Extensive research has demonstrated the impact of working memory (WM) on first language (L1) reading comprehension across age groups (Peng et al., 2018), and on foreign language (FL) reading comprehension of adults and older adolescents (Linck et al., 2014). Comparatively little is known about the effect of WM on young FL readers’ comprehension, and even less within testing contexts. Young FL readers are still developing their L1 reading skills and general cognitive skills (e.g., attentional regulation abilities). Completing FL reading tests might be particularly taxing on their WM, and differences in WM capacity – as well as other learner and task characteristics – might create construct-irrelevant variance in test performance.

In this study we investigate the effects of WM, grade level, and reading task on young learners’ FL reading test performances. Ninety-four young English language learners (Grades 6–7) in Hungary completed the TOEFL^® Junior™ Comprehensive’s reading test and a WM test battery. Our mixed-effects model predicted significantly higher comprehension accuracy among learners with higher WM capacity, and among learners in Grade 7 compared to learners in Grade 6. Reading task differences were not associated with significant comprehension accuracy differences. We discuss the implications of our findings for testing young learners’ FL reading comprehension.

广泛的研究表明，工作记忆（WM）对跨年龄段的第一语言（L1）阅读理解（Peng等人，2018）以及对成年人和年长青少年的外语（FL）阅读理解的影响（Linck等人） （2014年）。关于WM对年轻FL读者理解的影响知之甚少，在测试环境中甚至更少。年轻的FL读者仍在发展其L1阅读技能和一般认知技能（例如注意力调节能力）。完成FL阅读测试可能会对他们的WM造成特别的负担，并且WM能力的差异以及其他学习者和任务特征可能会在测试性能方面造成与结构无关的差异。

在这项研究中，我们调查了WM，年级水平和阅读任务对年轻学习者的FL阅读测试成绩的影响。九十四的年轻英语学习者（等级6-7）在匈牙利的完成了托福^®少年™综合的阅读测试和WM测试电池。我们的混合效应模型预测，具有较高WM能力的学习者以及7年级的学习者与6年级的学习者相比，其理解准确性将显着提高。阅读任务差异与显着的理解准确性差异无关。我们讨论了我们的发现对测试年轻学生的外语阅读理解的意义。