The Affective Filter Hypothesis

- Stephen D Krashen
Krashen
The Affective Filter Hypothesis

The Affective Filter hypothesis states how

affective factors/variables relate to the second
language acquisition process.
 The Affective Filter Hypothesis

•‘Affective filter’ refers to mental block that

prevents input from reaching Language
Acquisition Device (LAD).
 The Affective Filter Hypothesis

• Affective filter acts as a barrier to acquisition.

• According to Affective Filter Hypothesis,

comprehensible input may not be utilized by
second language acquirers if there is a mental
block that prevents them from fully profiting
from it.
 The Affective Filter Hypothesis

• Krashen (1982) defines affective filter as :

The filter is that part of the internal
processing system that subconsciously screens
incoming language based on what
psychologists call ‘affect’ : the learner’s
motives, needs, attitudes, and emotional
states.
 Functions of Affective Filter
 It determines which language models the
learner will select.
 It determines which part of the language will be
attended to first.
 It determines when the language acquisition
efforts should cease.
 It determines how fast a learner can acquire a
language
 The Affective Filter Hypothesis
How Affective Filter Works
If the filter is down the input reaches
the LAD and becomes acquired
competence; if the filter is up the
input is blocked and does not reach
the LAD.
The Affective Filter Hypothesis
The Affective Filter Hypothesis
The Affective Filter Hypothesis
Relationship between Input, AF, and Monitor Hypotheses
 The Affective Filter Hypothesis
• For better acquisition/learning the
acquirers/learners need to be open to the
input.

• Krashen comments that if the filter is up the

learner may understand what is seen, heard,
and read, but the input will not reach the LAD.
 The Affective Filter Hypothesis
Affective factors (Factors that put the affective filter
up or down ) :
• Anxiety
• Confidence level
• Sense of failure
• Depression
• Motivation
• Attitude towards the target language
• Attitude toward the target language culture
• Attitude toward the target language people, etc
 The Affective Filter Hypothesis
Importance
Acquisition is more important than learning. In
order to acquire, two conditions are necessary.
The first is comprehensible (or even better,
comprehended) input containing i + 1, structures
a bit beyond the acquirer's current level, and
second, a low or weak affective filter to allow
the input "in". ( Krashen)
 The Affective Filter Hypothesis
Pedagogical implications

• Students’ level of motivation should be raised

• Students should be freed from anxiety, doubt
• Learners may be highly motivated by :
 Threat free environment
 Setting learning objective as per the needs of the learners
 Rewards
 Positive feedback
 Learning by doing
 Collaborative learning
 Implications
In any aspect of education it is always important
to create a safe, welcoming environment in
which students can learn. In language
education this may be especially important
since in order to take in and produce
language, learners need to feel that they are
able to make mistakes and take risks. 
Implications
 Books
1. Principles and Practices of Second Language Acquisition
- Stephen D Krashen
2. Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning
- Stephen D Krashen
3. Theories of Second Language Learning
- Barry McLAughlin
4.http://www.educ.ualberta.ca/staff/olenka.bilash/best%20of
%20bilash/krashen.html