Cognitive learning styles: Does awareness help? A review of selected literature

A case is made in this paper for making students aware of their own particular learning styles, and also for making teachers aware of their individual teaching styles. The first section of the review examines the importance of ‘process’ in learning as well as the role of awareness in the learning process. The next section looks at variations in the way individuals approach learning due to the differences in their individual cognitive learning styles. The specific focus is on the cognitive styles of field‐dependence and field‐independence, which are thought to be most relevant for foreign language learning, particularly for ’ab initio’ classes. It is shown how a group of students can be made aware of their own learning styles by being asked to submit themselves to the Group Embedded Figures Test, which is a measure of field‐dependence/independence. Some educational implications of being aware of one's style preference are then discussed.