Affective variables and gender in SLA in primary education

Abstract

Over the past decade, numerous studies have been carried out regarding affective variables in SLA. However, it has been shown that these variables should not be analysed in isolation. Factors such as gender, for example, should also be taken into consideration. This study looks at the importance of gender in relation to affective variables in primary students (M: 11.5). The results are consistent with previous studies, in that female respondents were shown to outperform their male counterparts in terms of affective variables (L2 motivation, L2 anxiety, L2 selves).