Analysis of cognitive load for bilingual subjects based on lexile measures

Abstract

Cognitive measures are directed to assess the load of working memory while performing different tasks. Excessive load on working memory hinders learning or performance of individuals. The recommended remedy is to measure and design instructional systems that optimize the use of working memory capacity and avoid cognitive overload. Lexile measure is the current tool used in assessing the difficulty levels of text reading in English language. Studies on correlating the cognitive load with EEG for classifying tasks based on Lexile measures have been performed for native English speakers. In this work, an attempt has been made to analyze the scope of Lexile measure for assessing the cognitive load of Bilingual Indian subjects whose mother tongue is not English. Empirical results show that there is no statistical significance in classifying different reading tasks considering Lexile measures alone. The work could be extended further by including other parameters such as the level of interest and understanding along with performance evaluation for proper assessment of cognitive load in bilingual subjects.