Working Memory, Task Type, and Chinese High School Students’ English Vocabulary Acquisition

Audiovisual learning is gaining increasing attention, with factors such as working memory and task type potentially influencing learning outcomes. This study examined English vocabulary acquisition among 110 Chinese high school English as a foreign language learners with varying levels of working memory (high and low) and different types of tasks (input-based and output-based). After engaging in an audiovisual activity, the learners were divided into six groups: a high capacity input group, a high capacity output group, a high capacity control group, a low capacity input group, a low capacity output group, and a low capacity control group. Two vocabulary tests were administered—one immediately after the tasks and the other two weeks later. Using repeated measures ANOVA, the findings revealed that (1) the high capacity learners significantly outperformed the low capacity learners on both the immediate and delayed tests; and (2) while the output groups showed better performance than the input groups on both tests, the differences were not statistically significant. These results add to the findings of existing research on second language (L2) vocabulary acquisition and provide valuable pedagogical insights aimed at improving L2 vocabulary instruction.