ENGLISH LEARNING STYLES IN LEARNING ACTIVITIES PREFERRED BY THE SECOND GRADE STUDENTS OF SMKN 4 BENGKULU

This research attempted to investigate the English learning styles in learning activities preferred by the second grade students of SMKN 4 Bengkulu. The metho d of the research was quantitative descriptive method. The population of the research consist of all of the second grade students of SMKN 4 Bengkulu. The total number o f the population 98 students. Total sampling was used as the sampling technique. In collecting the data, the researcher used questionnaire (arranged by Oxford, 1992) tha t were distributed to the students. The result of this research showed that, in general, the students preferred to “sensory preferences” style in learning English with the highest weighted average of 3.86 (28.07%). The second was “intuitive/random & sensory/sequential” style, with the weighted average of 3.38 (24.58%). The third was “orientation to closure” style, with the weihted average of 3.26 (23.71%). The las t one was “analytic-global” style where it had weighted average of 3.25 (23.63%). There were, however, some interesting findings on each aspect of learning activities which preferred by the students of SMKN 4 Bengkulu; a) on preferred classroom activities, the majority of the students said that thay preferred to learn English b y listening to the music/English songs, by reading the textbook, and playing a language game, b) on the preferred teacher behavior activities, the majority of the students sai d that they preferred to learn English if the teacher shared humor when they taught English in the classroom, and they also explained the material step by step, c) on preferred the language aspect, the majority of the students said that they preferred to learn English by using picture as the media, by practicing pronunciation directly, b y discussion, debate that use an interesting topic for them, d) on preferred outside classroom activities, the majority of the students said that they preferred to learn English by listening to English songs/music at home, watching films/videos/movies and playing a game (scrabble) at home or other places.