A Comparative Analysis of Language Teachers’ and Learners’ Preferences for Thinking Styles in EFL Classrooms

Abstract

Building on the assumption that a perfect match between teachers’ preferences on learners’ thinking styles and learners’ own preferences would lead to fruitful learning and teaching experiences in a language classroom, this study aimed to investigate the patterns of the relationship between learners’ thinking styles and teachers’ preferences for those styles. As a descriptive correlational survey, the study was carried out in an EFL setting with two groups of participants (learners and teachers) from a public university in Turkey. The data were collected through two scales derived from the same tool and analysed through descriptive and inferential statistics. The major result indicated a highly similar pattern of preferences for thinking styles between teachers and learners and both groups were predominantly oriented to legislative style of thinking. Additionally, neither age nor teaching experience created any statistically significant differences in teachers’ preferences. Also, there were not any significant correlations between teachers’ performance in the TOEFL and their preferences. Similarly, no significant correlations were detected between learners’ test scores in the proficiency exam and their thinking styles.