EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND ITS RELATION TO ORAL TASK FLUENCY, ACCURACY, AND COMPLEXITY AMONG IRANIAN EFL LEARNERS

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence as well as its components and oral task fluency, accuracy, and complexity among Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. Emotional intelligence of 17 male and 22 female participants selected from two intact classes of Avayeh Zaban Institute, Tabriz, Iran, was obtained through Bar-On’s Emotional Quotient Inventory. Afterwards, the oral performance of them were transcribed and scored in terms of fluency, accuracy, and complexity by three raters. Then, a number of Pearson’s correlation analyses were conducted to measure the degree of the relationship between emotional intelligence as well as its components and L2 speaking fluency, accuracy, and complexity. The results of the correlation analyses indicated that emotional intelligence as a whole factor had a statistically positive relationship with the complexity of students’ oral performance. It was also found that among five components of emotional intelligence interpersonal and stress management components had a significant relationship with both fluency and accuracy of oral performance and intrapersonal, adaptability, and general mood components were significantly correlated just with complexity of speaking. The results of the study could help course book designers, curriculum planners, foreign language institutes, teachers, learners and their parents to provide and use different methods of teaching and learning.