From Preferences to Practices: VARK Learning Preferences and Strategy Adaptation Among Arabic Secondary School Students

This study investigates the VARK learning preferences and strategy adaptations of 41 upper-secondary Arabic school students in Melaka. Using a quantitative one-group pretest-posttest design, data were collected using the VARK Questionnaire and a pre- and post-intervention Learning Strategies Survey administered alongside a 10-hour VARK strategy-awareness workshop. Descriptive statistics analysed VARK preference distributions, while paired samples t-tests evaluated changes in strategy use. Results revealed that a majority of participants (80.5%, n=33) showed multimodal learning preferences, with two modalities being the most prevalent (46.3%) and the Aural-Kinesthetic (AK) profile the most common (34.1%) among the multimodal groups. Following the workshop, post-test mean scores increased among across all four VARK strategy dimensions; however, a statistically significant increase was only observed in Visual strategy use (t(26)= -2.782, p= .010, d=0.54). Kinesthetic strategies showed the largest numerical gain (M= 2.62 to M= 2.90), although non-significant (p= .062). These findings suggest that explicit VARK training can enhance learning strategy adaptations, particularly Visual strategies among secondary language learners.

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VARK model, learning preferences, strategy awareness, multimodal learners, learning strategy adaptation, Arabic secondary students

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From Preferences to Practices: VARK Learning Preferences and Strategy Adaptation Among Arabic Secondary School Students

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