Abstract：
 In the field of EFL（English as a Foreign Language）learning, many attempts have been made to solve specific problems that interfere with success in EFL learning. Researchers have agreed that students’ individual differences can influence their EFL learning. Among these individual differences, learning style has been considered to play a core role. This paper aims to present the results of a study on the relations between learning styles and EFL learning difficulties. Sixty English major students are asked to choose their preferred learning styles. Sixty valid questionnaires are collected and processed. The findings of the study reveal that regardless of any other specific language learning deficit or difficult, students’ learning styles play a role in foreign language learning difficulties, and students’ preferred learning style can hinder or help success in their EFL learning. Findings from this study also indicate there exists relationships between success in EFL learning and a particular perceptual learning style. The paper concludes with the pedagogical implications of the findings that may be useful to teachers for their teaching and also useful to students for choosing their preferred learning styles.

Key words：Foreign language learning difficulties; learning styles; English language teaching; perceptual learning style

摘  要：
在学习外语的过程中，我们做了很大的努力去克服一些阻碍学习它的困难。研究者们也都认为学生的个人差异能够影响他们学习外语，而在这些个人差异中，学习风格被认为是一个重要因素。本篇论文意在通过调查来揭示学习风格和学习外语困难之间的关系。本文采用实证的方法调查了60位英语专业的学生，他们在学习中所偏爱的学习风格。调查结果显示不管其他影响学习外语的因素，学生的学习风格是可以影响他们学习外语的，而且学生们所偏爱的学习风格是可以阻碍或帮助他们的学习状况。调查还研究了学生的成功和某一感知学习风格之间的关系。作者在分析调查结果的基础上就教师的教学风格要与学生学习风格相匹配和学生如何选择学习风格上提出了建议。

关键词：学习外语困难；学习风格；英语教学；感知学习风格

1 Introduction
In the field of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learning, many attempts have been made to solve specific problems that interfere with success in EFL learning. Research shows that there is no general consensus on why some students are not successful in learning a foreign language. Learners may have deficits in either the phonological, semantic or syntactic systems in their native language, and that this can affect how well they can master a foreign language (Sparks & Ganschow, 1995). In a similar vein, Downey, Snyder and Hill (2000) find a correlation between phonological processing difficulties and learning problems that foreign language learners face. However, even students who do not appear to have any language learning deficits, such as those who score highly on the Modern Language Aptitude Test, encounter difficulties in the foreign language classroom (Castro & Peck, 2005). This finding indicates that factors other than language learning deficits may affect one’s ability to learn a foreign language.