Analysis of English professors' content knowledge at the B. A. in Foreign Languages at Unidad Central del Valle to support students’ affective filter regulation in the classroom Research Line: Teaching Processes of Foreign Languages

Abstract

Emotions have been always part of learning and teaching processes. Even more, in foreign language classrooms where students can sometimes feel anxious, demotivated, or a low self-confidence to produce and communicate in a foreign language. In turn, professors try hard to promote language use, but sometimes without considering students’ feelings. Hence, this research aims to analyze the use of professors' knowledge about affective filter regulation in the English classroom for supporting students' language learning in the B.A. in Foreign Languages program at Unidad Central del Valle del Cauca. The study employed a qualitative research method, exactly a case study, and used instruments such as an interview and field diaries to register observations from professors’ classes. The analysis of the data revealed that students thrive in a positive classroom environment where professors actively encourage and motivate them to participate. Moreover, students felt nervousness and anxiety regularly in the English classroom but they managed the situation when professors supported them and provided feedback. To conclude, it could be shown that professors have a big influence on students’ motivation, self-confidence, and low anxiety, and thus, in their language development.