Relationship between Gender and Learning of American Slang by Iranian EFL Students: A Study following Kolb’s Learning Styles Model

• Main Authors: Mariam Biabani, Siros Izadpanah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lasting Impressions Press 2018-04-01
• Series: International Journal of English Language and Translation Studies
• Subjects: Abstract Conceptualization; Active Experimentation; Concrete Experience; Learning Style; Slang Learning
• Online Access: http://www.eltsjournal.org/archive/value6%20issue1/15-6-1-18.pdf
• ISSN: 2308-5460; 2308-5460

One of the most significant current discussions in learning and teaching communicative methods, especially in informal and communicative language, is the teaching and learning of American slang. There are few studies related to American slang, and there is not any study about the relationship between Kolb’s Learning Model and Learning American slang among Iranian EFL students. Here there is a gap, so this study concentrated on finding any possible relationship among Gender, Kolb’s approaches and teaching and learning slang among students. In this study sixty three EFL BA students were selected randomly out of 70 through the Edwards’ (2007) Solutions Placement Test: Elementary to Intermediate. The 63 participants took the Kolb’s (2006) Learning Style Inventory questionnaire, and then the Slang Test. The test and the questionnaire answered by the participants were scored. Using the descriptive statistics, correlation, regression and t-test, the data into the SPSS22 were analyzed. The outcomes of the study indicated that the Abstract Conceptualization, followed by the Active Experimentation, are the most dominant teaching and learning styles among the students. In terms of the descriptive statistics, both genders were found to have similar performances on both slang test and the Kolb’s (2006) Learning Style Inventory questionnaire with partial differences. The outcomes of the correlation illustrated the significant and high positive correlation between the Kolb’s (2005) teaching and learning model and slang teaching and learning. The study demonstrated the highest correlation between the experiential teaching and learning style (Concrete Experience) and the slang teaching and learning. Meanwhile, the study showed non-significant correlation either between gender and slang learning. The implication of this study may be useful for all persons who are concerned with language teaching and learning.