Foreign Language Aptitude, Phonological Working Memory, and Language Analytic Ability in Multilingual Children from Two Age Groups

Vicente Manzanedo, Esther (2025) Foreign Language Aptitude, Phonological Working Memory, and Language Analytic Ability in Multilingual Children from Two Age Groups. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Research on child foreign language aptitude is still scarce when compared to adult studies, especially in multilingual contexts. This study examines the language aptitude, phonological working memory, and language analytic ability of bilingual and multilingual children in Grades 2 and 6 attending an international school in China. There is a common assumption that both multilingual speakers and children can acquire languages with ease, posing the question whether all multilingual children will have a high aptitude for language learning. Similarly, phonological working memory skills are attributed to young and beginner language learners, whereas analytic abilities might be more relevant for adult and experienced learners. Given their familiarity with several languages, yet still within the Critical Period, these multilingual children could potentially rely on all abilities for their language learning. The variables were measured with a variety of tests with a long tradition in linguistics and psycholinguistics. The LLAMA battery was used to determine the aptitude level of the participants, complemented with a nonword recognition test and a language analytic ability test, as well as proficiency measures and a language background questionnaire. This project has contributed to the still growing research field of foreign language aptitude in children. Results provide further evidence supporting the importance of phonological working memory and auditory abilities at early acquisition stages, while analytic abilities gain importance as proficiency increases, even in children. These conclusions, however, raise the question of whether these relationships might depend on proficiency level rather than age, questioning Critical Period claims as well as multilingual assumptions about language learning.

Keywords: foreign language aptitude, phonological working memory, language analytic ability, multilingual.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > School of Media, Language and Communication Studies
Depositing User:	Jennifer Whitaker
Date Deposited:	27 Jun 2025 10:55
Last Modified:	27 Jun 2025 10:55
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/99748
DOI:

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