A Meta-analysis: The Efficacy of Working Memory Span (WMS) on EFL Written skill Performance

Document Type : review article

Author

Department Of English, Islamic Azad university of Sabzevar, Sabzevar, Iran

Abstract

In order to investigate the effect of Working Memory (WM) on overall L2 performance and written skills (Reading and Writing) within non-native language learning arenas, a systematic review was conducted on 22 articles extracted from three reputable, local and international scientific databases including Noormags, Science Direct and Sage between 1990 and 2021. The total number of participants in this study included 1466 involving both male and female in all age groups of children and adults. In the selection of articles with 7 different criteria, coding was applied to the extracted studies and a research protocol was precisely presented. After examining the publication bias index and preliminary assumptions, the results showed that WM has been efficient at a significance level of less than 0.05 and with a high impact factor (1.05) with a positive direction in the 95% confidence interval on diverse aspects of second language learning. Secondly, WM has also been significant at a significant level less than 0.05 and with a high impact factor on reading comprehension skills and an impact factor (0.6) with a positive direction in the 95% confidence interval but this effect on L2 writing skills was not significant (p = 0.93). The results were finally analyzed with reference to the limitations of the current systematic meta-analysis.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Foreign Language Research
Volume 12, Issue 4
February 2023
Pages 552-579

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