Perceived L2 oral fluency, working memory, foreign language enjoyment and foreign language anxiety: identifying distinct patterns of relationship.

Abstract

L2 oral fluency is a core aspect of general oral proficiency. However, it represents a distinct challenge for L2 speakers as it requires a real-time efficient allocation of cognitive resources. Specifically, working memory (WM) plays a crucial role in speech production. These cognitive resources are limited and vary from one speaker to another. Additionally, they have long been shown to interact with foreign language anxiety and foreign language enjoyment, which interact with various aspects of L2 oral production. To our knowledge, no previous studies have investigated the relationship that might exist between perceived L2 oral fluency; i.e. listeners' judgments about L2 speakers' fluency, WM, foreign language anxiety and foreign language enjoyment. To fill this gap, 78 ESL French-speaking adults were subjected to a picture-based narration task. A flowchart scheme was used to measure perceived L2 oral fluency. WM was measured using a numerical span test, and foreign language anxiety and foreign language enjoyment were measured through a questionnaire. Results show a distinct pattern of interaction between the variables. More specifically, foreign language anxiety significantly predicted perceived L2 oral fluency among participants with a weaker WM, whereas foreign language enjoyment significantly predicted L2 oral fluency among participants with a stronger WM capacity.