Working Memory Training in Relationship with Vocabulary Development

Previous studies have shown that working memory plays an important role in SLA. In the present study we investigated the impact of working memory training on vocabulary development. In line with the DST principles we argued that both vocabulary development and working memory can be seen as dynamic systems. In order to investigate whether working memory can be trained and what is the effect of training on vocabulary development we conducted an experiment that lasted five weeks. The subjects of the study were ten international students of the RUG that voluntarily participated in the experiment. Two groups of five participants each were formed: The Experimental and the Control group. Their aim was to learn 60 Greek words in total. All the procedure, the pre and the post-tests and the vocabulary tests we conducted were identical for both groups. What distinguished the groups was that the participants of the Experimental group besides the learning of the words they had four weekly working memory training sessions during the period of the experiment. The scores obtained from the training sessions and from the vocabulary tests were analyzed to see if there is any relationship between working memory training and vocabulary development. The analysis from the participants’ scores as a group showed us that working memory can be trained. When we measured each participant’s development we found that some of them but not all showed a significant development. However, the present study found no effect of the working memory training on vocabulary development.