The role of WM in second language reading comprehension: Does L2 proficiency level matter?

Abstract

Following exploring the important role of working memory capacity (WMC) in first language acquisition (e.g., Daneman & Carpenter, 1980; King & Just, 1991; Miyake, Just & Carpenter, 1994; Waters & Caplan, 1996), research on examining the role of WM in L2 learning has emerged as an area of concern for L2 researchers. This study examined the role of WMC in the development of L2 reading at the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. Since findings on the relationship between WMC and L2 reading have not been consistent, possibly because the influence of WMC on L2 reading may vary at different levels of proficiency, the current study seeks further to examine proficiency as a moderating variable in the relationship between WMC and L2 reading. This was to see whether the influence of WMC changed at different levels of proficiency. A total of 140 L1 Persian EFL learners completed a WMC task as well as measures of reading proficiency. The results of the study showed a significant relationship between WMC and L2 reading only among learners of lower proficiency. This suggests that WM plays a diminishing role in discriminating performance on second language reading measures at higher levels of proficiency.