Individual differences in adult foreign language learning of grammar and vocabulary

Learning a foreign language requires the integration of this new language into an already-established language system, creating cognitive demands that render some learners more likely to succeed than others. What differentiates successful foreign language learners from unsuccessful learners? To answer this question, we conducted a literature review to examine studies that investigate the association between measure of novel foreign language learning and measures of cognitive skills, such as executive functioning, working memory, or phonological working memory. Inconsistent findings have been reported in prior studies, with some studies reporting an association between measures of cognitive skills and foreign vocabulary learning, whereas others report no association. A similar inconsistency is found in studies investigating learning of foreign language grammar in populations of varying language backgrounds. We analyze these inconsistencies by examining whether they can be explained by differences in the method of instruction, learning assessment, or individual difference measure used. Identification of the patterns of associations between foreign language learning and individual differences, can stimulate the development of more targeted foreign language instruction based on learners’ cognitive skills. Although traditional instruction may not be able to take this into account, it may be possible for intelligent tutoring systems’ developers to do so.