During our long history of language learning, we know that listening occupies an important position in the learning process, for that it is not only the premise of language communication, but also the necessary way of language input。 When students are learning English listening comprehension, it is inevitable that the process will be accompanied by all kinds of positive and negative affective experiences。 Thus, to stimulate students’ positive affect which will facilitate their learning process, as well as to avoid the negative affect which will suspend their learning enthusiasm, is of great importance in improving the teaching quality of English listening comprehension。 

However, in China, most of the researches are about the relations between affective factors and the second language acquisition。 There are few researches conducted on the impact of the affective factors on English listening teaching and learning。 Therefore, more studies should be made in this field。

This thesis analyzes the importance of affective factors in English listening teaching and learning。 Also, it explores the effective ways to reduce the impact of affective filter and increase the amount of language absorption in English listening class。

2。 Literature Review

In the early 1980s, aiming at Second Language Acquisition, Krashen, the famous American linguist, put forward The Monitor Theory, laying a great impact on the foreign language world。 This theory includes five hypotheses, among them, the fifth hypothesis, namely the Affective Filter Hypothesis, reveals the relationship between learners’ affect and language acquisition。 It has posed a powerful challenge to the traditional foreign language teaching, which only emphasized the grammar structure learning。 

Since Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis aroused people’s attention on the affective factors, many domestic and foreign experts have conducted deeper research on this aspect。 In 1999, Jane Arnold published a book named Affect in Language Learning, which is a collection of many experts’, such as Schumann’s and Stevick’s opinions on the affective factors。 “They discussed different functions of affects from the perspective of teachers and students, and provided us with much enlightenment on researching the affective factors in foreign language learning。” (Arnold 28)

Wang Chuming did a lot of research on the question of what in the world influences the foreign language teaching and learning。 He pointed out that “there are two major factors influencing the foreign language learning, one is the learner’s affect, the other is his native language。 Even the cultural infiltration mode which has a great impact on the second language acquisition is also based on the study of learners’ affect。” (Wang 8)

Educational Psychology believes that the learner’s affective control is one of the biggest factors which influence one’s learning quality during the studying process。 (Li 103) Moreover, the Affective Filter Hypothesis is also a reflection of Humanistic Psychology in the second language acquisition theory。 Humanistic Psychology stressed the unity of cognition and affect, which means the development of affect is equal important as that of intelligence。 (Zheng and Huang 296) This opinion shares many similarities with Stern’s, which is mentioned above。

Most of these ideas systematically illustrate the importance of affective factors, especially their impact on foreign language learning。 However, few researches specify the impact of affect on a particular aspect of learning。 In fact, this type of research is of more practical significance。 Therefore, different from other researches, this thesis chose English listening comprehension as an entry point, and further discussed the impact and the enlightenment of Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis on English listening teaching and learning based on the predecessors’ achievements。