The role of cognitive factors in primary school language learning settings

Given the vital role of the knowledge of additional languages for the future of young learners, the teaching and assessment of English language skills for this age group has recently become the focus of growing interest. Therefore, in the teaching and assessment in primary and secondary school contexts, special attention needs to be paid to the developing cognitive capacity and affective characteristics of young learners. This featured presentation will discuss the role of working memory (WM) functions in the learning processes and outcomes of young L2 learners. Despite a growing body of research into the relationship between WM functions and adult L2 learning and performance, we still have a limited understanding of how young learners’ WM influences L2 learning. Yet, individual differences in WM are particularly relevant for children whose attentional regulation mechanisms are still developing. Study of the link between WM storage capacity and attention regulation ability is also important because teaching and assessment tasks can vary in their demands on attentional resources. Hence, tasks that are excessively taxing on the storage and processing functions of WM and attentional resources might not contribute to children’s L2 development and might unfairly disadvantage children with lower levels of WM functioning in language learning and assessment. Therefore, in this talk I will elaborate how various functions of WM impact on input processing, noticing and L2 development of young L2 learners. Using contemporary models of WM, the presentation will also discuss how the characteristics of language learning and assessment tasks can interact with individual variation in WM abilities. The talk will conclude with suggestions on how language teaching pedagogy can create an inclusive environment where differences in young learners’ cognitive characteristics do not hinder successful L2 acquisition.