Working Memory and Second Language Learning

Abstract

Working memory is a cognitive space for simultaneous information manipulation and storage. In the field of second language acquisition, working memory has been investigated as a key individual difference variable mediating various aspects of the process and outcome of language learning. Despite the voluminous body of research, there has been confusion over its conceptualization, measurement, and mechanism, and the research has yielded disparate, and sometimes contradictory, findings. This chapter seeks to clarify the construct and navigate through the empirical evidence that has been accumulated over the past three decades with a view to extracting meaningful patterns and trends emerging from the research. The chapter starts with a discussion of the nature, scope, and architecture of working memory, followed by an introduction to the various tests that have been used to measure the construct and its components. The chapter proceeds to discuss the research on the role of working memory in second language acquisition including theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence on the associations between working memory and learning outcomes or processes. The chapter ends by identifying areas for future research.