Second language speaking performance: The role of L2 working memory capacity
Second language speaking performance: The role of L2 working memory capacity
Author(s): Ayşegül NergisSubject(s): Foreign languages learning, Syntax, Lexis, Language acquisition, Cognitive linguistics
Published by: Akademia Nauk Stosowanych w Koninie
Keywords: working memory; oral fluency; complexity; speaking in L2; speaking span;
Summary/Abstract: The present study aimed to investigate to what extent advanced L2 learners with low and high working memory (WM) capacity differ with respect to their L2 speaking. 52 English for Academic Purposes (EAP) students enrolled in a freshmen course with a focus on academic speaking skills participated in this study. In order to assess participants’ working memory (WM) capacity, Daneman’s (1991) speaking span test was used. Speech samples collected through an oral argumentation task were analyzed in terms of acoustic measures of oral fluency, accuracy, and lexical and structural complexity. Multivariate tests showed that L2 WM capacity can explain variances in lexical complexity; but, WM was not significantly associated with any of the oral fluency, accuracy or syntactic complexity measures. Theoretical implications of the findings were discussed.
Journal: Konińskie Studia Językowe
- Issue Year: 8/2020
- Issue No: 4
- Page Range: 349-368
- Page Count: 20
- Language: English