Decreasing the "Affective Filter"
Do you remember being sixteen in Math class? After working with some new tutoring clients, I was brought back to that time-eleventh grade Trig. On the first day, the teacher presented himself as a tough, no-nonsense person. He declared that our grades would plummet from 90’s to 60’s in his course, but we would learn something. I was not convinced. I was a grade- conscious student and a very sensitive one. I had had bad experiences with another tutor in a way that made me feel very unsafe about Math—when I got the wrong answers or didn’t understand something, I was chided; so I fumbled forward unable to let my mind relax, think and amble.
That Trig. Teacher activated the fear that was already present in me. When that fear was kicked up, I chose to drop that class and take another one. The new class was a mix of Trig and other things and it went slower. Subsequently I saw my first Trig. teacher in the hall and he asked me how the class was going. (I don’t even remember having the conversation with my parents about changing classes. But that’s not to say we didn’t). I said, “It was the best academic choices I’ve ever made” and I deeply felt that with all the conviction of my teenage heart.
As my conscientious and dedicated nature continued to work, I was back in Calculus for my senior year- on target and lovin’ those solids of revolution. Looking back however, I saw that if I didn’t fear the Trig. Class, it would have amped up my Math skills, making subsequent college Science and Math classes easier. I see that at that time I took “the path of least resistance,” which wasn’t the best. What probably would have been best for me was to stick it out, get some grit, perhaps get a lower grade than desired, but experience an increase in self-esteem because I stepped up and succeeded at something difficult.
The moral to the story is while you can’t choose your teacher, you can choose your tutor. Choose someone who makes you feel safe, and has a playful attitude at times. When a tutor cultivates this, she is creating a low affective filter which means in second language acquisition lingo it’s easier to learn. A high affective filter closes you in and makes you freeze, and a low one opens you up to taking risks and participating (Hostetler). Back to my 11th grade Trig. teacher. He raised the affective filter and I bolted. The affective filter is even more important in language acquisition because of the immediacy of listening and responding requires greater engagement than in other classes and to ELLs (English Language Learners) their ESOL class is the hub from which their attitude about all their other subjects emanates. So, find a tutor who helps lower the affective filter, helps you connect the content of what you’re learning to your life, who breaks down complex tasks and who even smiles and laughs from time to time. This tutor will help you stay in the learning (even during difficult times) and not run away from it.
Lisa Fabulous article enjoyed reading it