New conceptualizations of language aptitude : the potential of working memory in second language acquisition (SLA)

Abstract

Foreign language (FL) aptitude is generally understood as a talent for foreign language learning. For many years, it has been researched and combined with intelligence and language proficiency. At present, foreign language aptitude construct is experiencing a growing interest in its memory component which was slightly bypassed in its research history. The paper sheds light on new conceptualizations of foreign language aptitude by emphasizing the role of working memory (WM) in the second language acquisition (SLA) process. It is organized into 3 sections. The first section of the paper presents a brief historical overview of the research on language aptitude based on John Carroll’s work. The second part elaborates on the working memory construct, discussing Baddeley’s multi-component model of WM and its functions. Further discussion concentrates on a combination of two significant notions by proposing to incorporate working memory as a crucial component of language aptitude construct. In light of the issue mentioned above, the third section of the article focuses on the newest and original empirical studies which support the role of WM in different aspects of L2 learning, i.e. speaking and bilingual interpretation as well as vocabulary and grammar learning. Its concluding part reflects upon the relevance of language aptitude, paving the way for future research.