Working memory and not acoustic sensitivity is related to stress processing ability in a foreign language: An ERP study

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. 100897 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Schwab ◽  
Nathalie Giroud ◽  
Martin Meyer ◽  
Volker Dellwo
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Stress Processing ◽  
Processing Ability ◽  
Acoustic Sensitivity

scholarly journals Testing young foreign language learners’ reading comprehension: Exploring the effects of working memory, grade level, and reading task

2021 ◽  
pp. 026553222199148
Author(s):  
Tineke Brunfaut ◽  
Judit Kormos ◽  
Marije Michel ◽  
Michael Ratajczak
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Reading Test ◽  
Reading Task ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Comprehension Accuracy

Extensive research has demonstrated the impact of working memory (WM) on first language (L1) reading comprehension across age groups (Peng et al., 2018), and on foreign language (FL) reading comprehension of adults and older adolescents (Linck et al., 2014). Comparatively little is known about the effect of WM on young FL readers’ comprehension, and even less within testing contexts. Young FL readers are still developing their L1 reading skills and general cognitive skills (e.g., attentional regulation abilities). Completing FL reading tests might be particularly taxing on their WM, and differences in WM capacity – as well as other learner and task characteristics – might create construct-irrelevant variance in test performance. In this study we investigate the effects of WM, grade level, and reading task on young learners’ FL reading test performances. Ninety-four young English language learners (Grades 6–7) in Hungary completed the TOEFL® Junior™ Comprehensive’s reading test and a WM test battery. Our mixed-effects model predicted significantly higher comprehension accuracy among learners with higher WM capacity, and among learners in Grade 7 compared to learners in Grade 6. Reading task differences were not associated with significant comprehension accuracy differences. We discuss the implications of our findings for testing young learners’ FL reading comprehension.

scholarly journals Subtitling, Working Memory, and L2 Learning: A Correlational Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 665-696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Matielo ◽  
Roberta Pires de Oliveira ◽  
Luciane Baretta
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
L2 Vocabulary ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Processing Mechanisms

ABSTRACT This study investigates the impact of intralingual and interlingual subtitles on Brazilian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners as a result of their processing of a North-American sitcom. More specifically, it examines whether subtitling interacts with one’s individual differences, working memory (WM) as the case in point. Thirty-six intermediate-level EFL learners were evenly divided into two experimental groups (intralingual subtitles and interlingual subtitles) and one control group (no subtitles). Participants’ performance was measured based on an L2 video comprehension test and an L2 vocabulary test. Participants’ performance was correlated with their scores on two WM tests. The results obtained revealed that both participants’ L2 video comprehension, as well as their L2 vocabulary test performance, did not significantly interact with their WM capacity under any of the experimental conditions. These results are discussed in light of the possible processing mechanisms employed by the participants that may account for the lack of statistically significant correlations found.

scholarly journals THE ROLES OF PHONOLOGICAL SHORT-TERM MEMORY AND WORKING MEMORY IN L2 GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY LEARNING

2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine I. Martin ◽  
Nick C. Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Nonword Repetition ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Memory ◽  
Grammar Learning ◽  
Independent Effects ◽  
L2 Vocabulary

This study analyzed phonological short-term memory (PSTM) and working memory (WM) and their relationship with vocabulary and grammar learning in an artificial foreign language. Nonword repetition, nonword recognition, and listening span were used as memory measures. Participants learned the singular forms of vocabulary for an artificial foreign language before being exposed to plural forms in sentence contexts. Participants were tested on their ability to induce the grammatical forms and to generalize the forms to novel utterances. Individual differences in final abilities in vocabulary and grammar correlated between 0.44 and 0.76, depending on the measure. Despite these strong associations, the results demonstrated significant independent effects of PSTM and WM on L2 vocabulary learning and on L2 grammar learning, some of which were mediated by vocabulary and some of which were direct effects.

scholarly journals Cognitive components of foreign word stress processing difficulty in speakers of a native language with non-contrastive stress

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 366-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ferenc Honbolygó ◽  
Andrea Kóbor ◽  
Valéria Csépe
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Phonological Awareness ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Cognitive Factors ◽  
L2 Proficiency ◽  
Cognitive Components ◽  
Stress Task ◽  
Stress Processing ◽  
Detection Of Stress ◽  
Mixed Modelling

Objectives: Stress “deafness” is a difficulty in the detection of stress pattern changes of second language (L2) words. This study investigated the influence of cognitive factors and L2 proficiency on the processing of L2 stress. Methodology: Fifty-four native speakers of Hungarian, a language with non-contrastive stress, participated in the study; the participants were categorized as not speaking German or having a proficiency at the intermediate or advanced level. They had to recall sequences with increasing length consisting of German pseudowords that differed in either their phonemes (phoneme task) or stress patterns (stress task). Cognitive factors measured included working memory, phonological awareness and inhibitory control. Data and Analysis: The accuracy data obtained in the sequence recall task was analysed with generalized linear mixed modelling. Two separate analyses were performed to investigate the presence of stress “deafness” and the effect of cognitive factors. Findings: Results showed that the stress task led to lower performance than the phoneme task, irrespective of L2 proficiency. Furthermore, the analysis showed different cognitive factors contributing to the performance in the tasks: in the phoneme task, it was working memory, phonological awareness and inhibitory control, while in the stress task, it was only working memory and phonological awareness but not the inhibitory control. Originality: This is the first study to provide evidence about the cognitive background of the stress “deafness” effect, and to suggest the differential role of inhibitory control in phoneme and stress processing. Implications: These findings demonstrate the robustness of the stress “deafness” effect in a language with non-contrastive stress, provide evidence of the effect being independent of L2 proficiency and suggest that speakers of languages with non-contrastive stress do not have the necessary cognitive basis to form accurate L2 stress representations.

The effects of training on automatization of word recognition in English as a foreign language

2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
NOBUHIKO AKAMATSU
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Word Recognition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Word Frequency ◽  
Recognition Performance ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
Or Efficiency ◽  
Efl Learners

ABSTRACTThe present study investigated the effects of word-recognition training on the word-recognition processing of learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). Providing 7-week word-recognition training, the study examined whether such training improves EFL learners' word-recognition performance. The main aspects of this study concerned word frequency and working-memory capacity in automatization of word recognition. Analysis of variance and correlational analyses revealed qualitative differences in the improvement of EFL word-recognition performance with respect to word frequency. The improvement in the processing of high-frequency words was associated with simple speedup; conversely, the processing of low-frequency words was associated with automatization. Results also showed that working-memory capacity might not play a noticeable role in improving word-recognition speed or efficiency.

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