Running head: WORKING MEMORY AND SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING 1

Transcription

1 Running head: WORKING MEMORY AND SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING 1 Working Memory and L2 Writing Erin E. Schnur & Joseph S. Wright Northern Arizona University

2 WORKING MEMORY AND SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING 2 Abstract Because visual and auditory input are processed in the working memory, working memory (WM) capacity is an individual difference that impacts the way second language learners perform in the classroom. There is evidence suggesting that there may be a link between WM capacity and student writing ability, as well as evidence suggesting that anxiety level may impact WM capacity. In an attempt to investigate the relationships between working memory and these other factors, this project tested IEP students on their working memory capacity. These WM scores were then compared to both scores representing student writing proficiency as well selfreported anxiety levels in order to determine whether higher WM capacity correlates positively with either writing ability or anxiety level.

3 WORKING MEMORY AND SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING 3 Working Memory and L2 Writing Background Working memory (WM) generally refers to the processes that are used in the storage and processing of information outside of the long-term memory (Gathercole & Baddeley, 1993). Like other individual differences, WM capacity is something that each learner brings to the classroom. However, whereas other individual differences may impact L2 proficiency, WM is necessary for language processing and use. Because of its role in processing input and storing and encoding output, researchers have suggested that WM may influence second language (L2) proficiency by affecting factors such as phonological processing, access to known lexicon, and grammatical sensitivity (Sawyer & Ranta, 2001). These links have led some researchers to speculate that WM capacity may be highly predictive of language abilities in an L2. Previous research investigating the relationship between WM capacity and writing proficiency (Abu-Rabia, 2003) has suggested that there may be a relationship between these two variables, with WM capacity influencing writing performance. Research on anxiety and working memory has suggested that there may be a relationship between anxiety level and WM capacity (McIntyre, 1995). Research Questions WM is necessary for language processing and production, and a better understanding of the relationship between WM capacity and writing proficiency can benefit language learners. This study examined the relationship between WM capacity and L2 writing proficiency, while also considering the potential moderating influence of learner anxiety on WM. The research questions for this study are as follows:

4 WORKING MEMORY AND SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING 4 1. Is there a relationship between learners WM capacity and their writing proficiency? 2. Is there a relationship between learners self-reported anxiety levels and WM capacity? Methods Participants This project was carried out with cooperation from intermediate students in an intensive English program (IEP). The 25 students were in two sections of Level 4 within the PIE, and were recruited from a writing workshop class taught by one of the researchers. Instruments This study used five instruments, the first of which was a digit span test operationalizing participants working memory capacity. The test was available online through Cambridge Brain Sciences ( A questionnaire was used to measure anxiety for the purposes of this project. The questionnaire contained a total of 33 questions, 10 of which were related to anxiety and relevant to this study. Students were provided with statements and responded by indicating their agreement with the statement on a four point Likert scale. Two independent writing tasks and one integrated writing task were used to operationalize L2 writing proficiency. These tasks made up the writing portion of the spring 2013 placement exam administered at the Program in Intensive Language (PIE). Administration The proficiency measure was administered in the spring of 2013 as the writing portion of the PIE s placement exam, and the resulting scores were gathered from the PIE. The digit span test of WM capacity was given in a computer lab at Northern Arizona University during the first

5 WORKING MEMORY AND SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING 5 10 minutes of the students Writing Workshop class. The questionnaire, which records anxiety and students first language, was administered to all students in the PIE during the spring of Results Descriptive statistics for students writing scores and working memory scores are presented in Table 1. Table 1 Descriptive Statistics of Writing Scores and Working Memory Capacity Scores Mean Std. Deviation N Total Independent Writing Working Memory Results of a Pearson correlation test run on writing scores and WM scores (presented in Table 2) indicate that there is no statistically significant relationship between working memory capacity and independent writing score. Table 2 Pearson Correlation of Writing Scores and Working Memory Capacity Scores Total Independent Writing Working Memory Total Independent Working Memory Writing Pearson Correlation Sig. (2-tailed).435 N - 7 Pearson Correlation - 1 Sig. (2-tailed) - N - - p<.05

6 WORKING MEMORY AND SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING 6 To determine whether a relationship exists between students working memory capacity and their anxiety, a Pearson correlation was run. Results are presented in Table 3, and indicate a lack of statically significant correlation. Table 3 Pearson Correlation of Working Memory Capacity Scores and Total Integrated Writing Scores Working Memory Anxiety Working Memory Anxiety Pearson Correlation Sig. (2-tailed).610 N - 18 Pearson Correlation - 1 Sig. (2-tailed) - N - - p<.05 In sum, this project found that WM did not correlate significantly with either students writing ability or with their anxiety. Relevance to the PIE Working memory capacity is an individual difference, varying greatly between students, which could potentially greatly impact their performance in an L2 classroom. A greater understanding of how WM capacity interacts with other factors, such as anxiety, and impacts student performance on specific task types, such as writing timed essays, would allow teachers to be better prepared to help students negotiate WM related challenges that may arise in the L2 classroom. If teachers are aware of the types of activities that students with low WM might find challenging, they may be able to teach strategies to help these students.

7 WORKING MEMORY AND SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING 7 References Abu-Rabia, S. (2003). The influence of working memory on reading and creative writing processes in a second language. Educational Psychology, 23(2), Gathercole, S. E., & Baddeley, A. D. (1993). Working memory and language. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. MacIntyre, P. D. (1995). How does anxiety affect second language learning? A reply to Sparks and Ganschow. Modern Language Journal, 79, Sawyer, M., & Ranta, L. (2001). Aptitude, individual differences, and instructional design. In P. Robinson (Ed.), Cognition and second language instruction, (pp ). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.