Exploring ESL pedagogical strategies across diverse learning styles: insights from English language educators

Abstract

Learning styles remain an important consideration in ESL instruction, particularly in engineering education contexts where accommodating diverse learner preferences is crucial for effective technical and professional communication. Despite growing recognition of learner diversity, limited empirical research has examined how ESL teachers in engineering colleges translate this awareness into actual classroom practice. This study employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, combining a VARK (Visual Auditory Read/Write and Kinesthetic) based questionnaire administered to 40 ESL instructors with semi-structured interviews conducted with 15 participants across five engineering colleges in the Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu, India. Read/Write and Auditory modalities were the most consistently accommodated learning styles across all institutions, reflecting a shared emphasis on traditional lecture-based and text-centered instruction. Visual and Kinesthetic modalities showed considerable variation, with some institutions demonstrating significantly stronger implementation of hands-on and visual learning strategies than others. Qualitative findings revealed that resource limitations, assessment misalignment, and the absence of targeted professional development represent the primary barriers to balanced learning style accommodation. Although ESL instructors broadly recognized the importance of accommodating diverse learning styles, implementation consistency varied significantly across institutions. The findings suggest that multimodal instructional approaches, assessment reform, and institution-level professional development are essential for improving learning style accommodation in engineering ESL contexts.