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their learning environment condition was the main factor of how they would behave.
Richmond and Cummings 2005 in their research entitled Implementing Kolb’s learning styles into online distance education emphasized the role of
learning designs to give guidance to the learners’ learning process. This emphasis
related to the circumstance that the learners were not able to have intensive face- to-face meeting with their teachers since the system of learning was by online.
From this research, they stated that there was correlation between learning styles and educational outcome but not significant. The success of educational outcome
was determined by the level of course design effectiveness in helping the learners understand the learning materials properly. When and how learners learned did
not relate to their understanding speed of the learning materials. When the learners were interested to the content and design of the course materials, they were easier
to absorb the knowledge of the learning materials. Kolb’s Learning Styles
inventory was used to find out the preferences of learners’ expectation course
designs. The next similar research on learning styles and their correlation to
educational implication was taken by Lu, Jia, Gong, and Clark 2007 entitled The Relationship of
Kolb’s learning styles, online learning behaviours, and learning outcomes.
They emphasized the diversity of learners’ learning styles when
designing and developing online learning modules for different students. Learners’ needs on proper learning materials became the main factor of the
learners’ interest in learning the materials. Since face-to-face learning activities were not held intensively,
interesting materials based on the learners’ expectation to fulfill their curiosity of certain knowledge were the triggers to attract the
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l earners’ interest in reading the learning materials. The researchers used the four
modes of learning styles Concrete Experience, Abstract Conceptualization, Active Experimentation, and Reflective Observation as the instruments to find
out and identify wh at the learners’ interest were and what the learners expected to
have in their learning materials. The last research taken as the reference of similar study on correlation
between learning styles and educational implication was from Melara 1996. Melara investigated
Kolb’s Learning Styles on learning performance within two different hypertext structures. The research showed that there was correlation
between learning styles and learners’ achievement but not significant. Learners’
interest to the topics of the text was the main factor of how good the learners could absorb the discourse of the texts. The interesting topics and content of the
text would also enhance the reading duration of the learners since they become more curious in finding progressive improvement of the content related to the text
they read previously. Kolb’s Learning Styles inventory was used to scrutinize the
learners’ learning styles related to the level of learners’ interest in reading some texts or reading materials.
B. Theoretical Framework and Hypothesis
Language is the bridge of communication among language users. The language users will have stronger value in communication if they understand
various cultures of the language Spolsky 1992; shohamy 2007. Learning English as a foreign language is the matter of learning experience which affects the
behavioural change of the learners. English is one of languages which is mostly used in global world and interaction Quirk 1990; Curry 2003. Learning English
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as a language should become regular activities for students in which they can get continuous experiences in communicating with their surrounding. The students
’ interaction with their learning environment will add their learning experience and
memorize the experiences in order to manage the memories into preferred learning activities. Effective learning emerges if the students continuously think
and act with their learning environment. In this case, the students will automatically think and behave differently based on their level of learning
experience. In order to have effective learning experience, the students must recognize
their learning styles. How students learn affects the level of effectiveness and efficiency of students’ learning experience Harmer 1983; Kolb 1984; Dunn and
Dunn 1979. In the reality, many students are not aware what their learning styles are. They just follow what their teachers or instructors tell them to do. Whereas,
they can improve the way they learn by themselves but still oriented to the goal of learning.
Kolb’s Learning Styles Inventory KLSI covers indicators of learning experience
and learners’ behaviours which becomes the basic principle of how learning styles are organized. Perceiving and processing information as the scales
involve four basic learning cycles of Concrete Experience CE, Abstract Conceptualisation AC, Active Experimentation AE, and Reflective
Observation RO Kolb 1984; Kolb 1985a. In general, Kolb’s learning cycles
present concrete learning experience that students get and then conceptualize the experiences into the preferred abstract learning styles based on their academic
performance. Then they will formulate the bunch of various learning styles with their testing by having experiment the new formulated learning styles. The
co mbination of every two scales formulate Kolb’s learning styles consisting of
Diverging, Converging, Accomodating, and Assimilating.
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English subject covers 4 skills. They are writing, reading, listening, and speaking. Writing and reading tend to be more visual since they need concrete
instrument of activities like stationery. Listening and speaking complement each other because by listening other people speak, speakers are able to formulate the
materials of responding. Related to need of English communication in global world, speaking is regarded as the most essential skill to be learned since by the
good speaking ability, the students are able to deliver their needs and intention in a communication Brown and Yule 1983. Learning English speaking is also
learning the culture of the language spoken. As a stretch, learning English speaking widen the network of speakers because they will be able to speak with
various groups of people. School as formal educational institution provides learning experience involving English learning.
The students’ understanding on the importance of speaking active English needs the structured learning activities and materials. English subject should not
be merely regarded as the fulfillment of school curriculum. The needs of mastering English as international language nowadays give awareness to the
students that they need to have fluent communicative skill related their speaking abilities. As Bygate 1987 states that speaking involves knowledge and skill, then
students should be given continuous understanding about the knowledge of the language in order to support the comprehension of English speaking. Vocational
High School as an educational institution which emphasizes in practical skill for graduates’ need in their future jobs must facilitate the learning activities which
support the progress of students’ English speaking. Vocational High Schools as one of formal school in Indonesia orient their students or graduates to have
practical ability like ability of speaking rather than writing or reading as Bjurulf
