenden (1998) “it increases learning results, making recall easier, … and it
sets right the role of development in learning as well as the talent and speed of learners’ cognitive
engagement” (Wenden, 1998, p. 520).

Categorization of Learning Strategies

It is mostly observed that today’s learners destitute some essential skills like note-taking, note-making,
idea-organizing etc. resulting abysmal performance. They can be trained to use strategies. Some
learning strategies adopted by different learners are; repeating new words in mind till they remember
them, taking risks by using the learnt language in conversations, guessing the meaning of the new
words, asking others feedback on their use of language, throwing themselves into critical situations
of using the language, recording, judging and correcting by self for fluency and accuracy, asking a
learner to revise what they have learnt, discovering ways of remembering new vocabulary, exploring
own area of weakness and deciding the ways of improvement etc.
Learning strategies according to the two psychological scientists Dr. Yana Weinstein and Dr.
Megan Smith (2016) are the six research-based learning strategies as shown in Table 2.
According to Weinstein, Mayer & Richard E. (1983, pp. 1-4) learning strategies are the key points
to influence the encoding process of the learners. They categorise learning strategies in Table 3.
Language learning strategies, according to Oxford (1990) are divided into six categories, as
shown in Table 4.
In her further papers Oxford lays more emphasis on functions of learning strategies like planning,
organizing, monitoring and evaluating rather than the rigid classifications like cognitive, emotional,
social, motivational or compensatory type (Oxford, 2017). She analyses the language learning
strategies through different language learners; as one language learner analyses her emotional faculties
to learn a language, other guesses the meaning of the new language based on the background of his

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Table 2. The six research-based learning strategies

Learning Strategies by Dr. Yana Weinstein and Dr. Megan Smith (2016)
Learning Strategies Descriptions
Spaced practice Learning to be done in smaller chunks over regular intervals of time
Retrieval practice Recalling learnt information putting all the learning materials away
Asking students open ended questions to elaborate their
Elaboration
understanding as much detail as possible
Practicing different skills one after another interrupting the repetitive
Interleaving
monotony of the same thing
Concrete examples Showing concrete examples for the abstract phenomena
Dual coding Combining words with visuals for durable learning

Table 3. Categories of learning strategies

Learning Strategies Descriptions

Copying, note taking, underlining, shadowing for easy
Rehearsal strategies
repetition
Creating analogies, generate note-taking, paraphrasing,
Elaboration strategies
summarizing, question answering
Organizational (building internal connections) Outlining, creating a hierarchy
Comprehension monitoring Checking for comprehension failure, self-questioning
Affective Being alert and relaxed, overcoming test anxiety

Table 4. Six categories of language learning strategies

Language Learning Strategies: An Overview Oxford (1990)

Strategy Description
The strategies show what the learners think about their own
learning.
Cognitive strategy
Ex- reading for specific location or reading for identifying rules
etc.
The strategies learners employ in their learning process.
Metacognitive strategy
Ex- observing own mistakes, planning for improvement.
The strategies help the learners how to remember the language.
Memory strategy
Ex- use of flash card, have regular revisions.
These help learners compensate their limited knowledge.
Compensation strategy
Ex- to guess the meanings, predict the connotative idea.
These are used by the learners to facilitate their own learning.
Social strategy
Ex- learning the native culture, seeking counseling from experts.
These are used to make learning comfortable, regulate feelings,
and motivate the learners.
Affective strategy
Ex- feel relaxed about the language, get self-satisfaction or reward
on good performance.

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knowledge on the topic and another learner outlines some important and useful information on paper
to learn the language etc.
Learning strategies involve processing of information in cognitive faculty regardless of the
teaching strategies and are used in assessing the time to time progress of the child. One may use multiple
learning strategies in different situations. Different learning strategies are chosen and developed by
the learners in order to cope with immediate academic pressures and by the teachers to help the poor
students to meet the growing demands as well.
Some other examples of learning strategies according to Clark, Deshler, Schumaker, and Alley
(1984), Robbins (1982), compiled in Table 5 with their respective aims and objectives.

Table 5. The six learning strategies with their aims and objectives

Sl. No. Names of the Strategies Objectives Aims

To decipher quickly the multi Acquire information from written
1 The word Identification Strategy
syllable words. materials
To create a cognitive idea of an Acquire information from written
2 The Visual Memory Strategy
event described in a picture materials
To formulate creative questions
Acquire information from written
3 The Self-Questioning Strategy which are intended but not
materials
expressed by the author
To be able to use different
Acquire information from written
4 The Paraphrasing Strategy substitutes to obtain greater
materials
quality
The Interpreting Visual Aid To gain information from various Acquire information from written
5
Strategy visuals materials
To go through a lesson by three
passes; to survey, to get key Acquire information from written
6 The Multipass Strategy
information and to study critical materials
information
To identify organizational
The listening and note-taking tips, note important words and Identify and reserve important
7
strategy organize them into delineated facts.
form from lectures
Memorizing key information for Identify and reserve important
8 The first letter mnemonic strategy
tests facts.
Memorizing key information for Identify and reserve important
9 The paired associates strategy
tests facts.
Use varieties of techniques for
Expedite written articulation and
10 Sentence writing strategy writing the sentences in proper
manifestation of competence
structure
Organize and write a cohesive Expedite written articulation and
11 The paragraph writing strategy
paragraph manifestation of competence
Organize and write an integrated Expedite written articulation and
12 The theme writing strategy
multi paragraph theme manifestation of competence
Identify and rectify the errors in Expedite written articulation and
13. The error monitoring strategy
written products manifestation of competence
The assignment completion Schedule and organize learners to Expedite written articulation and
14
strategy complete assignments on time manifestation of competence
To take continuous and Expedite written articulation and
15 The test taking strategy
comprehensive tests effectively manifestation of competence

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In a corollary, learning strategies involve processing of information in cognitive faculty regardless

of the teaching strategies and are used in assessing the time to time progress of the child. One may
use multiple learning strategies in different situations. Different learning strategies are chosen and
developed by the learners in order to cope with immediate academic pressures and by the teachers
to help the poor students to meet the growing demands as well.

Teacher’s Role in Developing Learning Strategies

Teaching is not limited merely to impart knowledge to the learners but to develop skills and strategies
by making them capable of further learning. Weinstein (1983) opines, ‘Good teaching includes
teaching students how to learn, how to remember, how to think and how to make them self-motivated’
(p.3). Teachers are strategy instructors. Learners are strategy developers. Teachers confirm, reassure,
encourage the right ways concerning the students’ interests, motivations, habits and performances.
Teachers focus basically on two things about the learners; ‘what to learn’ and ‘how to learn’. Learners
need to know how to remember, how to solve problems, how to paraphrase, summarize and create a
hierarchy, how to retain information longer, how to apply, analyse and evaluate. Then they can dive
into the ocean of knowledge without the physical presence of the teacher. In order to build internal
connections among inputs, a teacher as an ardent strategy instructor first addresses the curriculum
demand the child wants to meet, and determines the task specific strategy as a necessary remediation
for the student. The new strategy is introduced to the learners by breaking down it into simpler
components. Then the strategy is modelled before the students seeking their full involvement to learn
the steps systematically. Finally, the students practice strategy to a coveted level of performance and
master over it. The next step is to practice the strategy taking proper reinforcement and corrective
feedback from the teacher. A post-test may be taken to mark the satisfactory progress in the target
strategy. For instance, the teacher keeps himself informed about the learners’ progress with strategies
and introduces one after another. According to Kiewra (2002), “a good strategy instructor should
enable the learners generalize and apply the strategies in many other different situations by providing
ample practice opportunities to them”.

PRACTICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF LEARNING STRATEGIES

Being a teacher, the author has come across the free discussions of learners to memorize terms and
definitions through various ideas and tricks of their own. That, in fact laid the hard core of interest in
the field of the study. The history book of one ninth class student was filled with numerous descriptions
and dialogues around the historic pictures, for example a dialogue from Lord Curzon’s mouth ‘divide
and rule’ and a drawing of two horns on his head, which according to the student helps him to recap
quickly about Curzon’s crooked character during revisions. This strategy resembles the ‘The Visual
Memory Strategy’ (Clark, Deshler, Schumaker, & Alley, 1984), which creates a cognitive idea of an
event described in a picture by acquiring information from written materials. Furthermore, another
student visualizes India map on his own physique, assuming his head as Jammu Kashmir, left hand
as seven sister states, right hand as Gujarat, left foot as Tamilnadu, right foot as Kerala and so on,
as in ‘The Interpreting Visual Aid Strategy’ (Lenz, Schumaker, & Deshler, in press) a learner gains
information from various visuals.
Similarly, the trick of the application of analogies to remember the concept was also amusing.
The definition of ‘dative bond’ which is a coordinate covalent bond in which ‘the two electrons
derive from the same atom and both the elements have same sharing’ was compared by a tenth class
student as in ‘dating’ a boy spends and both the boy and girl have same sharing on that. This strategy
resembles analogy strategy for smooth memory. Idioms are remembered by students in their own
mental images as ‘raining dogs and cats’ means the raindrops are heavier than even the animals.

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Children also make their own stories to remember a sequence of events, taking the key points of
the topic. Use of mnemonics to remember Fleming’s left-hand rule as mechanical force, magnetic
field and electric current with drawing of Father, Mother and Child on thumb, index and middle
finger, also surges a deep analysis on a way of learning. As in ‘The first letter mnemonic strategy,’
(Robbins, 1982) learners memorize key information for tests Identifying important facts.
One of the brighter students was found to play ‘teacher student game with self’ by asking,
answering, annoying, punishing and applauding to self. It favours ‘The Self-Questioning Strategy’
(Clark et al., 1984), which tells about learners formulating creative questions which are intended but
not expressed by the author.

Role of Online Technologies in Enhancement of Learning Strategies

Use of online Technology has become more convenient and useful methodology of instruction for a
teacher as well as learners. This method enables students to develop the skills of critical thinking, in
learning innovative concepts and in expressing their ideas in a creative manner. The teachers can use
technology effectively in order to inculcate multiple strategies among the learners comparatively in
an easy and better way. Learners can exploit technology time and again; communicate consistently
with wider range of professionals, exciting and flexible audio, video and digital media networking.
They enhance their public speaking abilities, interview skills, presentation styles and also, they get
ideas to innovate new projects and concepts effectively through updated software applications. The
instructors try to integrate technology while taking their classes and they have options to use a varied
range of technological tools so that they can teach students who are at different intellectual levels.
There are different online activities which can be carried out through mobile phones, desktop or
laptops. and they use an amalgamation of visual communication, auditory communication to interact
with the students while engaging them and making the class more interesting.

Comparison of Learning Styles With Learning Strategies

Concerning to the theories of learning styles and strategies, it is deduced that while the former refers
to the relationship of an individual with his method of learning, the later mentions the attitude and
actions related to the learning objectives. While learning styles deal with the cognitive level and
learners’ preferences, learning strategies deal with meta-cognitive level and learners’ competence.
Moreover, learning style refers to approach whereas learning strategy refers to the actions taken for
learning. According to Oxford in “The Role of Styles and Strategies in Second Language Learning”
(1989), while learning styles reveal the preferred system of brain response and biological reciprocation
to certain sensory stimuli, learning strategies explicate distinct actions, techniques, strides and stances
adopted by the learners to amplify their learning, learning styles provides the tendency to prepare
specific learning strategies. The strategies deal with specific approach and the styles refer to general
approach of learning. Further, where the existence of specific learning style is under question,
comparison of it with strategies of learning in practical field is a void.

CONCLUSION

This study explored the extent to which the general approach of learning style or the specific action
of learning strategy have impact on the cognitive, affective or the behavioural aspects of the learners.
While the diversity among learners derives theory of some general corollary, the result of the studies
that used proper research design contradicts to meet the standard versions of particular learning styles
hypothesis. The contrast between the profuse popularity of the theories of learning styles and the lack
of credible evidence creates a chaos. The minimum precondition for validating the practical utility
of learning styles is yet to be demonstrated. Learning strategies are the innovations of every unique

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individual. Teacher as a strategy instructor has to deliberately develop the appropriate plan, material
and course of action in order to get the maximum learning outcomes for the growing academic
challenges. A teacher addresses, appraises and escalates those. Increasingly, the intensity is about
‘learning by doing’. Self-explored strategies seek self-engagement. So, the issue of building capacity
for learning with a range of key constructs including application of learning strategies to produce
effective language learners is to be viewed intensely.

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Lily Kumari Padhy is a research scholar in the School of Humanities, KIIT.

Deepanjali Mishra earned her PhD in English from Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. Motivating and Talented English
Professor driven to inspire students to pursue academic and personal excellence. Consistently driven towards
extensive research and exceptional track record towards contribution to various publication work. Energetic, highly
career oriented and focused for attainment of goal. Her area of interest includes feminism and gender studies,
sociology, linguistics, and management. She has over 15 years of teaching and research experience. Published a
book titled “I am A Woman.” Organised a National Workshop on Publishing Manuscript in 2019 and International
Conference on “Incorporating Folklore studies in Management Practices” in December 2017. She has published
two books titled “I am a Woman” with Bahri Publishers New Delhi in 2017 and “Corporate Communication: an
insight.” She has also published an edited volume titled, “Science and Spiritualism for a Sustainable World” with
IGI Global, Pennsylvania publishers in 2019 and “Corporate Communication- an insight” in 2019. She is the guest
editor of Research Chronicler, Literaria, and the Indian Journal of Communication. She has published over 26
research papers in reputed international journals and has presented her papers in various international conferences
in India and abroad like IIT, IIM, South Korea, China, and Nepal.

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