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Definition
'a mental block, caused by affective factors ... that prevents input from reaching the language acquisition device' (Krashen, 1985, p.100) ""Affective Filter" is the term Stephen Krashen has used to refer to the complex of negative emotional and motivational factors that may interfere with the reception and processing of comprehensible input. Such factors include: anxiety, self-consciousness, boredom, annoyance, alienation, and so forth.
Definition
The affective filter is a screen of emotion that can block language acquisition or learning if it keeps the users from being too self-conscious or too embarrassed to take risks during communicative exchanges. The term "affective filter" refers to the level of anxiety, level of fear or frustration that a student experiences when confronted with a learning task.
It is an imaginary wall that is placed between a learner and language input. If the filter is on, the learner is blocking out input. When it is off, due to a relaxed environment, acquisition will occur. The filter is influenced by emotional variables that can prevent learning.
High anxiety
No self confidence
Low selfesteem
Low motivation
Low filter
... our pedagogical goals should not only include supplying comprehensible input, but also creating a situation that encourages a low filter ... The input hypothesis and the concept of the Affective Filter define the language teacher in a new way. The effective language teacher is someone who can provide input and help make it comprehensible in a low anxiety situation. (Krashen, Principles and Practice, p.32)
References
http://bogglesworldesl.com/glossary/affective filter.htm http://www2.education.ualberta.ca/staff/olen ka.bilash/Best%20of%20Bilash/krashen.html http://www.sk.com.br/sk-krash.html http://languageinstinct.blogspot.com/2006/0 8/krashen-revolution.html