A Conceptual Analysis of Affective Learning in TESL Teacher Education: Perceptions, Challenges, And Strategies

Abstract

Affective learning is a crucial yet often overlooked component of TESL teacher education, playing a significant role in shaping student-teachers’ emotional intelligence, ethical reasoning, and engagement strategies. This conceptual paper examines the importance of affective learning within teacher training programmes and identifies the challenges TESL student-teachers face in integrating affective domain strategies into their teaching practices. Drawing on Bloom’s Affective Taxonomy, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Theory, and Emotional Intelligence (EI) Theory, this paper highlights the gaps in training, assessment, and institutional support for affective learning within TESL curricula. Despite growing recognition of holistic education approaches, affective learning remains secondary to cognitive and psychomotor domains in many TESL programmes. Student-teachers often lack sufficient training in applying emotional and value-driven teaching strategies, leading to difficulties in engaging students meaningfully. Additionally, assessing affective learning outcomes remains complex due to the absence of standardised evaluation frameworks. Institutional constraints, such as rigid curricula and an overemphasis on academic performance, further hinder the effective implementation of affective teaching methodologies. This paper proposes strategies for improving affective learning integration, including curriculum reforms, enhanced professional development for student-teachers, and policy recommendations to institutionalise affective domain strategies in TESL education. By addressing these gaps, the study aims to contribute to the enhancement of TESL teacher education, ensuring that future educators are equipped with the emotional intelligence and pedagogical skills necessary to foster holistic student development.