English Language Teaching; Vol. 10, No. 3; 2017
ISSN 1916-4742 E-ISSN 1916-4750
Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education
54
Visual Learning: A Learner Centered Approach to Enhance English
Language Teaching
Andrew Philominraj
1
, David Jeyabalan
2
& Cristian Vidal-Silva
3
1
Universidad de Talca, Chile
2
Department of English, Loyola College, Chennai, India
3
Departamento de Ingeniería Informática, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Talca, Chile
Correspondence: Andrew Philominraj, Programa de Idiomas, Universidad de Talca, Chile. Tel: 56-9-42230670.
E-mail: andrew@utalca.cl
Received: December 5, 2016 Accepted: February 4, 2017 Online Published: February 6, 2017
doi: 10.5539/elt.v10n3p54 URL: http://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v10n3p54
Abstract
This article presents an empirical study carried out among the students of higher secondary schools to find out
how English language learning occurs naturally in an environment where learners are encouraged by an
appropriate method such as visual learning. The primary data was collected from 504 students with different
pretested questionnaires. A selection of a series of variables is taken into consideration in the survey, which is
measured and information of each one is collected to describe what is researched. The results indicate that visual
learning is an essential part of the overall experience that the learners gain towards their process of language
learning. Also, it constitutes a vital process of ‘Input and Interaction’ for the learner ensuring that his needs,
necessities and aspirations are taken into account and by making him involved, produce genuine learning.
Keywords: English, language, visual learning, images, learning style
1. Introduction
English plays an important role and occupies a unique position in India. English holds a high visibility
throughout India. This is mostly because English print invades life at all levels, starting from shop sign boards in
urban and rural areas to consumer packaging of all commonly used commodities, to national newspapers and
popular magazines (Baruah, 1991). English also occupies a great deal of space on the airwaves, in the form of
TV and radio programmes. The world outside the English classroom in India is therefore an invaluable source of
real, live English in use. This importance of English language has made every citizen to seek ‘social
empowerment’ (Kachru, 1983) in order to gain his or her ways to economic development. This economic
development comes with Education and very specially language education, which is the key to open doors in job
markets and help a common person find his or her place in the society. English is taught as a subject, and is also
a medium of instruction in schools and colleges in India, but experiences show that learners at all levels fail to
stand up to the international standards of language communication. Several studies show that practices used in
the teaching and learning of English are still far from helping learners achieve their domain in the English
language communication. In the report of the Education First (EF, 2016) that released the English proficiency
index, India stands in position 22 out of 72 analysed countries. This is far below in comparison with countries
such as Hungary, Serbia and Argentina where second or foreign language has never been English unlike India.
Given the universe of the learners, and also the outstanding role of English, it becomes important to look into
ways of making this language learning experience more alluring and motivating for the students to develop a
liking and thus make their language learning experience not only successful but also more interesting. This
article is an empirical study carried out among a group of students, in several schools, in the city of Chennai, to
explore the importance and the use of Visual learning, as one such appealing method based on Learner Centered
Approach to the learning of English as a second language.
2. Visual Learning
Visual learning is one of the “most exciting and stimulating method” (Baratta, 2010). Kant recognizes the
importance of ‘vision and thinking’ and states that there is no separation between these two. They are of one
process. Visual learning is the ability to structure, organize and give meaning to visible items. The skill of