Investigating Affective Learning Within Teaching Strategies for ESL College Students: A Systematic Review

Authors

  • Ping He
  • Aida Hanim A Hamid
  • Mohamed Yusoff Mohd Nor

Keywords:

affective learning outcomes; ESL; PRISMA; teaching strategies; college students and system literature review

Abstract

Affective teaching is an underexplored field in college contexts. Affective teaching is especially pertinent for foreign language learning, unlike traditional teaching which primarily provides students with practical knowledge and forgoing development on their emotional psyche. This study emphasizes the significance of affective learning for the language acquisition of college students learning English as a second language (ESL). The study analyzed recent developments relating to affective teaching strategies for ESL students. This study involved examining 24 empirical studies published in the past five years (2020?2024) using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) method. The Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched to find breakthroughs, challenges, and practical applications of affective teaching. The affective components key to ESL learning were highlighted, resulting in the identification of three main components: motivation and self-growth, self-efficacy and autonomy, and environmental factors. The analysis also discusses innovative teaching models proposed by recent studies. The findings indicate that emotional health is crucial for sustaining students’ intrinsic motivation to improve their language skills, while positive reinforcement encourages a conducive learning environment. Both findings confirm affective teaching as a relevant alternative to traditional teaching methods, especially for ESL students who are prone to emotional barriers, such as language anxiety and disinterest. This paper also found that healthy, low levels of anxiety are beneficial for ESL learning, as a form of extrinsic motivation, as experienced through friendly peer competition.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.5.27

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Published

2025-05-30

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He, P. ., Hamid, . A. H. A. ., & Nor, M. Y. M. (2025). Investigating Affective Learning Within Teaching Strategies for ESL College Students: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 24(5), 517–536. Retrieved from http://www.ijlter.net/index.php/ijlter/article/view/2329

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