چکیده:
The present study intended to examine the relationship between working memory (WM) and writing performance of a group of Iranian EFL learners and to explore whether learners with different working memory levels perform differently on the fluency, accuracy and complexity of texts produced or not. The necessary data were collected through the argumentative essay writing prompt and a computerized Persian version of reading span test as a measure of learners’ WM capacity. The correlation analysis revealed that there was a significant positive relationship between these two constructs. The results of Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) indicated that there were significant differences between High, Mid and Low WM groups in terms of fluency and accuracy of texts produced, but not their complexity. The findings confirmed the importance of WM while working on cognitively challenging tasks such as writing which requires automation and effective management of cognitive resources while writing. On the whole, the present study confirmed the idea that learners with different learning characteristics orchestrate their mental resources in different ways to perform in different phases of writing and part of their difficulties or even capabilities in writing can be attributed to the efficiency with which they apply these resources while dealing with different writing systems (formulation, execution, or monitoring) or engaging in different writing processes (translating, planning, programming, reading, or editing).
خلاصه ماشینی:
Department of English Language Teaching, University of Hormozgan, Hormozgan, Iran Abstract The present study intended to examine the relationship between working memory (WM) and writing performance of a group of Iranian EFL learners and to explore whether learners with different working memory levels perform differently on the fluency, accuracy and complexity of texts produced or not.
Since working memory coordinates attentional resources and is responsible for the initial appraisal, processing and temporary storage of the received information, it can be considered as an influential factor affecting performance on a variety of cognitive operations and abilities like language learning, comprehension, cognitive control, writing and reasoning (Engle, Kane, & Tuholski, 1999).
Accordingly, the present study intends to see whether there is any relationship between working memory and writing competence of Iranian EFL learners and 58 | P a g e Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory 2019, 2(5) whether this cognitive resource can make a difference in the fluency, complexity and accuracy of texts produced by learners or not.
Method The present study is quantitative in nature and intended to see the possible relationship between working memory as a cognitive resource and a group of Iranian EFL learners’ writing performance, in general, and, more specifically their performance in accuracy, fluency and complexity of written texts produced.