Working Memory and L2 Development: An Overview

구재명 한국응용언어학회 2018 응용 언어학 Vol.34 No.S

Working memory (WM) has been considered as a critical individual-variance factor that likely affects performance on higher-order cognitive behaviors including reading, reasoning, and language learning. As such, WM has been hotly debated and extensively researched in various academic fields dealing with human cognition. Various theoretical explanations and models have been proposed/developed in cognitive psychology on the nature of WM and its variation (e.g., Baddeley’s multi-component model, Cowan’s embedded-processes model, and Engle’s executive attention theory). However, regardless of varied renditions of theoretical models and perspectives on WM and its nature, much of relevant research has provided clear evidence that WM affects cognitive performance. L2 learning is not an exception. L2 research to date has indicated that high- WMC learners likely perform better on L2 tasks and benefit more from instructional treatments on varying aspects of L2 than their low-WMC counterparts, although this is not always the case. Notwithstanding all exciting and thought-provoking findings, there exist some issues to consider and resolve when designing and conducting research on the link between WM and L2 development (e.g., dependent variable measures, language- (in)dependency, scoring procedures for span tasks). This article describes theoretical explanations and models of WM, presents a review of research on the role of WM in L2 development, and discusses some methodological issues to consider for more valid and reliable WM-SLA research.

초등예비교사의 외국어 학습 즐거움, 불안감, 그리고 교수 불안감

구재명,김영주 글로벌영어교육학회 2022 Studies in English education Vol.27 No.4

This study explores three emotional variables in terms of how they relate to each other: foreign language enjoyment (FLE), foreign language anxiety (FLA), and foreign language teaching anxiety (FLTA). One hundred and thirty-four preservice elementary school teachers participated in this survey study. Data were collected from their responses to a 52-item questionnaire including 10 items designed to measure FLE, 8 items to measure FLA, and 18 items to measure FLTA. Five FLTA items found to trigger relatively high anxiety were making errors while speaking, teaching speaking, correcting learner errors, answering grammatical questions of which they are unsure, teaching fluent learners. As expected, FLE was negatively correlated with FLA and FLTA, and FLA was positively correlated with FLTA. Overall results on the role of gender, albeit statistically nonsignificant, lend support to previous research findings at least in terms of the trend of female learners outscoring male learners in both anxiety and enjoyment. With respect to the participants’ minor (English vs. non-English), English-minor students scored statistically significantly higher in FLE and (almost) statistically significantly lower in FLA and FLTA than did their non-English-minor counterparts. When their self-rated proficiency was statistically controlled for, previously-observed nontrivial between-groups differences in FLA and FLTA dissipated. However, statistical significance in FLE remained unchanged. Other findings and relevant issues are also discussed.

Effects of the Type of Dyad on Repair Patterns and Linguistic Features in Repairs

구재명,이광옥 한국영어어문교육학회 2012 영어어문교육 Vol.18 No.3

The present study examined the role of language proficiency in dyadic discourse in the organization of repairs and the distribution of linguistic features contained in repairs. One native speaker of English and five non-native speakers participated and formed three dyads: one same-proficiency NNS-NNS (non-native speaker), one different-proficiency NNS-NNS, and one NS (native speaker)-NNS dyads. Results showed that overall repair patterns in this type of interaction were more conversational than didactic, and that the degree of difference in proficiency between the participants in the dyad influenced repair patterns and the distribution of linguistic features in relation to repair patterns. Also, discussed in the present paper are some implications of the results and other issues related to language learning.

Corrective Feedback and Phonological Short-Term Memory in the Acquisition of the English That-Trace Filter: A Conceptual Replication of Goo (2012)

구재명 21세기영어영문학회 2014 영어영문학21 Vol.27 No.1

Recent interaction research has shown that corrective feedback may benefit L2 learners to varying degrees, and that certain types of feedback may be more beneficial than others, engendering much discussion and research attempts to investigate the issue. Goo’s (2012) study is one of those empirical attempts conducted in this line of research paradigm. The present study, as a conceptual replication of Goo’s original study, explores this on-going area of feedback research, the relative efficacy of different forms of corrective feedback, and whether/how phonological short-term memory (PSTM) mediates the impact of different feedback moves on the acquisition of the English that-trace filter. Twenty-nine adult high-intermediate Korean EFL learners were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a recast, metalinguistic feedback, and comparison groups. The study employed a pretest-posttest design. One intensive treatment session was implemented. Two dependent variable measures were developed/administered to assess learner performance: a timed grammaticality judgment test and a timed oral production test. Overall results showed that metalinguistic feedback was more effective than recasts at facilitating the acquisition of the target construction. PSTM was not found to be correlated with the effectiveness of recasts and metalinguistic feedback. Different patterns of learner performance were also observed depending upon the mode of dependent variable measure.

Double Relative Clauses through Multiple Nominative Constructions

구재명,조정민 21세기영어영문학회 2013 영어영문학21 Vol.26 No.3

This study examines Han and Kim’s (2004) proposal that the source sentences of double relative clauses in Korean are those contained in multiple nominative constructions (MNCs). We revisit their MNC-based analysis and discuss their claims with respect to the main features of MNCs: the characteristic property condition, coindexation, case-stacking, and Subject-to-Object raising, all of which are required to form legitimate MNCs. We first summarize Han and Kim’s study, describe the above-mentioned four fundamental characteristics of MNCs, and discuss how valid their MNC-based analysis of Korean double relative clauses is. Although further research likely sheds more light on this topic and other relevant issues, their MNC-based claim regarding what seems to be a double relative clause structure, as our discussion illustrates, appears to be quite tenable.

CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK AND WORKING MEMORY CAPACITY IN INTERACTION-DRIVEN L2 LEARNING

구재명 CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS 2012 STUDIES IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION Vol.34 No.3

Working Memory and Corrective Feedback in Interaction

구재명 한국현대언어학회 2017 언어연구 Vol.32 No.4

The present study is designed (a) to examine the relative efficacy of one feedback move over another (recasts vs. metalinguistic feedback) on the acquisition of the English past unreal conditional and (b) to explore whether working memory (WM) mediates the extent to which L2 learners benefit from the two feedback moves. Eighty-three Korean EFL learners were randomly assigned to one of three groups: recast (n=24), metalinguistic (n=27), and comparison (n=32). Each individual learner carried out a series of tasks and tests: (a) one WM span task (operation span), (b) one dyadic intensive oral treatment session, (c) oral production tests, and (d) grammaticality judgment tests (GJTs). Results showed that recasts were slightly more effective than metalinguistic feedback at precipitating development of the English past unreal conditional as evidenced in learners’ GJT performance. However, no significant or noticeable difference was observed between the two feedback conditions in learners’ oral performance. WM was significantly predictive of the oral pre-to-post development of the metalinguistic feedback condition only.

인지능력의 개별차와 한국어 학습자의 주격-목적격 관계절 프로세싱

구재명 사단법인 인문사회과학기술융합학회 2018 예술인문사회융합멀티미디어논문지 Vol.8 No.6

The present study is a conceptual replication of O’Grady, Lee, and Choo’s (2003) earlier study designed to investigate two hypotheses (linear distance hypothesis vs. structural distance hypothesis) in relation to L2 Korean learners’ processing of Korean subject and object relative clauses (RCs) in a scholarly attempt to explicate Keenan and Comrie’s (1977) Noun Phrase Accessibility Hierarchy (NPAH). In addition, the current study is intended to explore any potential role of working memory capacity (WMC) in the processing of Korean subject and/or object RCs. Chinese-speaking learners of Korean taking a language course offered at a local university in Korea participated in this experimental study. Among those recruited, only 23 learners completed the experimental tasks appropriately according to the specific instructions provided on each task, and thus, subsequent statistical analyses were conducted on their data. Fifteen Korean NSs were also recruited for the control group. Two experimental tasks were administerd to the participants: one picture selection task containing the same test items used in O’Grady et al.’s study to measure their processing of subject-object RCs and an operation span (OSPAN) task to measure their WMC. Somewhat differently from O’Grady et al.’s findings, the participating Chinese learners of Korean performed significantly better on object RCs than on subject RCs, seemingly lending support to the linear distance hypothesis. Further analyses, however, suggested that the results in favor of, or relative ease of processing, object relative clauses were due, most likely, to the learners’ excessive use of the canonical sentence strategy, which also led to nonsignificant correlations between WMC and learner performance on the picture selection task. 본 연구는, 한국어 학습자들의 주격과 목적격 관계절 프로세싱과 관련한 두 가지 가설인 선형거리가설(Linear distance hypothesis)과 구조거리가설(Structural distance hypothesis)을 통해 Keenan과 Comrie(1977)의 명사구 접근 위계(Noun Phrase Accessibility Hierarchy)를 검증한 O’Grady, Lee, 그리고 Choo의 2003년 연구를 바탕으로 설계된 conceptual replication 연구이다. 본 실험에서는 한국에서 공부하는 중국어 모어 학습자들을 대상으로 두 가설을 테스트 하였다. 더불어, 두 가설과 관련, 인지적인 능력(작동기억)의 개별차가 어떤 역할을 하는지에 대해서도 추가적으로 조사하였다. 실험 당시 지방의 모 대학 소재 한국어학당에서 공부하는 중국어 모어 학습자들이 실험집단으로 참여하였다. 각각의 실험 활동을 올바르게 인지하고 참여한 23명의 학습자 데이터에 한하여 통계 분석이 이루어졌다. 통제집단으로는 한국어 모어 대학생 15명이 참여하였다. 참가자들은 두 가지 실험 활동을 수행하였다: O’Grady외의 연구에서 사용된 동일한 관계절들이 포함된 그림 선택 활동과 작동기억 측정을 위해 디자인된 활동(Operation Span Task). 본 실험의 결과는 O’Grady외의 연구 결과와 다소 차이를 보였다. 즉, 주격보다는 목적격 관계절에 대한 학생들의 이해도가 상대적으로 현저하게 높게 나타났다. 세부적인 분석에 따르면, 이는 선형거리가설에 따른 현상이라기보다는, 상용절 전략을 사용한 프로세싱 결과로 해석하는 것이 더 적절해 보인다. 작동기억의 개별차와 관계절 프로세싱이 유의미한 상관관계가 없는 것으로 나타난 것도 이러한 과도한 상용절 전략의 결과로 볼 수 있다.

Input Types, Language Proficiency, and Working Memory

구재명 한국외국어대학교 외국어교육연구소 2020 외국어교육연구 Vol.34 No.1

The present study investigated the relative effects of three different types of written texts (genuine, simplified, and elaborated) on L2 learners’ reading comprehension. Two potential variables, language proficiency and working memory (WM), were also examined in terms of their mediating role in the efficacy of text modification on comprehension. Korean EFL high school learners from three intact classes participated in this quasi-experimental study. Eight genuine articles were selected for two types of modification, simplification and elaboration. Three groups, each of which read one of three versions, were compared with regard to their reading comprehension, WM measured via an operation span task, and proficiency as reflected in a mock/sample test administered earlier. Results showed somewhat negative effects of elaboration, no significant association between WM and reading comprehension, and some role of proficiency in reading genuine texts. These results are discussed in terms of learner characteristics, research design, and previous findings.

English Relative Clauses: Are Korean ESL Learners Avoiding Them?

구재명 ( Jae Myung Goo ) 21세기영어영문학회 2012 영어영문학21 Vol.25 No.4

This study examined Schachter`s argument (1974) on ESL learners` avoidance behavior likely caused by L1-L2 differences. In this study of avoidance, eight Korean graduate students carried out two types of production tasks over four sessions: oral and written production tasks in Korean as well as in English. Five native speakers of English attending an American university and five native speakers of Korean living in Korea at the time of the experiment and receiving no structured English instruction also participated in the experiment as the English control group and the Korean control group, respectively. Results showed that the experimental participants had avoided using English relative clauses. The argument of their avoidance of English relative clauses is based on the evidential data that mirrored two compelling observations: (a) the rare occurrence of English relative clauses in the contexts in which they produced quite a few Korean relative clauses, (b) the rare occurrence in the contexts in which native speakers of English produced English relative clauses. Finally, it was also observed that such relative clauses as SU and DO relative clauses, which are higher on the accessibility hierarchy (Keenan & Comrie, 1977), accounted for the overwhelming majority of the relative clauses produced in all tasks, reaffirming the reliability of the accessibility hierarchy.