The Role of Working Memory and Memory Strategies in Adolescent Second Language Learners’ Listening Performance

Abstract

This study examines how the amount of memory and memory techniques influence adolescent students who learn English as an L2 while they are listening. Specifically examining the correlation between L2 listening ability and working memory (WM) capacity, memory strategies, as well as some other influences such as TOEFL Listening task experience for participants and the age when they started to learn English as an L2. There were 24 participants of grade 11 students from Shanghai, China. They participated in two kinds of listening tests according to TOEFL®Junior Comprehensives, did cognitive tests about their working memory capability, and filled out questionnaires regarding demographic information as well as the use of memory strategies. And it's confirmed that the positive correlation between working memory capacity & listening comprehension ability of adolescents learning English as a second language. Participants who scored higher on both the verbal and auditory working memory span tasks tended to score higher on the listening tests, especially in the more complex lecture test. However, some exceptions have occurred. A small number of learners who reported using memory strategies relatively little still performed well in listening, possibly because they had abundant experience answering TOEFL listening questions and were familiar with the format of the TOEFL listening test. And it means that even when someone has an advantage by working memory capacity in lis-tening comprehension; there are other experience based reasons as to why different students perform differently. This study makes a contribution to the area of cognitive factors in second language listening but for adolescents. As far as we know, there has been no study that investigates young listeners' listening performances together with individual differences on both working memory and use of strategy. This research fills this gap by integrating the listening comprehension items of a standardised test tailored for adolescent L2 learners with cognitive span tasks assessing working memory capacity and questionnaires probing learn-ers' demographic information and strategy application. According to combining cognitive and experience variables, this study brings a novel perspective on the effect of personal variables in adolescence on second language listening ability.