Efl speech production: exploring the relationship between working memory capacity and profciency level

Prebianca, Gicele Vergine Vieira · 2013 · Crossref

DOI: 10.5433/2237-4876.2013v16n2p215

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Summary

This study investigates the relationship between working memory capacity (WMC) and proficiency levels in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) speech production. Motivated by cognitive theories suggesting that L2 speech formulation is less automatic than L1, requiring greater attentional resources, the research aims to determine if WMC scores differ between native (L1) and foreign (L2) languages and if these scores vary according to L2 proficiency. The authors hypothesized that L1 WMC scores would remain stable across proficiency levels, whereas L2 WMC scores would increase with proficiency, and that overall L1 performance would exceed L2 performance. The study involved 41 Brazilian-Portuguese native speakers enrolled in an English institute, divided into intermediate (n=19) and advanced (n=22) proficiency groups based on their course enrollment. Participants completed the Speaking Span Test (SST) in both their L1 (Portuguese) and L2 (English). The SST required participants to memorize sets of words and produce grammatically coherent oral sentences using those words. Performance was measured using two metrics: a "strict" score, requiring exact word order and form, and a "lenient" score, allowing for minor variations. Statistical analyses, including paired and independent sample T-tests, were conducted to compare mean scores within and between groups. The results confirmed that participants’ WMC scores were significantly higher in L1 than in L2 for both intermediate and advanced learners, supporting the hypothesis that L2 speech production imposes greater cognitive demands. Furthermore, independent sample T-tests revealed that advanced learners scored significantly higher than intermediate learners in both L2 and L1 SSTs. This finding partially contradicted the initial hypothesis that L1 WMC would remain stable across proficiency levels. The data indicated that higher proficiency correlated with higher WMC scores in both languages, with mean differences of approximately 7–8 points in L2 and 5–6 points in L1. The authors interpret these findings through the lens of the Controlled-Attention View of working memory and skill acquisition theories. They argue that L2 formulation processes are less automatized than L1, requiring more controlled attention and thus reducing available WMC for storage tasks. As learners advance in proficiency, L2 knowledge becomes more automatized, freeing attentional resources for other cognitive tasks. The unexpected increase in L1 WMC among advanced learners is attributed to individual differences in general WMC or potential restructuring of L1 knowledge due to L2 acquisition. The study concludes that WMC is not a fixed biological endowment in the context of speech production but is influenced by the degree of automatization of linguistic knowledge, highlighting the interplay between controlled attention and language proficiency.

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• cognitive capacity variation