Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Sweden.
Memory. 2010 May;18(4):458-72. doi: 10.1080/09658211003762084. Epub 2010 Apr 14.
The present study examined the contribution of working memory processes in children's foreign language processing of sentences and short stories. A total of 95 children were given measures of working memory when 9-10 years old. One to two years later at ages 11-12, tasks tapping foreign language literal comprehension (English) and native language inferential comprehension (Swedish) were administered. Regression and correlation analyses demonstrated that both central executive and phonological loop processes predicted foreign language comprehension, whereas central executive processes but not phonological loop processes predicted native language reading comprehension. These findings show that children's foreign language processing is supported by their working memory capacity tested in their native language. Some of these working memory resources appear to be unique for foreign language. The strong association between native language and foreign language processing suggests that an important factor in becoming proficient in foreign language is the child's general language aptitude. Possible mechanisms for the contribution of working memory to children's foreign language comprehension are discussed.
本研究考察了工作记忆过程在儿童外语句子和短文加工中的贡献。共有 95 名儿童在 9-10 岁时接受了工作记忆测试。一到两年后，即 11-12 岁时，他们接受了外语字面理解（英语）和母语推理理解（瑞典语）的任务。回归和相关分析表明，中央执行过程和语音回路过程都预测了外语理解，而中央执行过程但不是语音回路过程预测了母语阅读理解。这些发现表明，儿童的外语加工得到了他们在母语中测试的工作记忆能力的支持。其中一些工作记忆资源似乎是外语特有的。母语和外语加工之间的强烈关联表明，精通外语的一个重要因素是儿童的一般语言能力。讨论了工作记忆对儿童外语理解的贡献的可能机制。
