Work

Differences in Attainment and Performance in a Foreign Language: The Role of Working Memory Capacity

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: The goal of this study is to investigate the role of working memory capacity in L2 attainment and performance. The study uses an L1 reading span task to measure working memory of a group of 59 high- intermediate/advanced learners of English, and a film retelling task to measure their oral production. The analysis first showed a moderate to high correlation between proficiency measured by a general proficiency test and learners’ fluency, lexical complexity, and accuracy but not structural complexity on the retelling task. Secondly, no correlation was found between overall proficiency and working memory. Thirdly, a weak correlation was found between fluency and lexical complexity, and working memory. When the group was split into top and bottom levels of proficiency, moderate correlations were found between lexical complexity and working memory only for the high-proficiency group. The results are discussed in the light of previous research.

Source: International Journal of English Studies

DOI: 10.6018/ijes/2010/1/113961

Authors: Roger Gilabert, Carmen Muñoz

Institutions: Universitat de Barcelona, Universidad de Murcia

Language: English

Topic: EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning

Subfield: Language and Linguistics

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: Generalitat de Catalunya