The effects of phonological short-term memory and working memory capacity on L2 oral skills

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K02752
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Foreign language education
• Research Institution: Hyogo University of Teacher Education
• Principal Investigator: Kondo Akiko 兵庫教育大学, 学校教育研究科, 准教授 (90450139)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 第2言語習得 / スピーキングスキル / 音韻的短期記憶 / 作業記憶 / 動機付け / 個人差要因

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study investigated the contribution of three types of memory (phonological short-term memory, working memory, and acoustic short-term memory), and L2 motivation to L2 speaking skills. Participants were 114 Japanese EFL students who completed a test of spoken English, four memory tests (L1-based non-word repetition test, L1-based listening span test, tonal memory span test, and rhythm memory span test), and a language-learning motivation survey. Regression analyses showed that phonological short-term memory capacity, working memory capacity, and motivation significantly explained the variance in L2 speaking skills. Interviews with the participants also indicated that those with the highest measured L2 speaking skills had been exposed to English language and culture when they were young, and that they have musical experience.

Free Research Field

第二言語習得