LEARNING STYLE DIFFERENCES IN MIDDLE SCHOOL PUPILS FROM 4 ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS

The drop-out rate among American high school students, particularly am ong African-Americans and Hispanics, is increasing rapidly. Poor acade mic achievement is a variable that is predictive of dropouts. The stud y explores learning style differences in ethnic populations and ways t o accommodate these differences in the educational environment to enha nce student success. Results of the study indicate that 12 variables o n the Learning Styles Inventory significantly discriminate between fou r ethnic groups (White, Asian, Hispanic and African-American). Thus, b ecause ethnic related variables may impact upon middle school students ' perceptions of the learning experience, it is suggested that learnin g experiences should be designed to complement the learning styles of the different ethnic groups.