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

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.