The Relationship between Working Memory Capacity and Second Language Reading Comprehension: Does Learners’ Age of Onset Make a Difference?

To contribute to a better understanding of the role of WM in the second language (L۲) comprehension, the present study investigated the relationship between working memory capacity (WMC) and L۲ reading comprehension composite scores. In addition, the relationship between working memory (WM) components (storage vs. processing) and L۲ reading comprehension dimensions (literal vs. inferential comprehension) was explored. The impact of the participants' age of onset (AO) on their L۲ reading comprehension composite scores as well as their literal and inferential comprehension was also scrutinized. Additionally, the relationship between the storage and processing components of WM was examined. A total of ۱۰۳ participants from the state university of Bu-Ali Sina, Hamedan, Iran, selected through a purposive sampling procedure took part in the study. Data were collected through a language background questionnaire (LBQ), a reading span task (RST), and a reading comprehension measure consisting of implicit and explicit questions. Results of the correlation between WMC and L۲ reading comprehension composite scores as well as the results obtained from the correlation between WMC components and L۲ reading comprehension dimensions revealed that there was no significant correlation between WMC and L۲ reading comprehension composite scores and no significant correlation between WMC components and L۲ reading comprehension dimensions. In addition, no significant difference between early and late L۲ learners' reading comprehension composite scores as well as their literal and inferential comprehension abilities was observed, which provides counterevidence for the predictions of the Critical Period Hypothesis. Results of the correlation between the storage and processing components of WMC, however, revealed that there was a significant negative correlation between the storage and processing components of WMC, and this negative correlation was even stronger for the lower-capacity participants, providing support for the time-based resource sharing (TBRS) model of WM (Barrouillet et al., ۲۰۰۴).

Keywords:

WMC , L۲ reading comprehension , literal reading , inferential reading , L۲ age of onset