Resumen

Affective/humanistic approaches help develop a positive attitude towards language learning, and thus promote language development. I have found in these approaches the underlying principles behind most of my classroom practices, feeling that they backed my beliefs about teaching and learning.
This dissertation intends to share specific experiences on how these ideas could be used with young learners and adults; in ESP and EGP contexts. There is no limit if we really want a change, if we believe that the foreign language classroom could be a territory for personal and professional growth.
I firmly sustain that there is no need to leave the cognitive aside when dealing with the affective but I can perfectly understand that we, teachers, might feel a little insecure as we have started to move on far less steady ground where we must handle the unpredictable, both affectively and cognitively. “It is unrealistic to suppose that methodology, curriculum design, and classroom management will be immune from the level of uncertainty avoidance prevalent in the wider society” (Grundy, 2001).
This paper starts by defining the terms “affect” and “approach”, i.e. why it is that we talk about “approaches” and what “affect” is in a language learning environment. We then turn to consider how the affective side of the learner started to be included within broader educational contexts and within foreign and second language learning.
We will look at affectivity from two sides: first, the language learner as an individual and second, as an active participant in socio- cultural situations (Arnold & Brown, 1999, p. 8). Among the individual factors that may affect learning, self- esteem, motivation and learning styles will be considered; among the relational factors affecting learning we will concentrate on cooperative learning as a means to promote and enhance language learning.
Teachers may find a detailed analysis of the principles underlying the affective/ humanistic approaches and some specific examples on possible activities or techniques they may wish to implement in their classes.