Creating Space for Multilingual Learners to Talk
Ideas for lowering the affective filter
I was just talking to some soon-to-be teachers about how much easier it is to speak about ideas when we feel comfortable and relaxed. This may seem obvious, but we all need reminders. Stephen Krashen coined the idea “lowering the affective filter.”
He says, “The Affective Filter hypothesis implies that our pedagogical goals should not only include supplying comprehensible input but also creating a situation that encourages a low filter.” The affective filter refers to emotional variables that can either facilitate or hinder language acquisition. If you want to read more about it, you can read more in the 2009 internet edition of Krashen’s Principles and Practice of Second Language Acquisition book FOR FREE.
Here are three ways to lower the affective filter in language classes:
Create a Supportive and Inclusive Environment:
Encourage students to share their thoughts, experiences, and cultural backgrounds in pairs and small groups. Most students are much more willing to share in carefully constructed small groups and pairs.
Check out this list of 30 icebreakers and team-building activities for secondary students to help build rapport. When students are laughing and playing together, it can reduce anxiety and create a positive atmosphere for creating a low-affective filter.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash
Implement Communicative and Interactive Teaching Methods:
Emphasize communicative tasks that focus on typical communication patterns. Provide opportunities for students to engage in meaningful conversations, role-plays, and interactive activities.
When you use technology and multimedia resources to make the learning process more engaging, make sure you incorporate opportunities for students to interact with each other. Let them chat together guided by open-ended questions.
Provide Clear Feedback and Encouragement:
Offer feedback that highlights what students are doing well and provides guidance on areas for improvement. Create an environment where mistakes are viewed as a natural part of the learning process and not as failures.
Use positive reinforcement to motivate students. Celebrate their achievements, no matter how small, and encourage a growth mindset that emphasizes the importance of effort and perseverance in language learning.
This is a good strategy and very practical for Chinese learners as well. I learned from a YMCA ski instructor training last Sunday and the facilitator used blue, green and red zone to represent this theory as well. Blue meant comfortable zone and the skill will be leant at green zone (challenging zone.) When these young skiers are in panic red zone and they will not learn anything. As an educator, we need to bring them back to green zone and give them feedbacks to make their brain processing new literacy or language they learned today. Thanks for sharing.