On the Correlation between Teachers’ Emotional Intelligence and Learners’ Motivation: The Case of Iranian EFL Learners

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to investigate the possible correlation between teachers’ emotional intelligence and EFL learners’ motivation. To conduct the research, a sample of 240 EFL learners and 26 EFL teachers was selected. The instruments utilized in the current scrutiny were Bar-On's (1997) Emotional Intelligence Inventory and Gardner's (1985) Attitude Motivation Test Battery. The analysis of data was carried out through running correlation, multiple regressions and t-test analyses. Based on the gained upshots, the teachers' emotional intelligence was found to significantly correlate with EFL learners’ motivation in the study sample. Proficiency level was also reported to play a considerable part vis-à-vis the relationship between the teachers' emotional intelligence and learners' motivation. Moreover, the five sub-scales of Bar-On's emotional intelligence inventory came to have a significant correlation with learners’ motivation. Finally, a significant amount of correlation held between the twelve sub-scales of motivation and teachers’ emotional intelligence.

Keywords: emotional intelligence, Iranian EFL teachers/learners, motivation