Cognitive Individual Differences in Multilingualism: Language Aptitude and Working Memory in L3 Learners

This study investigated the relationships of language aptitude (LA) with working memory (WM) and their predictive roles in explaining third language (L3) comprehension. A sample of L1 Turkish-speaking English language teaching majors (N = 109) completed the LLAMA version 3 (Meara & Rogers, 2019), forward digit span, rotation, symmetry, and operation span tasks (Foster et al., 2015). L3 listening and reading comprehension measures were also administered to a subgroup of participants with L3 learning experience (N = 33). A factor analysis indicated verbal/phonological memory (digit span, operation span, and partially LLAMA D), visuospatial WM (symmetry and rotation span), and LLAMA (LLAMA B, E, F, partially D) factors. The L3 experience was not significantly correlated with any of the cognitive factors. The cognitive factors did not significantly contribute beyond L3 experience in explaining variance in L3 reading and listening comprehension. Findings were discussed regarding the verbal abilities shared by LA and WM and the potential sources of variation within L3 experience in young adult populations.