A Constructivist Approach To Affect In Foreign Language Learning

The present thesis is an attempt to explore the role of affect in foreign language learning from a constructivist point of view based on Piaget's theory of affective development.The rationalist tradition in Western philosophy has exerted profound influence upon people's understanding of affect, which has long been accorded a subsidiary role. Recent developments in psychology have raised affect to a prominent position. Changes of philosophical and psychological thoughts have resulted in changes of the position of affect in foreign language teaching and learning research. Affective factors in foreign language learning are receiving more and more attention nowadays rather than being ignored as it was in the past. The humanistic theory has assigned a central role to emotion and personality and Krashen (1981) has put forward the Affective-Filter Hypothesis, both of which are very meaningful for a sound understanding of affect in foreign language learning. However, research made to explore the role of affect in this field still lacks systematicity. Piaget's constructivist theory provides us with a new perspective on it.The label "constructivism" comes from the idea that knowledge is constructed by individuals. Constructivism holds that individuals bring to their cognition personal meanings. Piaget was the leading figure in cognitive-developmental psychology and the most influential aspect of his theory has been his emphasis on the constructive nature of learning. Individuals are actively involved right from birth in constructing personal meaning, that is, their own personal understanding, from their experiences. Piaget views intellectual development as a continuous equilibration of prior knowledge and present knowledge through the processes of assimilation and accommodation. Intellectual development includes two aspects: the cognitive and the affective, the two of which are two sides of the same coin and therefore inseparable. Affect develops in the same sense cognition develops and affective schemata are constructed and reconstructed to establish equilibrium through affective assimilation and accommodation.Based on Piaget's constructivist theory of affective development, the present author outlines a constructivist theoretical framework to account for the important role of affect in foreign language learning, including three basic elements, i.e. the foundation, the process and the product. First, the inseparability of cognition and affect forms the foundation of the framework since foreign language learning as an intellectual activity involves both cognition and affect. Second, the learning process is also a process of affective construction, in which learners' motivation, self-concept and locus of control are under constant construction and reconstruction and their attitudes towards the foreign language, the learning itself and themselves as language learners are also gradually shaped. Cognitive construction is accompanied and influenced by affective construction. An ideal foreign language learning process should make learners experience and at the same time construct positive affect, stimulating their internal motivation, fostering their proper self-concept and strengthening their sense of personal control over things and on the whole developing positive attitudes towards the language, the learning and themselves as learners. Third, each new step of affective assimilation and accommodation will result in a higher level of affective autonomy through which learners can better understand themselves, regulate their affect, encourage themselves and face setbacks. Affective autonomy is always the end product. Cooperative learning and the establishment of mutual respect relations between teachers and learners are both conducive to development of affective self-regulation. Within this constructivist framework, a better understanding of the role of affect can be promoted, which is the starting point for the improvement of the present learning-weariness, instrumental and utilitarian purposes in foreign language l...