Affective strategies are learning strategies concerned with managing emotions, both negative and positive.

Student laughing together

The relationship between affective strategies and learning is not clear, but a positive affective environment helps learning in general.

 

Example
Lowering anxiety levels with relaxation techniques is one kind of affective strategy.

In the classroom
The teacher can play an active role in developing and exploiting affective strategies by building a generally positive atmosphere in the class. This can happen by encouraging and counselling learners, by helping them identify achievable aims and work towards autonomous learning, through personalising activities, and through pair and group work.

Research and insight

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