L2 speaking and its external correlates
Year: 2022
Type: book-chapter
Study designs: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis
Abstract: The present study synthesizes the correlation coefficients between discourse-level L2 speaking and nine relevant correlates: L2 vocabulary knowledge, L2 grammar knowledge, working memory, L2 reading comprehension, L2 listening comprehension, L2 writing, language aptitude, metacognition, and anxiety. Fifty-one independent samples from 41 primary studies publlished between 1975 and 2017 were included in the study. Correlations weighted for sample size and, when possible, corrected for attenuation due to measurement errors were submitted to a series of nine quantitative meta-analyses. The results showed that L2 knowledge variables were strongly correlated with L2 speaking (.563 for vocabulary and .622 for grammar). The same results were found for companion L2 proficiency variables such as L2 reading comprehension (.822), L2 listening comprehension (.530), and L2 writing (.605). As for the language general variables, metacognition was much more strongly correlated with L2 speaking (.624) compared to working memory (.102). Lastly, language aptitude and anxiety each showed a positive and a negative correlation falling in the medium to large range: .481 for language aptitude and −.432 for anxiety.
DOI: 10.1075/bpa.13.11jeo
Authors: Eun Hee Jeon, Yo In’nami, Rie Koizumi
Language: English
Subfield: Language and Linguistics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4283765063