Working memory and distributed vocabulary learning

P W B  Atkins; A D Baddeley

Working memory and distributed vocabulary learning

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study tested the hypothesis that individual differences in immediate verbal memory span would predict success in second language vocabulary acquisition. The subjects learned 56 English-Finnish translations during two sessions using a method in which they were encouraged to distribute their learning and to use semantic encoding strategies where appropriate. Verbal, but not visuo-spatial, memory span was correlated with the rate of vocabulary learning, a result that could not have occurred because of immediate retrieval from a short-term buffer. When tested one week later, the subjects were less likely to remember those words they had had difficulty learning, even though they had studied these items more often. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings for vocabulary learning are discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	537-552
Number of pages	16
Journal	Applied psycholinguistics
Volume	19
Issue number	4
Publication status	Published - Dec 1998

Keywords

SHORT-TERM-MEMORY
FOREIGN-LANGUAGE VOCABULARY
PHONOLOGICAL MEMORY
ACQUISITION
CHILDREN
DEPENDS
RECALL

Cite this

@article{541757cc78c64d739723cb486cfdb70c,

title = "Working memory and distributed vocabulary learning",

abstract = "This study tested the hypothesis that individual differences in immediate verbal memory span would predict success in second language vocabulary acquisition. The subjects learned 56 English-Finnish translations during two sessions using a method in which they were encouraged to distribute their learning and to use semantic encoding strategies where appropriate. Verbal, but not visuo-spatial, memory span was correlated with the rate of vocabulary learning, a result that could not have occurred because of immediate retrieval from a short-term buffer. When tested one week later, the subjects were less likely to remember those words they had had difficulty learning, even though they had studied these items more often. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings for vocabulary learning are discussed.",

keywords = "SHORT-TERM-MEMORY, FOREIGN-LANGUAGE VOCABULARY, PHONOLOGICAL MEMORY, ACQUISITION, CHILDREN, DEPENDS, RECALL",

author = "Atkins, {P W B} and Baddeley, {A D}",

year = "1998",

month = dec,

language = "English",

volume = "19",

pages = "537--552",

journal = "Applied psycholinguistics",

issn = "0142-7164",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Working memory and distributed vocabulary learning

AU - Atkins, P W B

AU - Baddeley, A D

PY - 1998/12

Y1 - 1998/12

N2 - This study tested the hypothesis that individual differences in immediate verbal memory span would predict success in second language vocabulary acquisition. The subjects learned 56 English-Finnish translations during two sessions using a method in which they were encouraged to distribute their learning and to use semantic encoding strategies where appropriate. Verbal, but not visuo-spatial, memory span was correlated with the rate of vocabulary learning, a result that could not have occurred because of immediate retrieval from a short-term buffer. When tested one week later, the subjects were less likely to remember those words they had had difficulty learning, even though they had studied these items more often. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings for vocabulary learning are discussed.

AB - This study tested the hypothesis that individual differences in immediate verbal memory span would predict success in second language vocabulary acquisition. The subjects learned 56 English-Finnish translations during two sessions using a method in which they were encouraged to distribute their learning and to use semantic encoding strategies where appropriate. Verbal, but not visuo-spatial, memory span was correlated with the rate of vocabulary learning, a result that could not have occurred because of immediate retrieval from a short-term buffer. When tested one week later, the subjects were less likely to remember those words they had had difficulty learning, even though they had studied these items more often. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings for vocabulary learning are discussed.

KW - SHORT-TERM-MEMORY

KW - FOREIGN-LANGUAGE VOCABULARY

KW - PHONOLOGICAL MEMORY

KW - ACQUISITION

KW - CHILDREN

KW - DEPENDS

KW - RECALL

M3 - Article

SN - 0142-7164

VL - 19

SP - 537

EP - 552

JO - Applied psycholinguistics

JF - Applied psycholinguistics

IS - 4

ER -