EFL Students’ Language Learning Preferences at Islamic Azad University- Hamedan Branch

Learner attitudes towards learning and the perceptions and beliefs behind them may have a profound influence on learning behavior and on learning outcomes (Cotterall, 1995; Reid,1982) and teachers’ awareness of such needs and preferences will result in more realistic and useful teaching strategies which in turn will have a facilitative effect on the learning process (Horwitz, 1988). Thus, it seems the learners should be given opportunities to express their own language learning preferences especially in reference to definition of objectives in general and awareness of strategies in learning (Bada & Okan,2000). Taking into account the great role identifying learner preferences plays in learning in general and learning a language in particular, 174 EFL students at English Language Department of Islamic Azad university of Hamedan were asked to take part in a survey, expressing their language learning preferences by answering a 13-item questionnaire adapted from Brindley(1984) and containing questions on Learning, Error Correction, and Assessment and/or Evaluation. As a further measure 24 EFL teachers working with the same students were also asked to express their views on the extent to which they were aware of their students’ needs and preferences. The analysis of the data collected pointed to a need for closer cooperation between the teachers and students in arranging and implementing learning activities.