The Role of Working Memory and Phonological Short-Term Memory in L2 Academic Attainment: The Case with a Reading Course

Authors

  • Sami Alsalmi

    Department of English, King Saud University, Riyadh 11652, Saudi Arabia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i2.8266
Received: 8 December 2024 | Revised: 15 January 2025 | Accepted: 23 January 2025 | Published Online: 20 February 2025

Abstract

Reading in a second language (L2) is a complex process influenced by various factors. Among these, working memory capacity (WMC) and phonological short-term memory (PSTM) may play a role in L2 reading performance, though their precise impact remains insufficiently obvious. Research on WMC and PSTM in Arabic first-language learners of English is particularly limited. The present study investigated the relationship between WMC, PSTM, and the academic reading performance of Arabic-speaking students in an English university reading course. The study involved 34 Saudi undergraduate students enrolled in an English program at a Saudi university. WMC was assessed using a backward digit span task, while PSTM was measured with a forward digit span task. Academic reading performance was determined by the students’ final grades in the reading course. The results showed that performance on FDS is significantly greater than BDS in most various grades. More specifically, correlational analyses revealed that neither PSTM nor WMC had a significant relationship with students’ reading course grades. Consequently, the research hypothesis regarding the correlation between WMC and students’ reading attainment was rejected, while the hypothesis concerning the correlation between PSTM and students’ reading attainment was confirmed. The paper discusses these findings in detail, along with their methodological and pedagogical implications.

Keywords:

Working Memory Capacity; Phonological Short-Term Memory; Academic Reading Attainment

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How to Cite

Alsalmi, S. (2025). The Role of Working Memory and Phonological Short-Term Memory in L2 Academic Attainment: The Case with a Reading Course. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(2), 825–833. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i2.8266

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Vol. 7 , Iss. 2 (February 2025): In Progress

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Copyright © 2025 Sami Alsalmi

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.