摘 要

1. Introduction 1

1.1 Need for the study 1

1.2 Research purpose 2

2. Literature Review 3

2.1 Working memory 3

2.1.1 Definition of working memory 3

2.1.2 Models of working memory 3

2.1.3 Measure of working memory capacity 4

2.2 Vocabulary size 5

2.3 Dictation 5

2.4 Related empirical studies on dictation accuracy 6

2.4.1 Error analysis 6

2.4.2 Cognitive strategy and dictation 6

2.4.3 Influential factors 7

2.5 Problems in the previous studies 7

3. Research Methodology 9

3.1 Research questions 9

3.2 Subjects 9

3.3 Instruments 9

3.3.1 Working memory capacity 9

3.3.2 Vocabulary size 10

3.3.3 Dictation accuracy 10

3.4 Data collection 11

4. Results and Discussion 12

4.1 Results 12

4.1.1 Tests of normality 12

4.1.2 Descriptive data 12

4.1.3 The relationship among working memory capacity, vocabulary size and dictation accuracy 13

4.2 Discussion 14

4.2.1 Working memory capacity and dictation accuracy 14

4.2.2 Vocabulary size and dictation accuracy 15

4.2.3 Working memory capacity and vocabulary size 16

5. Conclusion 17

5.1 Major findings 17

5.2 Implications 17

References 19

Acknowledgments 21

Appendix I Chinese Read Span Test 22

Appendix II Dictation Test 24

Abstract

Dictation has been a common training method in English teaching and a compulsory item for English majors in TEM-4. Compared with listening comprehension, dictation sets higher demands on students. It not only requires students to understand the content of dictation materials, but also requires students to memorize and write down the content accurately. However, judging from the results of TEM-4, the dictation score of the candidates is relatively low. Therefore, based on the multi-component model of Baddeley, this paper will explore effects of working memory capacity and vocabulary size on English majors’ dictation accuracy.

This study takes 30 junior English majors in a comprehensive university in Nanjing as subjects, collects the data from a working memory capacity span test, a vocabulary size test, and a dictation test in order to explore the relationships among them.

The results of the experiment are as followings: (1) Working memory capacity significantly correlates with dictation accuracy of the subjects. The correlation coefficient is 0.742 (plt;0.01).The greater the working memory capacity is, the better the dictation accuracy is. (2) Vocabulary size significantly correlates with dictation accuracy of the subjects. The correlation coefficient is 0.855 (plt;0.01), which indicates they are highly correlated. The larger the vocabulary size is, the better the dictation accuracy is. (3) Working memory capacity significantly correlates with vocabulary size of the subjects. The correlation coefficient is 0.755 (plt;0.01). The greater the working memory capacity is, the larger the vocabulary size is.

This study reveals the relationship among working memory capacity, vocabulary size and dictation accuracy, which can enrich the empirical research in the field of dictation. Through the analysis and discussion of data results, it is recommended that English majors should continuously expand their vocabulary size and improve their working memory capacity to improve dictation performance.

Keywords: working memory capacity; vocabulary size; dictation accuracy; English majors

中文摘要

听写是英语教学中的常用训练手段，也是英语专业学生在TEM-4中必考的项目。相对于听力来说，短文听写对学生提出了更高的要求，它不仅要求学生理解听写材料的内容，还要求学生记忆并准确写出所听内容。然而，从历年专四考试成绩的情况看，考生听写部分成绩比较低。因此本文将以Baddeley的多成分模型为基础，通过实证研究探讨工作记忆容量与词汇量对英语专业学生听写准确度的影响。

本研究以南京某综合性大学的30名英语专业大三学生为受试，收集了他们工作记忆容量测试、词汇量测试和听写测试的结果，并对数据进行相关性分析。

实验结果如下：被试者工作记忆容量和词汇量与其听写准确度之间均存在显著的相关性，其相关系数分别为0.742（plt;0.01）和0.855（plt;0.01），工作记忆容量和词汇量越大，其听写准确度越高；被试者的工作记忆容量与词汇量之间也存在显著的相关性，相关系数为0.755（plt;0.01），工作记忆容量越大，词汇量越大。

本研究揭示了工作记忆容量、词汇量、听写准确度三者之间的关系，丰富了听写领域的实证研究。通过对数据结果的分析与讨论，建议英语专业学生要不断扩大自身词汇量和提高工作记忆容量来提高听写成绩。

关键词：工作记忆容量 词汇量 听写准确度 英语专业学生

1. Introduction

TEM-4 is a standardized test for English majors of comprehensive colleges in China. This test is a significant way to measure the English proficiency of English majors. Dictation is an important and difficult part in TEM-4 which combines speech recognition, information understanding, memory and writing [1]. Over the years, the result of the dictation section in TEM-4 is not ideal. There are lots of factors which affect the accuracy of dictation --- dictation style, concentration, psychological states, etc.

1.1 Need for the study

In TEM-4, the score of listening part accounts for 30% of the total score. Dictation, as an important part of listening ability, sets a higher standard for the English majors. Dictation is an integrated skill that can reflect students’ English comprehensive ability. It is a powerful psychological skill that covers such psychological activities as speech discrimination, comprehension, memory and expression, which can train students’ ability of listening, writing and short-term memory of language sequences [2]. Therefore, for a long time, dictation is not only a common training and test of foreign language teaching, but also a compulsory test item of TEM-4. However, the examinees do not perform well in the dictation part. One of the important factors is vocabulary. If the examinees don’t know a word, they can’t identify it, let alone write it down. Also, working memory is another significant factor in the dictation.

According to Hu [1], the problems existing in students’ dictation are mainly shown in the following aspects: neglect of prediction before listening, improper grasp of rhythm, unreasonable allocation of attention, insufficient vocabulary, delayed writing speed, improper use of punctuation marks and information omission. Poor instantaneous memory and short-term memory are also the reasons why students’ dictation accuracy is not high [3]. In order to explore the influence of both the two factors on dictation, the author will proceed from working memory and vocabulary size to carry out the research of dictation.

1.2 Research purpose

The present study intends to investigate the dictation accuracy among English majors with different working memory capacity and different vocabulary size. Specifically speaking, the purpose of this study is three-fold: First, does working memory capacity significantly correlate with dictation accuracy? Second, does vocabulary size significantly correlate with dictation accuracy? Third, does working memory capacity significantly correlate with vocabulary size. By doing so, the author hopes to give English majors some practical suggestions to improve dictation accuracy.

1. Literature Review

2.1 Working memory

2.1.1 Definition of working memory

Working memory is a memory system that temporarily processes and stores information with a limited-capacity [4].

Working memory capacity is also known as working memory span. It is often used as an important indicator of working memory. The working memory span, also known as the complexity span, differs from the simple short-term memory span (digital memory span) in that the working memory span needs to be processed and stored simultaneously, i.e., to memory while completing another task (secondary task).

2.1.2 Models of working memory

In 1974, Baddeley and Hitch suggested that working memory was multi-component system which included central executive, phonological loop and visuospatial sketch pad. The phonological loop is responsible for the sound-based information storage and control. It is the basis of memory span. In addition, phonological loop plays an auxiliary role in speech comprehension, vocabulary acquisition and language learning. There is evidence that the capacity of phonological loop is a good predictor of second language acquisition ability in children and adults. The visuospatial sketch pad is mainly responsible for storing and processing visual information. The central executive system is the core of working memory, responsible for the relationship between each subsystem and their relationship with long-term memory, coordination of resources and selection and planning of strategies, etc [4]. This is the earliest and the most famous working memory model.

In 2000, Baddeley et al. revised the classical model of working memory by adding a new component, the episodic buffer. Episodic buffer is a component used to integrate visual, spatial and verbal information. It is a space with limited capacity for integrating information from phonological loops and visuospatial sketch pad. Episodic buffers are connected to long - term memory [5]. Baddeley’s multi-component model has been continuously improved and developed since its introduction, but there are still some assumptions that have not been verified, and some experimental results cannot be explained in this model. However, this model has an important impact on later research, which is undeniable. This study is based on this multi-component model.

2.1.3 Measure of working memory capacity

In 1980, Daneman and Carpenter created a method of measuring working memory capacity—reading span test, requiring participants to read a series of sentences, and then recalling the last word of each sentence. The tester divided the cards into five groups, from two sentences to six sentences. Each group consists of three rounds, for a total of sixty sentences. In the three rounds tests for each sentence group, the subjects must answer correctly for at least two rounds before the test can continue. The test ended when the subjects were unable to recall any rounds of words correctly in a group. In this test, the reading span was 2-6. The working memory reading span is measured by the maximum number of sentences in which the subject can correctly read and remember the ending words [6]. However, the working memory test requires the participants to correctly understand the sentence and remember the words, that is, to complete both understanding and memory work, which is consistent with the theoretical concept of working memory. Therefore, reading span test is more effective than other tests such as digital span test. The experimental materials for measuring working memory capacity in this paper are arranged according to Daneman and Carpenter’s reading span test. However, there are some shortcomings in this reading span test. First of all, the subjects did not judge the semantics and grammar of the sentences they read, so their degree of processing sentences could not be determined when the subjects read the sentences. Secondly, although the test requires the subject to process and store the sentence, only the stored results are calculated, without considering the sharing of working memory resources by processing and storing functions[7].

Waters and Caplan revised the reading span test on the basis of Daneman and Carpenter’s reading span test. Subjects need to judge the acceptability of sentences from the syntax and semantics. Waters and Caplan adopted the new scoring method, which has three criteria: the average response time for subjects to make correct judgments, the average accuracy of acceptable or unacceptable sentences presented, and the number of words they can recall in order [8]. The retest validity of the total working memory score was higher than that of the previous reading span test. The working memory capacity test materials and procedures of this article are adapted from Waters and Caplan’s test [8].

2.2 Vocabulary size

Vocabulary size refers to the number of words or phrase in a language that a person can recognize or use. According to Wikipedia, “A vocabulary is a set of familiar words within a person’s language”. Usually, one’s vocabulary size increases with age. Vocabulary is the foundation of learning any language. There are four types of vocabulary: listening vocabulary, speaking vocabulary, reading vocabulary and writing vocabulary.