The Application of Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis to English Teaching in

【Abstract】The Affective Filter Hypothesis proposed by Steven Krashen is the theory concerning students’ affective education in SLA. The author gives a panoramic view over the Affective Filter Hypothesis and then put forward some suggestions to lower students’ affective filter with a view to facilitating English teaching in China.

【Key words】the Affective Filter Hypothesis； affective factors； English teaching

With the focus of English teaching research turning from how to teach to how to learn in recent years， learner-centered education is largely advocated. It becomes important to explore the process of learning and individual differences among which affective factors are included.The process of learning English is a coordinated development of intellectual and affective factors. However， in actual English teaching practice， teachers tend to emphasize cognitive education and ignore emotional cultivation as a consequence of exam-oriented education. Hence， it is necessary to emphasize the importance of affective factors in English Teaching. With regard to it， Krashen proposed the Affective Filter Hypothesis.

1. Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis

The Affective Filter Hypothesis claims how affective factors influence the SLA process. Krashen regards the learners’ emotional state or attitudes as an adjustable filter that freely passes or impedes input necessary to acquisition. Krashen identified three affective variables related to second language acquisition： motivation， self-confidence and anxiety.

Motivation is the internal drive that encourages someone to pursue goals. Someone with high motivation is more likely to achieve success in SLA than those with low motivation.

Confidence is the explicit evaluation of one's own capability and knowledge. Students with high self-confidence never be afraid of making mistakes in learning process and they always attempt to communicate with others in English. They learn from mistakes.

Anxiety in linguistics refers to students’ fear and worries when using the target language. Anxiety can play both facilitating and debilitating part in SLA. Hence， it is necessary to control the degree of anxiety. Moderate anxiety can foster foreign language acquisition.

2. Pedagogical Implications of the Affective Filter Hypothesis

Humanistic education advocates that learning is both cognitive and affective. Cognition has always been the core of education， but students’ affective variables are not the case. In China， students learn English primarily in the classroom and a good learning environment is critical for learning efficiency. Based on the Affective Filter Hypothesis， English teachers should attempt to create a learning atmosphere of low filter for the purpose of promoting students’ language acquisition.

2.1 Stimulating Students’ Integrative Motivation

Integrative motivation can guarantee the long-lasting drive necessary to master English and can make students show intrinsic interest in English. Accordingly， apart from inculcating the students with knowledge of vocabulary and grammar， teachers can develop students’ cross-cultural awareness and equip students with the knowledge about culture， customs and religion of the target language so as to ameliorate students’ integrative motivation. Equipped with more knowledge of the target language， students are more willing to communicate with speakers of the target language and become more inclined to integrate with the speech community.

2.2 Bringing Students’ Initiative into Full Play

Bringing students’ initiative into full play means teaching should be student-centered. Teachers should turn from knowledge imparter to an organizer， assessor and facilitator in the classroom. Apart from inculcating students with linguistic knowledge， what is more important is to teach them how to learn， cultivating their confidence and learning autonomy. Students are not passive and silent receivers of knowledge. Teachers ought to provide as many opportunities as possible for students to express themselves in English and encourage them to speak English in public， through which they can instill self-confidence into the students and students won’t feel nervous when communicating with native speakers.

2.3 Establishing a Harmonious Teacher-student Relationship

A harmonious teacher-student relationship should be that a teacher loves his or her students， accepts all the students and keep confident and patient towards those students， while the students should love and respect their teacher， and cooperate with their teacher. Foreign language teaching should be carried out in an active and relaxing environment so as to lessen the students’ tension， and thereby improving the acquisition efficacy. Generally speaking， they can improve teacher-student relationship by improving self-quality and form their personal teaching style， understanding and accept all students， establishing judicious ideas towards mistakes and evaluation， adopting various teaching methods and organize colorful after-class activities， etc.

Conclusion

From the humanistic view of education， “true” human learning is both cognitive and affective. It follows that affective education is of the same importance as cognition cultivation. Only by taking account of affective variables involved in language learning can the “whole person” education advocated by humanism be achieved.

References：

[1]Arnold，J.Affect in Language Learning[M].London： Cambridge University Press，1999.Print.

[2]Dornyei，Z.Attitudes，Orientation，and Motivations in Language Learning[M].Malden： Blackwell Publishing，2003.Print.