Teaching and Learning Vocabulary: Insights from Learning Styles and Learning Theories Ahmed M. S. Alduais * Institute of International and Comparative Education, Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, PR China * Corresponding author: Alduais AMS, Institute of International and Comparative Education, Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, PR China, Tel: +86 132 600 80 166; E-mail: ibnalduais@gmail.com Received date: Jan 17, 2018, Accepted date: Feb 05, 2018, Published date: Feb 16, 2018 Copyright: 2018 © Alduais AMS. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract Learning styles like (Visual, Auditory, Kinaesthetic) as in the VAK theory and (Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, Kinaesthetic) as in VARK, and the Mind Styles Model (i.e. concrete vs. abstract perceptual abilities and sequential vs. random ordering abilities)—propose in one way or another individualisation of education (i.e. mainly here learning and teaching languages as in TESL and TEFL). Similarly, learning theories propose different interpretations for the system of learning as in (behaviourism, constructivism, cognitivism, social psychology, and connectionism)— through which learning and teaching should take place. Five models were proposed approaching these issues with the first model for the vocabulary system (i.e. form aspect(s), meaning aspect(s), and distribution aspect(s), the second model for integration of learning theories and five types of aids (visual, audio, audio-visual, action and multimedia aids), the third, fourth and fifth models for three learning styles’ theories (i.e. VAK, VARK, and the Mind Styles Model). Given that my approach was only based on my designed models inspired by the original theories, conclusions included that experimental and behavioural based evidence is needed to give credibility for the effectiveness of using learning styles towards more effective teaching of vocabulary. With this in mind, it was proposed that learning styles could be used as indicators other than reliable and valid diagnostic tools for he learners’ preferences-helping teachers to consider the use of as many as possible of the five introduced types of aids while teaching vocabulary-enhancing the implications from the learning theories, too. Keywords: Learning styles; Vocabulary teaching; Vocabulary learning; Learning theories Introduction Language is represented through language components and language skills. he former include: sounds, grammatical structures and vocabulary; and latter include: receptive language skills (listening and reading) and productive language skills (speaking and writing) [1,2]. Vocabulary teaching to learners of English as either TEFL or TESL (i.e. Teaching of English as a Foreign Language or Teaching of English as a Second Language) includes controversial arguments about the most efective teaching methods that can result into more efective learning situations [3]. On the one hand, learning theories propose diferent views on how learning should take place and based on that both learning by learners and teaching by teachers should match such inferred indings about learning these theories including but not limited to those presented in Figure 1 [4]. On the other hand, learning styles are proposed towards more efective learning by learners and teaching by teachers-assuming that when learners know their students learning styles; they-learners can learn more efectively. Similarly, when teachers know their students learning styles, they-teachers can use more appropriate teaching methods that would nearly match all the learners preferences [5-8]. A large number of scholars argue about the eiciency and efectiveness of learning styles [5]. Interestingly, the learning theories themselves are also arguable. By all means, the proposed assumption in learning theories and learning styles seems to be valid and several researches also supported their views and indings. With this in mind, we intended to argue in this paper by presenting a number of models for three learning styles-linking them to a model of the lexical items structure and a learning theories model-along with the use of teaching aids towards a more efective teaching of vocabulary. his argument is more based on a paper presented by Alduais [3,4] where he claimed the integration of language learning theories and aids would lead to a more efective teaching of language components and language skills. Methods his paper is analytic and based on published research about learning styles, learning theories and teaching of vocabulary [9,10]. he presented models are mainly based on the original works of the proponents of the three learning styles (VAK, VARK and the Mind Styles Model). Results: Presentation of Models he following section is a presentation for the ive designed and proposed models by the researcher-relecting the understanding of vocabulary system, learning theories integration and aids, and three learning styles (Figure 1). he above model was proposed for analysing a lexical item to contrast two lexical systems of two languages, dialects, etc. [11], and for testing lexical items [10]; and inally for teaching and learning vocabulary using the diferent types of aids [9]. A systematic teaching and/or learning should include all these aspects and the order and priority of which aspects should go irst or to be included is determined by the learning purposes. In other words, form with all its aspects, meaning with its aspects and distribution with its aspects would rarely be completely targeted by both TESL and TEFL learners. J o u r n a l o f C h i l d a n d A d o l e s c e n t B e h a v i o r ISSN: 2375-4494 Journal of Child & Adolescent Behavior Alduais, J Child Adolesc Behav 2018, 6:1 DOI: 10.4172/2375-4494.1000370 Research Article Open Access J Child Adolesc Behav, an open access journal ISSN: 2375-4494 Volume 6 • Issue 1 • 1000370