The term affective refers to emotions, attitudes, motivations, and values. It is impossible to overstate the importance of the affective factors influencing language learning. Language learners can gain control over these factors through affective strategies.

Three main sets of affective strategies exist:

1.Lowering your anxiety: Three anxiety-reducing strategies are listed here. Each has a physical component and a mental component:

 

Using progressive relaxation, deep breathing, or meditation
Using music
Using laughter

2.Encouraging yourself: This set of three strategies is often forgotten by language learners, especially those who expect encouragement mainly from other people and do not realize they can provide their own. However, the most potent encouragement may come from inside the learner. Self-encouragement includes saying supportive things, prodding oneself to take risks wisely, and providing rewards:

 

Making positive statements
Taking risks wisely
Rewarding yourself

3.Taking your emotional temperature: The four strategies in this set help learners to assess their feelings, motivations, and attitudes and, in many cases, to relate them to language tasks. Unless learners know how they are feeling and why they are feeling that way, they are less able to control their affective side. The strategies in this set are particularly helpful for discerning negative attitudes and emotions that impede language learning progress:

 

Listening to your body
Using a checklist
Writing a language learning diary
Discussing your feelings with someone else