2015-08-21
288
Study the dominant cognitive styles in Japan, Arab world and North America. Complete the missing descriptions of the cognitive styles typical for Russia
| Japanese | Arabic | American | Russian |
| ¨ Ambiguity-intolerant ¨ Rationed ¨ Field-sensitive ¨ Teacher-dependent | ¨ Ambiguity-tolerant ¨ Holistic ¨ Field-insensitive ¨ Teacher-dependent | ¨ Ambiguity-intolerant ¨ Rationed ¨ Field-sensitive ¨ Teacher-independent | · Ambiguity – · · Field – … · Teacher - … |
(Cognitive styles are described after Oxford., R. 1996. Language learning strategies around the world. University of Hawaii)
An important issue is the congruence of the teacher and learner cognitive styles. Teachers bring to the classroom expectations of learners that are based on their own learning style preferences. If these expectations do not match up with reality, conflicts of cognitive styles can occur. These conflicts are called “style wars” (Oxford, R. 1990. Foreign Language Learning Strategies: What Every Foreign Language Teacher Should Know. N.Y: Newbury House). Field-dependent teachers preferring holistic approach to knowledge will complain about field-independent students who want to “nit-pick everything to death”. Conversely, a field-independent and field-sensitive teacher will comment on her “holistic” students as “messy”, “disorganised” and “rambling” (Leaver, B. 1993. Teaching the Whole Class. The AGSI Press. P.11-12)
