THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND RECEPTIVE ENGLISH SKILLS OF TUNISIAN IT STUDENTS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY

Abstract

This study aims at discovering the emotional intelligence and receptive English skills of Tunisian IT students, studying the relationship between the two variables, and determining the best predictors of receptive English skills among the emotional intelligence categories. It involved 31 students of the Higher Institute of Technology and Communications Science of Tunis. Data were collected by administering an English proficiency test (TOEIC) and distributing an emotional intelligence inventory (Bar-On EI Inventory) to the students. The results of statistical analyses revealed that (1) the emotional intelligence and receptive English skills of the students were of average levels; (2) there was a significant positive correlation between the students’ emotional intelligence and their receptive English skills; and (3) interpersonal and stress management categories of emotional intelligence were the variables that had the highest correlation with receptive English skills. It was also found that, in learning English language, the Tunisian IT students were driven and motivated by their goals and ambitions. In addition, their optimism, linguistic setting, and Tunisian culture strongly influence their receptive English skill.