But what I find relevant to teaching English as a foreign language is the suggestion that this extant knowledge is so efficient in guiding human behaviour because it is automatically “ tagged ” by language . The implication of this is that , in learning a foreign language , working memory ( attention ) is guided by previous knowledge , which is inherently tagged by the native language . This idea is supported by research showing that we remember the gist of what we read in a second or foreign language in our first language . In other words , the idea of immersion language teaching , in which only the L2 is used , is completely impossible to achieve , as all student learning is immersed in their prior , linguistically-tagged knowledge . But the big question for me is : How much does this inevitable intrusion of the L1 interfere with L2 learning ? More specifically , what does it add to the working memory load associated with performing tasks and exercises in the L2 ? When we allow time for planning output or responding to input , do we allow sufficient time for the working memory load of using the L1 as well as the L2 to integrate the L2 input into our previous ( long-term ) knowledge ? Do we have any idea what sufficient time is , for learners with high or low working memory capacity ?
Overall , I guess the key reminder for me from Peter ’ s talk , and reflecting on working memory in the foreign language learning classroom , is that is highlights just how important it is that activities are engaging enough to keep distraction at bay as much as possible , yet also allow sufficient processing time so as not to overload learners . With such a delicate balancing act to achieve , and given it will vary according to individual differences between learners , maybe it shouldn ’ t be so surprising when a lesson plan works perfectly in one class yet falls to pieces in another !
Further reading ( freely available online ):
Doolittle , P . E ., & Altstaedter , L . L . ( 2009 ). The effect of working memory capacity on multimedia learning : Does attentional control result in improved performance ? Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching , 2 ( 1 ), 7-25 .
Lunqvist , M ., Rose , J ., Herman , P , Brincat , S . L , Buschman , T . J ., & Miller , E . K . ( 2016 ). Gamma and beta bursts underlie working memory . Neuron , 90 , 152 – 164 .
Ma , W . J ., Husain , M ., & Bays , P . M . ( 2014 ). Changing concepts of working memory . Nature Neuroscience , 17 ( 3 ), 347 – 356 .
Unsworth , N ., Engle , R . W . ( 2007 ). The nature of individual differences in working memory capacity : Active maintenance in primary memory and controlled search from secondary memory . Psychological Review , 114 ( 1 ), 104 – 132 .
Caroline Handley is a Visiting Faculty Member at Asia University in Tokyo and a PhD candidate at Swansea University in Wales . Her main research interests are in vocabulary and the mental lexicon , and the interaction between linguistic and conceptual knowledge .
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