Phonemic word memorization strategy between second language learners and their native speakers analyzed by Rey’s Auditory Verbal Learning Test

In order to increase the numbers of vocabulary, it is effective way for L2 learners to acquire the memorization strategies. This study investigated what kinds of strategies L2 learners of English and their Native speakers of Japanese use in order to memorize and retrieve words aspects of Rey’s Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT). This Auditory Verbal Leaning Test is widely spread to examine word learning and memory in the field of clinical and neuropsychological assessments. This test has two parts of stages: A list of 15 unrelated, concrete nouns is presented over three learning trials with immediate recall tested following each presentation. Next, after a delay interval of some 10 minutes with no further presentations of the list, delayed recall is assessed. The number of words correctly recalled is commonly adopted as quantitative information in clinical assessment. In addition to these procedures, after the tests participants are asked what kinds of strategies they used to memorize the words in terms of examining the process of decoding, recall and retrieval of words. Self-monitoring of memorization strategies by L2 learners of English are tended to use the phonemic or phonetic-oriented strategies whereas their Native speakers of Japanese use rather visual-oriented and episode-making. The implication on the function of different brain area activated between L2 learners and Native speakers will also be discussed.