An Investigation into the Impact of Emotional Quotient (EQ) on Iranian EFL Learners’ Language Achievement

Zokaee, Mojtaba; Suzani, Samad Mirza

doi:10.2478/sm-2020-0005

Abstract

The contribution of emotional quotient and its dimensions to the students’ language achievement have been widely acknowledged; however, the association between the two variables has been varied in different contexts. In this vein, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between emotional quotient (EQ) and language achievement (LA) of Iranian EFL students, and the extent to which EQ components can predict their language achievement. To this end, 138 undergraduate Iranian EFL learners from three different Iranian universities in Shiraz, Iran were selected through the census sampling technique to participate in the study. General English questions (adapted from university entrance exam) and the Persian validated version of the Schutte Self-report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) were employed to collect data on language achievement and emotional quotient, respectively and SPSS software was used to analyze the data. A total of 103 students, aged 18 to 27, returned the questionnaires. Findings revealed a significant correlation between EFL learners’ EQ and their LA, while EQ explained 6.7% of the variability of students’ LA, and none of the subscales of the EQ had a linear relationship with LA. Given the positive correlation between EQ and LA, educational policy-makers and education providers are recommended to focus on these factors that can leverage students’ and teachers’ emotions in the learning environment.

References

Abdolmanafi Rokni, S. J., Hamidi, H., & Gorgani, T. (2014). Investigating the relationship between emotional intelligence and language achievement: A case of TEFL and non-TEFL university students. International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World, 5(3), 117–127.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Abdolrezapour, P. (2012). The relationship between emotional intelligence and EFL learners’ writing performance. Social and Behavioral Sciences, 70, 331–339.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Albert, A., Nikolove, M. & Horvath, J. (2006). Learners’ creativity as a potentially important variable: Examining the relationships between learner creativity, language aptitude and level of proficiency. In M. Nikolove, & J. Horvath (Eds.). Empirical studies in English applied linguistics (pp. 77–98). Eotous University.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Aliakbari, M., Kamangar, M., & Khany, R. (2016). Willingness to communicate in English among Iranian EFL students. English Language Teaching, 9(5), 33–45.10.5539/elt.v9n5p33
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Canagarajah, S. (2006). Changing communicative needs, revised assessment objectives: Testing English as an international language. Language Assessment Quarterly, 3(3), 229–242. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15434311laq0303_110.1207/s15434311laq0303_1
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Changlek, A., and Palanukulwong, T. (2015). Motivation and grit: Predictors of language learning achievement. Humanities, Social Sciences and arts, 8(4), 1906–3431.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Dewaele, J. M., Petrides, K. V., & Furnham, A. (2008). Effects of trait emotional intelligence and sociobiographical variables on communicative anxiety and foreign language anxiety among adult multilinguals: A review and empirical investigation. Language Learning, 58(4), 911–960.10.1111/j.1467-9922.2008.00482.x
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Dörnyei, Z. (2005). The psychology of the language learner. Individual differences in second language acquisition. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Downey, L. A., Mountstephen, J., Lloyd, J., Hansen, K., & Stough, C. (2008). Emotional intelligence and scholastic achievement in Australian adolescents Swimburne University. ProQuest Dissertation and Theses database.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
D’ Souza, J. B., Sae-lee, P., & Chanak, A. (2016). The influence of culture, gender and academic achievement on foreign language anxiety. Australian Journal of Sustainable Business and Society, 2(1), 20–31. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b6e1/d1b49809b26f17598cc0cf0ab7105854a788.pdf
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Elaldi, Ş. (2016). Foreign language anxiety of students studying English language and literature: A sample from Turkey. Academic Journals, 11(6), 219–228. https://doi.org/10.5897/ERR2015.250710.5897/ERR2015.2507
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Fallahzadeh, H. (2011). The relationship between emotional intelligence and academic achievement in medical science students in Iran. Social and Behavioral Sciences, 30, 1461–1466. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.10.28310.1016/j.sbspro.2011.10.283
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Genç, G., Kulusaklı, E., & Aydın, S. (2016). The relationship between emotional intelligence and productive language skills. The Reading Matrix: An International Online Journal, 16(1), 91–105. http://www.readingmatrix.com/files/14-za822316.pdf
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ghaedi, V., Taghi Poor Zahir, A., Gholi Ghourchian, N., & Jafari, P. (2014). Surveying the direct and indirect effects of personality traits, thinking style, organizational culture and organizational learning on principals’ creativity in Shiraz high schools. International Journal of Basic Sciences & Applied Research, 3, 116–121.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. Bantam.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hemmati, F., & Sadeghi, N. (2015). The relationship between intelligence ability types and learners’ foreign language achievement. International Journal of Asian Social Science, 5(10), 561–569.10.18488/journal.1/2015.5.10/1.10.561.569
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Heydari, K. Z., and Azari, M. (2009). The relationship between emotional intelligence and language learning strategy use with language proficiency levels of students. Scientific Information Databases, 3(9), 95–114.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Homayouni, A. R., Abdollahi, M. H., Hashemi, S., Farzad, V., & Dortaj, F. (2016). Correlation between creative thinking with language anxiety and learning English in Turkmen bilingual students. The Social Sciences, 11(4), 419–421.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Inggårde, K. (2014). Creativity and EFL learning: An empirical study in a Swedish upper-secondary school. Degree project in English studies.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Isazadegan, A., Jenaabadi, H., & Sa’adatmand, S. (2014). The relationship of cognitive emotion regulation strategies, emotional creativity, and academic achievement with mental health. Educational Psychology Studies, 3, 71–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/wjns.2015.5402510.4236/wjns.2015.54025
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Jamali Nesari, A., Karimi, L., & Filinezhad, N. (2011). On the relationship between emotional intelligence and vocabulary learning of Iranian EFL learners at intermediate level. Social and Behavioral Sciences, 28, 900–903. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.16510.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.165
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Rong, I. (2012). The role of EQ in EFL students’ foreign language learning. Sino-US English Teaching, 9(11), 1686–1694.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Kanhai, A. (2014). Emotional intelligence: A review of researches. European Academic Research, 2(1), 797–834. http://euacademic.org/UploadArticle/473.pdf
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Karatas, H., Alci, B., Yurtseven, N., & Yuksel, H. G. (2015). Prediction of ELT students’ academic (language) achievement: Language learning orientation and autonomous learning. International Online Journal of Educational Sciences, 7(1), 160–171. http://dx.doi.org/10.15345/iojes.2015.01.01410.15345/iojes.2015.01.014
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Karimi, G. (2012). How do productive skills of L2 learning require EI? International Conference on Languages, E-Learning and Romanian Studies, 6(4), 322–335. https://journals.lub.lu.se/elears/article/view/5452
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Karimi, M., Khosravani, E., & Ghasemi Dorofki, A. (2017). On the relationship between emotional intelligence quotient and intelligence quotient with vocabulary proficiency of Iranian high school EFL learners. International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World, 15(1), 1–15.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ketabdar, Z., Yazdani, S., & Yarahmadi, M. (2014). The relationship between emotional intelligence and willingness to communicate among Iranian EFL learners. European Online Journal of Natural and Social Sciences, 3(3), 637–650. http://european-science.com/eojnss/article/view/1327
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Khosro Javid, M. (2002). Analyzing the validity and reliability of Schutte’s Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test in youth. [MA dissertations in general psychology, University of Tarbiat Modarres].
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Mahmoodi, N., Mohamadian, Z., Ghasemi, V., & Fallah, S. (2015). The relationship between worklife quality and high school teachers’ creativity of Rasht, Iran. Indian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Life Sciences, 5(1), 717–724.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Mallah, Q., & Pourgharib, B. (2015). The Relationship between emotional intelligence and reading skill among Iranian EFL learners. Language science & Linguistic, 3(3), 54. http://www.jlsljournal.com
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Mall-Amiri, B., & Fekrazad, S. A. (2015). The relationship among Iranian EFL learners’ creativity, emotional intelligence, and language learning strategies. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 5(9), 1863–1873. http://dx.doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0509.1410.17507/tpls.0509.14
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Mayer, J. D., & Salovey, P. (1997). What is emotional intelligence? In P. Salovey, & D. Sluyter (Eds.). Emotional development and emotional intelligence: Implications for educators, 1(3), 10–11.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
McDonough, K., Crawford, W. J., & Mackey, A. (2015). Creativity and EFL students’ language use during a group problem-solving task. TESOL Quarterly, 49(1), 188–199. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.21110.1002/tesq.211
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Mehdiabadi, F., Arabmofrad, A., & Mahfoozi Fard, S. (2016). Scrutinizing the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance in foreign language learning. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 3(3), 86–101. http://www.jallr.com/index.php/JALLR/article/view/302/pdf302
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Motallebzadeh, K. and Azizi, V. (2012). The relationship between Iranian EFL learners’ Emotional intelligence and their performance on TOEFL/PBT. International Journal of Linguistics, 4(1), 46–55. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijl.v4i1.138210.5296/ijl.v4i1.1382
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Nelson, D., & Low, G. (2005). Emotional intelligence: the role of transformative learning in academic excellence. Texas Study of Secondary Education, 13, 7–10.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Nosratinia, M., & Zaker, A. (2013). Autonomous learning, and critical thinking: Inspecting the association among EFL learners. First National Conference on Teaching English, Literature, and Translation, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran, 2013a. http://www.civilica.com/Paper-TELT01TELT01226.html.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Pishghadam, R. (2009). A quantitative analysis of the relationship between emotional intelligence and foreign language learning. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 6(1), 31–41. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267828836_A_Quantitative_Analysis_of_the_Relationship_between_Emotional_Intelligence_and_Foreign_Language_Learning
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Säälik, U. (2014). Learning strategies explaining boys’ and girls’ reading performance in schools with different language. Social and Behavioral Sciences, 1802015, 1649–1655. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.05.05910.1016/j.sbspro.2015.05.059
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Saeidi, M., & Yusefi, M. (2008). The Relationship between EFL learners’ emotional intelligence and critical reading. The Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1(1), 134–157. http://jal.iaut.ac.ir/article_524181_d6b037526c5553d3f6cad25d6b9156d5.pdf
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Salahshour, F., Sharifi, M., & Salahshour, N. (2013). The relationship between language learning strategy use, language proficiency level and learner gender. Social and Behavioral Sciences, 702013, 634–643. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.01.10310.1016/j.sbspro.2013.01.103
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Salehzade, M., & Lashkarian, A. (2015). The relationship between emotional intelligence and verbal intelligence in Iranian EFL learners. International Journal of Educational Investigations, 2(6), 88–95.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Schutte, N. S., Malouff, J. M., Hall, L. E., Haggerty, D. J., Cooper, J. T., Golden, C. J., & Dornheim, L. (1998). Development and validation of a measure of emotional intelligence. Personality and Individual Differences, 25, 167–177. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(98)00001-410.1016/S0191-8869(98)00001-4
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Taghinezhad, A., Abdollahzadeh, P., Dastpak, M., & Rezaei, Z. (2016). Investigating the impact of gender on foreign language learning anxiety of Iranian EFL learners. Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods, 6(5), 417–426.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Weiler, A., (2017). Language learning passion. https://www.strategiesinlanguagelearning.com/language-learning-passion
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Yahaya, A., Juriah, N., Yahaya, N., Boon, Y., Hashim, S., & Lee, G. M. (2012). The impact of emotional intelligence element on academic achievement. Archives Des Sciences, 65(4), 2–17. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/11798725.pdf
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Yamashita, T., (2018). Grit and second language acquisition: Can passion and perseverance predict performance in Japanese language learning? [Masters Theses, University of Massachusetts Amherst]. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/masters_theses_2/679
Search in Google Scholar Back to article

An Investigation into the Impact of Emotional Quotient (EQ) on Iranian EFL Learners’ Language Achievement

Abstract

Paradigm

My account