The Correlation Between EFL College Students’ Learning Styles and Their Academic Performance

Abstract

It is clear to everyone that understanding students’ learning styles and preferences can benefit both students and teachers. Learning styles play a significant role in the lives of learners. When students recognize their own learning style, they will be able to integrate it into their learning process. As a result, the learning process will be easier, faster, more enjoyable and more successful.The present study aims to identify:1. Iraqi EFL students’ learning styles.2. The differences between the learning styles of Iraqi students3. The relationship between the Iraqi EFL students’ learning styles and their academic performance.4. The relationship between the academic performance of Iraqi EFL students and the three types of learning styles (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic).This study is a correlation study and the sample of this study is fifty students in the second grade of the Department of English-College of Basic Education at Tikrit University during the academic year 2020/2021. The data is gathered using a questionnaire to assess students' learning styles and students' averages from the previous year in all subjects to determine academic performance. According to the findings of the study, the visual learning style is more dominant than the kinesthetic and auditory styles. There is a negative correlation between students’ learning styles and their academic performance, and the Pearson Correlation coefficient indicates a moderately negative relationship between learning styles and academic performance. In the light of these results, some conclusions, recommendations and suggestions for further studies are presented.