Working memory capacity and speech production in L2: evidences from a picture description task

Abstract

This is an experimental study which aimed at investigating the ralationsship between working memory capacity and measures of L2 speech performance in a picture description task. The main assumption underlying the present study was that L2 speaking is a complex cognitive task which is carried out within the constraints of a limited-capacity system, namely, working memory. In this system, there are trade-off effects between the storage and processing functions of working memory just as in L2 speaking there are trade-off effects among fluency, accuracy and complexity when L2 learners perform under processing pressure.