What is the affective domain? The affective domain is difficult to describe
scientifically. A large number of variables are implied in considering the emotional
side of human behaviour in the second language learning process. How is it to
be delimited and understood? Affect refers to emotions or feelings. Language
is a behaviour, that is, a phase of human activity. Understanding how human
beings feel and respond and believe and value is an exceedingly important
aspect of a theory of second language acquisition.
The affective domain is the emotional side of human behavior, and it may be juxtaposed to the
cognitive side. The development of affective states or feelings involves a variety of personality factors,
feelings about ourselves and bout others with whom we come into contact.
The affective domain includes many factors : empathy, self – esteem, extroversion, inhibition, imitation,
anxiety, attitudes – the list could go on. Some of them may seem at first rather far removed from
language learning, but when we consider the pervasive nature of language, any affective factor can
conceivably be relevant to second language learning.
More than three decades ago, Benjamin Bloom and his colleagues ( Krathwohl, Bloom & Masia 1964)
provided a useful definition of the affective domain that is still widely used today.
At the first level, the development of affectivity begins with receiving . Persons must be aware of the
environment surrounding them, be conscious of situations, people, objects.. Be willing to receive,
willing to tolerate a stimulus, not avoid it, and give a stimulus their controlled or selected attention.
Next. Persons must go beyond receiving to responding, committing themselves in at least some small
measure to a phenomenon or a person. Such responding in one dimension may be in acquiescence,
but in another dimension, the person is willing to respond voluntarily without coercion, and then to
receive satisfaction from that response.
The third level of affectivity involves valuing, placing worth on a thing, a behavior, or a person. Valuing
takes on the characteristics of beliefs or attitudes as values are internalized. Individuals do not merely
accept a value to the point of being willing to be identified with it, but commit themselves to the value
to pursue it, and to want it, finally to the point of conviction.
The fourth level of affective domain is the organization of the values into a system of beliefs, and
establishing a hierarchy of values within a system.
Finally,individuals become characterized by and understand themselves in terms of their value system.
Individuals act consistently in accordance with the values they have internalized and integrate beliefs,
ideas, and attitudes into a total philosophy or world view. It is at this level that problem solving, for
example, is approached on the basis of a total, self-consistent system.
Understanding how human beings feel and respond and believe and value is an exceedingly important
aspect of a theory of second language acquisition.
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The article deals with the emotional part which also has an effect on second language learning. Language is also considered as behaviour, so personality factors such as self-esteem, imitation affects the learning process much. If a person wants to learn a language, s/he should be aware of their environment, and also be willing to learn. This is the first condition of learning, it is true. Important terms for learning a second language are feeling, respond, believing, and value. The affective domain gives importance to how people feel while they are learning.
ReplyDeletethe article is useful in empahisizin the emotinal, inside aspect of language acquisition, with the term affective domain. A full a wide a real learning can only be provided with a full cover of all human features. SO, affective domain is an important part of this cover. Apart from giving inpıt to brain, input for motivation should be given
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