Chapter 3. The effects of cognitive aptitudes on the process and product of L2 interaction
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Shaofeng Li
Abstract
This study reports a comprehensive and in-depth synthesis of the theory and research on the role of working memory and language aptitude in mediating the process and product of second language (L2) interaction. The synthesis integrates meta-analysis and narrative review, using the former approach to aggregate the results and the latter to report themes and patterns that emerged from the studies. Altogether 24 studies were retrieved examining the relationships between the two cognitive variables and various aspects of L2 interaction. With regard to working memory, the results showed that (1) it had significant, albeit weak, associations with the effects of corrective feedback, (2) its associations with noticing the gap and producing modified output were variable and inconsistent, and (3) whereas phonological short-term memory may facilitate the development of oral ability, executive working memory may be essential for oral performance. Unlike working memory’s weak predictive power, language aptitude was found to be a strong predictor of the effects of corrective feedback. However, similar to the pattern for working memory, language aptitude was significantly more correlated with the effects of explicit feedback than those of implicit feedback. The overall weak effects of working memory were attributable to the salience of the instructional treatments and the methodological inconsistency of the primary studies such as the diverse measures of noticing. The finding that both working memory and language aptitude were more heavily implicated in explicit than implicit treatments points to the need to explore implicit language learning abilities.
Abstract
This study reports a comprehensive and in-depth synthesis of the theory and research on the role of working memory and language aptitude in mediating the process and product of second language (L2) interaction. The synthesis integrates meta-analysis and narrative review, using the former approach to aggregate the results and the latter to report themes and patterns that emerged from the studies. Altogether 24 studies were retrieved examining the relationships between the two cognitive variables and various aspects of L2 interaction. With regard to working memory, the results showed that (1) it had significant, albeit weak, associations with the effects of corrective feedback, (2) its associations with noticing the gap and producing modified output were variable and inconsistent, and (3) whereas phonological short-term memory may facilitate the development of oral ability, executive working memory may be essential for oral performance. Unlike working memory’s weak predictive power, language aptitude was found to be a strong predictor of the effects of corrective feedback. However, similar to the pattern for working memory, language aptitude was significantly more correlated with the effects of explicit feedback than those of implicit feedback. The overall weak effects of working memory were attributable to the salience of the instructional treatments and the methodological inconsistency of the primary studies such as the diverse measures of noticing. The finding that both working memory and language aptitude were more heavily implicated in explicit than implicit treatments points to the need to explore implicit language learning abilities.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- List of contributors xi
-
Introduction
- Chapter 1. Expanding individual difference research in the interaction approach 3
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Learners
- Chapter 2. Overview of learner individual differences and their mediating effects on the process and outcome of L2 interaction 19
- Chapter 3. The effects of cognitive aptitudes on the process and product of L2 interaction 41
- Chapter 4. The role of language analytic ability in the effectiveness of different feedback timing conditions 71
- Chapter 5. Gender and recasts 99
- Chapter 6. Interaction and phonetic form in task completion 121
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Instructors
- Chapter 7. Instructor individual characteristics and L2 interaction 151
- Chapter 8. Vietnamese TESOL teachers’ cognitions and practices 173
- Chapter 9. Investigating the relationship between instructor research training and pronunciation-related instruction and oral corrective feedback 201
- Chapter 10. Linguistic variation in instructor provision of oral input 225
- Chapter 11. Teachers’ provision of feedback in L2 text-chat 255
- Chapter 12. Preservice instructors’ performance on a language learning task 281
-
Other interlocutors
- Chapter 13. Look who’s interacting 305
- Index 325
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- List of contributors xi
-
Introduction
- Chapter 1. Expanding individual difference research in the interaction approach 3
-
Learners
- Chapter 2. Overview of learner individual differences and their mediating effects on the process and outcome of L2 interaction 19
- Chapter 3. The effects of cognitive aptitudes on the process and product of L2 interaction 41
- Chapter 4. The role of language analytic ability in the effectiveness of different feedback timing conditions 71
- Chapter 5. Gender and recasts 99
- Chapter 6. Interaction and phonetic form in task completion 121
-
Instructors
- Chapter 7. Instructor individual characteristics and L2 interaction 151
- Chapter 8. Vietnamese TESOL teachers’ cognitions and practices 173
- Chapter 9. Investigating the relationship between instructor research training and pronunciation-related instruction and oral corrective feedback 201
- Chapter 10. Linguistic variation in instructor provision of oral input 225
- Chapter 11. Teachers’ provision of feedback in L2 text-chat 255
- Chapter 12. Preservice instructors’ performance on a language learning task 281
-
Other interlocutors
- Chapter 13. Look who’s interacting 305
- Index 325
