THE INFLUENCE OF AFFECTIVE FILTER ON THE LEARNING PROCESS: IMPLICATIONS FOR CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

This study investigates the role of the affective filter in the process of learning, particularly in second language acquisition (SLA). The affective filter that was explored by Stephen Krashen in 1982 as part of his the input hypothesis, is a mental barrier that influence learners’ ability to receive input. Psychological factors like anxiety, motivation, self- confidence and attitude promote the strength of this filter. This thesis examines how affective filter influences learning outcomes and by examining key psychological factors mentioned above, will highlight strategies which can be employed by educators to reduce the affective filter, thus creating more effective and inclusive language learning environment.