Working memory performance of Italian students with foreign language learning difficulties |
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| Institution: | 1. Microsoft Research Asia, China;2. University of Michigan, United States;3. University of Rochester, United States;1. CAPHRI - School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, Duboisdomein 30, 6229 GT Maastricht, The Netherlands;2. GPCC-Gothenburg Centre for Person-centred Care, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Centre for Person-Centred Care Research (GPCC), Gothenburg, Sweden;3. Department of Health Sciences, St. Gallen University of Applied Sciences, Rosenbergstrasse 59, Postfach, 9001 St. Gallen, Switzerland;4. Berne University of Applied Sciences, Berner Fachhochschule, Fachbereich Gesundheit, Murtenstrasse 10, 3008 Bern, Switzerland;5. Center for the Humanities and Health Sciences, Department of Nursing Science, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany;6. Department of Family Medicine and Department of Health Services Research, Caphri-School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, Duboisdomein 30, 6229 GT Maastricht, The Netherlands;7. Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Caphri-School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, Duboisdomein 30, 6229 GT Maastricht, The Netherlands |
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| Abstract: | It has been suggested that the ability to learn a foreign language is related to working memory. However, there is no clear evidence about which component of working memory may be involved.Two experiments investigated working memory problems in groups of seventh and eighth grade Italian children with difficulties in learning English as a second language. They were compared with control groups of children matched for age, education, school, and intelligence who differed for foreign language learning ability.Experiment 1 focused on clarifying how modality-specific the memory problem of children with a foreign language learning difficulty (FLLD) is. Verbal working memory tasks (forward and backward digit span) were proposed together with visuospatial working memory (VSWM) tasks. Groups showed a significant difference only in the more passive verbal working memory task, that is, the forward digit span.Experiment 2 focused on clarifying how central the verbal working memory problem of students with an FLLD is. A nonword repetition task and an Italian version of the listening span test were proposed. Groups differed significantly in both tasks. However, differences in the listening span test disappeared when nonword repetition performance was partialed out. It was concluded that a difficulty in learning a foreign language is mainly related to the more passive aspects of verbal working memory, typically associated with the articulatory loop. |
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