The role of Working Memory in enhancing listening comprehension for pre-intermediate Vietnamese EFL learners

Vy Thi Mai Luu

doi:10.46223/HCMCOUJS.soci.en.15.6.3371.2025

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a significant surge in interest regarding the interplay between Second Language (L2) Acquisition and Working Memory (WM). However, the impact of WM on L2 Listening Comprehension (LC) remains a subject of ongoing debate, as evidenced by inconsistent results from various empirical studies. Consequently, this study aims to explore the relationship between LC and WM capacity among novice English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. It also seeks to determine how the presentation mode of WM assessments, whether visual or auditory, affects L2 listening skills. The study collected data from 65 Vietnamese college beginners who participated in the DIALANG listening test and undertook memory tests, including both visual and auditory versions of the forward and backward Digit Span Tasks. Contrary to our expectations, the analysis revealed only a weak positive correlation between LC and WM. This tenuous connection is likely influenced by the participants’ L2 proficiency, individual characteristics, and the nature of the WM measures used. These findings add to the body of inconsistent evidence regarding the LC-WM relationship. The study discusses several pedagogical implications and acknowledges its limitations based on these results.

Keywords

correlation; digit span tasks; listening comprehension; working memory

Full Text:

PDF

References

Adams, R., & Shahnazari-Dorcheh, M. (2014). The relationship between working memory and L2 reading comprehension. Applied Research on English Language, 3(6), 19–34.

Alderson, J. C. (2005). Diagnosing Foreign Language Proficiency: The Interface between Learning and Assessment. New York: Continuum.

Andringa, S., Olsthoorn, N., Beuningen, C. van, Schoonen, R., & Hulstijn, J. (2012). Determinants of Success in Native and Non-Native Listening Comprehension: An Individual Differences Approach. Language Learning, 62(9), 49–78.

Baddeley, A. (2018). Exploring Working Memory. Routledge.

Bigelow, J., & Poremba, A. (2014). Achilles’ ear? Inferior human short-term and recognition memory in the auditory modality. PLoS ONE, 9(2).

Bozorgian, H. (2012). Listening Skill Requires a Further Look into Second/Foreign Language Learning. ISRN Education, 2012, 1–10.

Brang, D., Towle, V. L., Suzuki, S., Hillyard, S. A., Di Tusa, S., Grabowecky, M. (2015). Peripheral sounds rapidly activate visual cortex: evidence from electrocorticography. Journal of Neurophysiology, 114(5), 3023–3028.

Brunfaut, T., & Révész, A. (2015). The Role of Task and Listener Characteristics in Second Language Listening. TESOL Quarterly, 49(1), 141–168.

Cate, A. D., Herron, T. J., Yund, E. W., Stecker, G. C., Rinne, T., Kang, Woods, D. L. (2009). Auditory Attention Activates Peripheral Visual Cortex. PLoS ONE, 4(2).

Chang, A. C. S. (2008). Sources of listening anxiety in learning english as a foreign language. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 106(1), 21–34. https://doi.org/10.2466/PMS.106.1.21-34

Daneman, M., & Merikle, P. M. (1996). Working memory and language comprehension: A meta-analysis. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 3(4), 422–433.

Fay, A., & Buchweitz, A. (2014). Listening Comprehension and Individual Differences in Working Memory Capacity in Beginning L2 Learners. Letrônica, Porto Alegre, 7(1), 113–129.

Finardi, K. R., & Silveira, R. (2011). Working memory capacity in the production and acquisition of a syntactic rule in L2 speech. Belo Horizonte, 11(1), 199–221.

Gathercole, S. E. (2006). Nonword repetition and word learning : The nature of the relationship. Applied Psycholinguistics, 27, 545–598.

Gu, S., & Wang, T. (2007). Study on the relationship between working memory and EFL listening comprehension. CELEA Journal , 30(6), 46–56.

Haist, F., Song, A. W., Wild, K., Faber, T. L., Popp, C. A., & Morris, R. D. (2001). Linking sight and sound: fMRI evidence of primary auditory cortex activation during visual word recognition. Brain and Language, 76(3), 340–350.

Harrington, M., & Sawyer, M. (1992). L2 working memory capacity and L2 reading skill. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 14(1), 25–38.

Jensen, A. R. (1971). Individual differences in visual and auditory memory. Journal of Educational Psychology, 62(2), 123–131.

Just, M. A., & Carpenter, P. A. (1992). A Capacity Theory of Comprehension: Individual Differences in Working Memory. Psychological Review, 99(1), 122–149.

Karimi, M. N., & Naghdivand, R. (2017). Literal and Inferential Listening Comprehension: The Role of L1 vs. L2 Auditory Working Memory Capacity. Journal of Modern Research in English Language Studies, 4(4), 67–84.

Kimura, H. (2008). Foreign language listening anxiety: Its dimensionality and group differences. JALT Journal, 30(2), 173–195.

Kormos, J., & Sáfár, A. (2008). Phonological short-term memory, working memory and foreign language performance in intensive language learning. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 11(2), 261–271.

Linck, J. A., Osthus, P., Koeth, J. T., & Bunting, M. F. (2014). Working memory and second language comprehension and production: A meta-analysis. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 21(4), 861–883.

Lindner, K., Blosser, G., & Cunigan, K. (2009). Visual versus auditory learning and memory recall performance on short-term versus long-term tests. Modern Psychological Studies, 15(1), 6.

Lynch, T., & Mendelsohn, D. (2010). Listening. In N. Schmitt (Ed.), An Introduction to Applied Linguistics (pp. 180–196). London: Hachette.

Martin, K. I., & Ellis, N. C. (2012). The roles of phonological short-term memory and working memory in L2 grammar and vocabulary learning. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 34(3), 379–413.

Mascio, B. (2017). Working Memory Assessments : Going Beyond Auditory and Visual Representations , to Include Sub-Skill Processes. Havvard University.

McDonald, J. J., Stormer, V. S., Martinez, A., Feng, W., & Hillyard, S. A. (2013). Salient sounds activate visual cortex automatically. J Neurosci.

Mitchell, A. E., Jarvis, S., O’Malley, M., & Konstantinova, I. (2015). Working Memory Measures and L2 Proficiency. In Working Memory in Second Language Acquisition Processing. Bristol.

Namaziandost, E., Hafezian, M., & Shafiee, S. (2018). Exploring the association among working memory, anxiety and Iranian EFL learners’ listening comprehension. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 3(1).

Noro, T. (2005). Developing a Construct Model of “Listening Stress”: A Qualitative Study of the Affective Domain of the Listening Process. Japan Society of English Language Education, 61–70.

Olsthoorn, N. M., Andringa, S., & Hulstijn, J. H. (2014). Visual and auditory digit-span performance in native and non-native speakers. International Journal of Bilingualism, 18(6), 663–673.

Petkov, C. I., & Belin, P. (2013). Silent reading: Does the brain “hear” both speech and voices? Current Biology, 23(4), R155–R156.

Rezai, M. J., & Okhovat, B. (2016). The Effect of Working Memory on EFL Learners’ Oral Fluency. International Journal of English Linguistics, 6(5), 74.

Sato, Y. (2019). The Relationships Between Phonological Working Memory, Executive Working Memory, and Second Language Proficiency. KATE Journal, 33, 69–82.

Satori, M. (2012a). The role of working memory in L2 Listening Comprehension. In Proceedings of the 17th Conference of Pan-Pacific Association of Applied Linguistics.

Satori, M. (2012b). Working Memory as a Factor Affecting L2 Listening Comprehension Sub-skills. In Z. Wen, M. B. Mota, & A. M. Neill (Eds.), Working Memory in Second Language Acquisition Processing. Multilingual Matters.

Sven, H., Nakagawa, T. T., Puci, P., Zech, A., & Buhner, M. (2015). The digit span backwards task: Verbal and visual cognitive strategies in working memory assessment. European Journal of Psychologcal Assessment, 14, 174–180.

Vandergrift, L., & Baker, S. (2015). Learner variables in second language listening comprehension: An exploratory path analysis. Language Learning, 65(2), 390–416.

Vogely, A. J. (1998). Listening Comprehension Anxiety: Students’ Reported Sources and Solutions. Foreign Language Annals, 31(1), 67–80.

Wright, C. (2015). Working Memory and L2 Development Across the Lifespan: A Commentary. In Working Memory in Second Language Acquisition Processing.

Wright, C. (2019). 11. Research in Memory and Processing in Second Language Acquisition. Mind Matters in SLA, 203–219.

Zafarghandi, M., & Bahrpeyma, M. (2017). The relationship between short-term memory and listening comprehension ability of IELTS test takers at different language proficiency levels. International Journal of Research Studies in Language Learning, 6(3), 35–45.

Zheng, Y., & Cheng, L. (2018). How does anxiety influence language performance? From the perspectives of foreign language classroom anxiety and cognitive test anxiety. Language Testing in Asia, 8(1).

Zhou, P., Garnsey, S., & Christianson, K. (2019). Is imagining a voice like listening to it? Evidence from ERPs. Cognition, 182(11), 227–241.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46223/HCMCOUJS.soci.en.15.6.3371.2025

15(6)2025

The role of Working Memory in enhancing listening comprehension for pre-intermediate Vietnamese EFL learners

Abstract

Keywords

Full Text:

References