A Study Of Value, Status Quo And Strategy Of Affect Education In Senior English Teaching

With the rise and development of humanistic psychology in the 1960s, affect in language teaching and learning has received more and more attention. Related research outcomes from abroad succeed one after another, some of which are influential. For example, Affect in Language Learning edited by Jane Arnold, a British scholar, gives very instructive implications to foreign language teaching. In comparison, domestic research about affect education didn't start until in the 1980s. With the claim for quality education made and especially affective attitude in English curriculum criteria first set as one of teaching goals, the study regarding affect in English teaching has taken on a flourishing look. The relevant papers appear successively in newspapers or magazines, many of which deal with some aspects of affect in senior English teaching. However, there has almost been no such report making a comprehensive value judgement, theory analysis, status quo investigation, and strategy exploration on this subject. The study in question conducts a beneficial trial.In this study, the author first enumerates main demerits from the ignorance of students' emotion and personality caused by predominant examination-oriented education, and discusses the new demands on humans from the present era and the idea of life-long education in combination with affective goals in English curriculum criteria. From the account above, the author shows the necessity of carrying out affect education in English teaching.Next, by means of recollecting the history of the concept about affect education and reviewing the relevant studies from both at home and abroad, the author finds out the orientation for this study.After that, with the support of the concept, characteristics and functions of affect, the author illustrates the influences of affect on English teaching, which focus on cognition, language learning, language memorization and learners' all-sided development, especially development in mind and body.Then, after analyzing the five affective factors as anxiety, inhibition, motivation, self-esteem and empathy, which influence English teaching, there is a statement of affective goals in English teaching. By doing so, the author enunciates the great value of affect education in English teaching.On the basis of the preceding findings, the author sets out to investigate the present status of affect education in senior English teaching from the perspectives of teachers and learners respectively. First, the conclusions drawn from the investigated teachers are as follows: (a) nearly half of the teachers are subjectively aware of the importance of affective attitude, and even more teachers (about 97.1%) hold a positive view of the necessity of affect in teaching; (b) apart from little knowledge of affective goals in English curriculum criteria and a lack of strategies to handle affective issues in teaching, most teachers show a limited understanding of positive functions and significant value of affective factors, (c) in English teaching, affective functions have gained much less attention than cognitive skills; (d) the theory and methodology with regard to affect education remain in particular to be introduced to teachers. Second, as for the learners, the conclusions from the investigation are obtained: (a) most learners take a recognizant or objective attitude towards the affective goals of the three-dimensional framework put forward by H.H. Stern, however, the motivation of them in English learning is more instrumental, which may not be preferable to SLA in the long run; (b) over 60% of the learners experience high anxiety and show more inhibition in English classroom, itching for frequent empathic interaction or communication with their teachers.Finally, in light of the investigative results together with the theory and practice in affect education, the author puts forth the six affective strategies available in senior English teaching: 1) attach importance to the study and practice of the theory about affect education, and switch the traditional teaching view; 2) cultivate learners' interest and stimulate their motivation; 3) adjust learners' level of anxiety properly; 4) handle English teaching materials affectively; 5) shed teachers' love on each learner equally and make teacher-learner mental tie more close; 6) promote teachers' own affect quality.