Basic considerations of affective factors that impede learners’ enjoyment of pairwork

This study attempts to clarify the inner circle of learners who avoid or unwillingly participate in pair work and group activities. In the theoretical framework of second language acquisition anxiety, a 51―item questionnaire composed of eight different components was compiled and two research questions were established: 1. What is the relationship between enjoyment of pair work and affective factors? 2. What affective factors influence the enjoyment of pair work and to what extent? In order to address the research questions, exploratory factor analysis, correlation analysis and multi-regression analysis were conducted. The results of the study, contrary to expectations, revealed that anxiety-related factors have little or no influence on learners’behavior with respect to pair work. The study findings demonstrate that a supportive environment has the significantly strongest influence on the behavior.