Assessment of thinking style preferences and language proficiency for South African students whose native languages differ.
The language proficiency of first-year students at the University of Pretoria (56 men and 59 women, M age=19.40 yr., SD=.80, range from 18.00 to 20.70) was assessed by means of the English Language Skills Assessment. More than one-third of the students did not show proficiency at Grade 10, as expected. This language assessment was not correlated with academic achievement equally well for students in a group. The diversity of thinking style preferences of the students enrolled in a language development course was also assessed on the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument. Scores indicated a range of thinking style preferences but the group's overall mean scores represented detail-oriented and feeling-based modes of thinking processes. These preferences were correlated with academic achievement and learning of languages. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that thinking styles could be a focus of educational strategies in South Africa, using the perspective that qualitatively different approaches to teaching might be associated with students' qualitatively different approaches to learning.
Maree
Jacobus G
JG
Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Pretoria, South Africa. jgmaree@hakuna.up.ac.za
de Boer
Ann-Louise
AL
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D013019:South Africa; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013850:Thinking