This document discusses a study on the components of emotional intelligence that are most important in English language teaching. It begins with definitions of emotional intelligence and discusses why research on the topic is important. It then outlines the personal and social competence factors of an emotional competence framework and lists the research questions. The methodology, initial results, and references are also summarized.

1. What components of
emotional intelligence are
most important in ELT?
MaryAnn Christison
University of Utah
Denise Murray
Macquarie University
What is Emotional
intelligence?
• Turn to someone sitting next to you
• Decide on a definition of emotional intelligence.
• Write it down.

2. Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the capacity to
recognize our own feelings and those of
others,
to motivate ourselves, and
to manage emotions well in ourselves
and in our relationships.
Why are we interested in
research on emotional
intelligence?

3. Emotional intelligence
• For star performance in all jobs, in every field,
emotional competence is twice as important as
purely cognitive abilities
• For success at the highest levels, in leadership
positions, emotional competence accounts for
virtually the entire advantage
• “the higher level of the job, the less important
technical skills and cognitive abilities were, and
the more important competence in emotional
intelligence became. “
Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. London:
Bloomsbury. p. 33.
What is emotional
competence?

4. Emotional competence
An emotional competence is a
learned capability that is
based on emotional intelligence and
that results in
outstanding performance at work.
What is EI?
• EI is a combination of two types of
competencies.
– Personal competence (how we manage
ourselves)
– Social competence (how we manage
relationships)
• These competencies are vital for how we
can lead in different cultures and
structures

5. Emotional competence
framework
• Personal competence (how we manage
ourselves)
– Self-awareness
• Emotional awareness
• Accurate self-assessment
• Self-confidence
– Self-regulation
• Self-control
• Trustworthiness
• Adaptability
• Innovation
Emotional competence
framework
• Personal competence (how we manage
ourselves)
– Motivation
• Achievement drive
• Commitment
• Initiative
• Optimism

6. Emotional competence
framework
• Social competence (how we handle
relationships)
– Empathy
• Understanding others
• Developing others
• Service orientation
• Leveraging diversity
• Political awareness
Emotional competence
framework
• Social competence (how we handle
relationships)
- Social Skills
• Competence in communication
• Conflict management
• Competence in leadership
• Change catalyst
• Collaboration and cooperation
• Team capabilities

7. Research Questions
What factors related to social competence do EL
teaching professionals place the highest value on for
themselves?
What factors related to social competence do EL
teaching professionals place the highest value on for
other teachers?
What factors related to social competence do EL
teaching professionals place the highest value on for
leaders and administrators?
Research Questions
What factors related to personal competence do EL
teaching professionals place the highest value on for
themselves?
What factors related to personal competence do EL
teaching professionals place the highest value on for
other teachers?
What factors related to personal competence do ELT
professionals place the highest value on for leaders
and administrators?

8. Research Methodology
• Questionnaire
– Rate each emotional competence (3-point scale)
• One’s own competence
• How important that competence is for ELT teachers
• How important that competence is for
administrators/managers/leaders in ELT
– Sent via email to 1700+
– Responses to date 200
– Targeted number of responses 500+
RESULTS

9. RESPONDENTS
Male 27%
Female 73%
TEACHING PROFILE
Number of Years Number of Years
Teaching Teaching ELT
• 0-5 17% 0-5 19%
• 6-10 12% 6-10 14%
• 11-15 15%
11-15 16%
• 16-20 9%
16-20 12%
• 20+ 47%
20+ 39%

10. CONTEXTS
University/college 36%
Private language schools or binational centers 24%
Adult education 24%
Intensive English programs in non-English-speaking
countries
Intensive English programs in English-speaking
countries
K12 schools in English speaking countries
K12 schools in non-English speaking countries
Other
TEACHER EDUCATORS
Number of years in teacher education
Not teacher educators 22%
New teacher educators (1-5 years) 21%
Experienced teacher educators (20+
years) 20%

11. ADMINISTRATORS
47% not administrators
25% new administrators (1-5 years)
7% senior administrators (20+
years)
The Intercultural Dimension
With which cultural cluster do you
most identify?

12. CULTURAL CLUSTERS
We realize that there are
individual differences within the
clusters; however, previous
research (see, for example,
Hofstede, 1980, 1986, 1994) has
shown that these clusters are
valid classifications.
CULTURAL CLUSTERS
Not all countries are listed within the clusters
because the previous research, although
international, does not include data from
every country.
If respondents could not find their country, they
chose a cultural cluster that they believed
most closely fit with their cultural identity.
With which cluster do you most identify?

13. Cultural Clusters
Anglo (England, Australia, White South Africa, Canada, New Zealand,
Ireland, USA)
Latin Europe (Israel, Italy, Portugal, Spain, France, French-speaking
Switzerland)
Nordic Europe (Finland, Sweden, Denmark)
Germanic Europe ( Austria, German-speaking Switzerland, The
Netherlands, Germany)
Eastern Europe (Hungary, Russia, Kazakhstan, Poland, Greece, Slovenia,
Georgia)
Latin America (Costa Rica, Venezuela, Ecuador, Mexico, El Salvador,
Colombia, Guatemala, Bolivia, Argentina)
Sub-Sahara Africa (Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Black South Africa,
Nigeria)
Arab Cultures (Qatar, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Kuwait)
South Asia (India, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Iran)
Confucian Asia (Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, China,
Japan)
Cultural Clusters
Anglo (England, Australia, White South Africa, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland,
USA)
Latin Europe (Israel, Italy, Portugal, Spain, France, French-speaking Switzerland)
Nordic Europe (Finland, Sweden, Denmark)
Germanic Europe ( Austria, German-speaking Switzerland, The Netherlands,
Germany)
Eastern Europe (Hungary, Russia, Kazakhstan, Poland, Greece, Slovenia,
Georgia)
Latin America (Costa Rica, Venezuela, Ecuador, Mexico, El Salvador,
Colombia, Guatemala, Bolivia, Argentina)
Sub-Sahara Africa (Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Black South Africa, Nigeria)
Arab Cultures (Qatar, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Kuwait)
South Asia (India, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Iran)
Confucian Asia (Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, China, Japan)

14. Summary
High - 80 - 100%
Average - 50 - 60%
Low -
Respondents’ Own Ratings
How do you rate yourself?

15. Personal Competence
High
Emotional awareness
Self-control
Trustworthiness
Adaptability
Achievement drive
Commitment
Initiative
Average
Accurate self-assessment
Self-confidence
Initiative
Optimism
Social Competence
High
Understanding others
Service orientation
Ability to influence others
Effective communication skills
Leadership capabilities
Competence in building bonds
Competence in cooperative and collaborating with others
Competence in building teams and getting people to work together
Average
Developing others
Leveraging diversity
Conflict management
Catalyst for change
Political Awareness

16. Importance for Teachers
Personal Competence
High
Emotional awareness
Self-assessment
Self-confidence
Self-control
Trustworthiness
Adaptability
Commitment
Initiative
Optimism
Average
Innovation

17. Social Competence
High
Understanding others
Developing others
Political awareness
Communication skills
Conflict management
Catalyst for change
Collaboration and cooperation
Abilities to build team
Average
Service orientation
Leveraging diversity
Influence others
Leadership skills
Building bonds
Importance for
Leaders/Managers/
Administrators

18. PERSONAL COMPETENCE
High
Emotional awareness
Accurate self-assessment
Self-confidence
Self-control
Trustworthiness 92%
Adaptability
Innovation
Achievement drive
Commitment
Initiative
Optimism
SOCIAL COMPETENCE
High
Understanding others
Developing others
Service orientation
Leveraging diversity
Influencing others
Communication skills
Conflict management
Importance of leadership
Catalyst change
Ability to collaborate and cooperate
Ability to build teams
Average
Political awareness

19. Personal Competence
Summary
“I” “Teacher” “Administrators
or leaders”
Trustworthiness Trustworthiness Trustworthiness
Commitment Self-control
Commitment
Social Competence Summary
“I” “Teacher” “Administrators
or leaders”
Cooperation Cooperation Communication
and and skills
collaboration collaboration
Ability to build Communication Understanding
team skills others
Ability to
develop others

20. Intercultural Dimensions
Dependent variable • Cultural Clusters
Self-confidence • Anglo/Latin
Ability to influence • Anglo/Latin
Individual initiative • Arab/Anglo
• Arab/Latin
Comments and Questions?

21. Please forward this request to anyone you
think may be interested participating.
– https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RYTBXP6
References
Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional
intelligence. London: Bloomsbury, p. 33.
Hofstede, G. (1980). Culture’s consequences: International
differences in work-related values. Newbury Park, CA:
Sage.
Hofstede, G. (1986). Cultural differences in teaching and
learning. International Journal of Intercultural
Relations, 10(3), 301–320.
Hofstede, G. (1994). Cultural constraints in management
theories. In D. E. Hussey (Ed.), International review of
strategic management (Vol. 5, pp. 27–48). Chichester,
NY: Wiley & Sons.