Individual Differences in Executive Function and Phonological Processing: Implications

It is well established that people differ considerably in their ability to learn new languages, especially in the area of phonological processing. Recent research investigating individual differences in phonological processing suggest that factors other than well-studied predictors of success in L2 speech learning, such as age of onset of L2 learning or input quality and quantity, may be at the source of these differences, including cognitive abilities. In general, the mechanism assumed to underlie the relationship between executive functioning and phonological learning is that a more efficient executive control facilitates phonological processing by freeing resources or reducing interference (Lev-Ari & Peperkamp, 2013; Darcy, et al. 2015), which in turn might facilitate phonological acquisition. However, studies differ widely in the presence or strength of these relationships perhaps due to the variety of tasks and populations studied. Generalizations are difficult to make, and the specific mechanisms that underlie the relationships are not well understood. Understanding the link between executive function and phonological processing is crucial from both a pedagogical and theoretical perspective. For example, an aptitude-by-treatment interaction approach can be made more effective in instruction and assessment by matching the design of tasks to learners’ individual differences in executive function. From a theoretical perspective, it is important for models of language processing and language acquisition to understand what makes certain learners talented at acquiring L2 speech and thus provide an account of phonological processing and L2 speech learning that is inclusive of individual variability. The goal of this special session is to further our knowledge of the complex interactions underlying the relationships between executive function and phonological processing. In particular, the focus of the empirical contributions to this session target under-explored areas of individual differences and phonological processing, such as the role of individual differences in native production on phonetic drift in production training (Kartushina, Hervais-Adelman, Frauenfelder, & Golestani), the impact of individual differences in perception on production (Holliday), and the role of cognitive abilities such as verbal fluency and phonological short-term memory (Broersma, Choi, & Dediu), attention (Safronova & Mora) and executive functions (Reiterer) on L2 learners’ speech perception and production skills. A discussion paper following the presentation of the empirical studies (Trofimovich) will discuss the implications of research on individual differences for L2 speech learning theories and L2 pronunciation teaching. This session hopes to encourage fruitful discussion about the specific and joint contribution of individual differences in executive function and other individual and contextual factors to L2 speech learning and seeks to motivate further research of its implications for pedagogy and current models of language processing and acquisition. The session will include a final 20-minute general discussion.