Abstract

Studies over the past two decades have provided relevant data on the relationship between music and reading abilities although they fundamentally refer to aspects of the first language reading process of young children. The foreign language reading acquisition process of adult learners has, in this sense, been less explored. Research in this area refers to working memory as a “common cognitive marker” for musical aptitude and reading ability, but little is known about the relationship between musical aptitude and silent reading fluency of adult foreign language learners, the hallmark of skilled readers. Specifically, this study seeks to determine whether musical aptitude as well as cognitive factors such as working memory, general intelligence and plurilingualism could contribute to the understanding of adults’ silent reading abilities in a foreign language. For this purpose, thirty-eight undergraduates, native speakers of German and learners of Spanish, were tested. Additionally, their FL reading comprehension level and their musical training were controlled to categorise the learners. Our data shows a strong association of musical aptitude, working memory, general intelligence and plurilingualism with learners’ foreign language silent reading fluency. In addition, a multiple linear regression analysis reveals that musical aptitude and knowledge of different foreign languages influence their silent reading fluency. But when in a second linear regression the lower reading proficiency level (A2) was introduced as a controlling variable, only musical aptitude is significant. In conclusion, further studies on the silent reading capacity of adult foreign language learners need to consider abilities such as musical aptitude and plurilingualism to better understand the whole reading acquisition process.

摘要

过去二十年的研究提供了有关音乐与阅读能力之间关系的相关数据，尽管它们从根本上涉及幼儿第一语言阅读过程的各个方面。在这个意义上，成人学习者的外语阅读习得过程较少被探索。该领域的研究将工作记忆作为音乐才能和阅读能力的“共同认知标记”，但对成人外语学习者的音乐才能与默读流畅度（熟练读者的标志）之间的关系知之甚少。具体而言，这项研究旨在确定音乐才能以及工作记忆等认知因素，一般智力和多语能力有助于理解成年人的外语默读能力。为此，对 38 名母语为德语和西班牙语学习者的本科生进行了测试。此外，他们的 FL 阅读理解水平和他们的音乐训练受到控制，以对学习者进行分类。我们的数据显示，音乐才能、工作记忆、一般智力和多语能力与学习者的外语默读流畅度有很强的关联。此外，多元线性回归分析表明，不同外语的音乐才能和知识会影响他们的默读流畅度。但是当在第二次线性回归中将较低的阅读水平（A2）作为控制变量引入时，只有音乐才能是重要的。综上所述，进一步研究成人外语学习者的默读能力需要考虑音乐才能、多语能力等能力，以更好地理解整个阅读习得过程。