This study investigated the correlation and predictive capacity of verbal working memory (VWM) to the reading comprehension of children in their first language (L1) and second language (L2). The term VWM refers to a cognitive system with a limited capacity that can hold and manipulate verbal and auditory information temporarily. A subaim was to investigate the contribution of L2 linguistic knowledge in L2 reading comprehension. Sixty-three Grade 3 South African children completed a reading comprehension test and VWM assessment (forward span, backward span, and sentence repetition tasks). L2 participants completed a receptive language assessment to delineate whether their linguistic knowledge (L2 vocabulary and grammar knowledge) would be more predictive of L2 reading comprehension in comparison with VWM. Regression and correlation analyses revealed that VWM is not predictive of L1 or L2 reading comprehension. L2 linguistic knowledge, however, significantly correlates with L2 comprehension and VWM capacity, although it is not a significant predictor of L2 reading comprehension. Our findings suggest that reading in an L2 is a multidimensional skill where no single isolated variable can account for good versus poor reading comprehension.

这项研究调查了语言工作记忆（VWM）与儿童以第一语言（L1）和第二语言（L2）进行阅读理解的相关性和预测能力。术语VWM是指能力有限的认知系统，它只能暂时保存和操纵口头和听觉信息。一个次级目标是研究第二语言知识在第二语言阅读理解中的贡献。六十三名南非3级儿童完成了阅读理解测试和VWM评估（向前跨度，向后跨度和句子重复任务）。L2参与者完成了接受性语言评估，以说明他们的语言知识（L2词汇和语法知识）是否比VWM更能预测L2的阅读理解。回归和相关分析表明，VWM不能预测L1或L2的阅读理解。L2语言知识与L2理解和VWM能力显着相关，尽管它不是L2阅读理解的重要预测指标。我们的发现表明，在L2中阅读是一项多维技能，其中没有一个孤立的变量可以解释阅读理解的好坏。