On the Role of Emotional Intelligence in Secondary Teachers’ Teaching Effectiveness

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Abstract

This research explored the relationship between teachers’ emotional intelligence and teaching effectiveness and the predictive power of emotional intelligence for effective teaching. Research method was descriptive-correlational. The sample of this study included 704 students and 32 teachers of secondary school in Shiraz selected through stage cluster sampling. Research instruments were Emotional Quotient Inventory (Bar-On, 1997) and Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) (Painta & Hamre, 2009). Basically, ClASS evaluates teaching effectiveness through observation and involves three dimensions of educational support, emotional support, and class organization. Its reliability as assessed by test-retest method was 0.85. Teaching effectiveness in terms of these three components was measured using a questionnaire answered by students. Its Cronbach's alpha reliability index was estimated to be 0.78. The mean score of both instruments (observation scale and student questionnaire) was viewed as the index of every teacher’s teaching effectiveness. Data were analyzed employing Pearson correlation and regression analysis. The results indicated that the variables of interest were significantly and positively correlated and even by controlling sex, age, and education EQ could strongly predict effective teaching (Beta=0.73). Furthermore, partial correlation of EQ with subscales of effective teaching revealed that there was a significant relationship between EQ and educational support and emotional support but not class organization. Therefore, the research hypothesis was confirmed. As emotional intelligence is teachable it is suggested that more attention be devoted to its development in teacher training programs.

Keywords


American Psychotherapy. (2007). Emotional Intelligence: transformative
theory and applied model of positive personal change.
www.Americanpsychotherapy.com. (Access in 2010, April)
Askanasy.N.M.&Dasborough,M.T. (2003).Emotional Awareness and
emotional intelligence in leadership teaching. Journal of education for business,
79, 18-22
Bar-on, R. (2000).Emotional and social intelligence: Insights from the
emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-I). In the Bar-on&J.D.A. Parker(Eds). The
Handbook of Emotional Intelligence, (pp.363-388).San Francisco, CA: Health
system.
Bar-on, R. (2002).Bar- on Emotional Quotient: short Technical manual.
Toronto, Canada: Multi- Health System. 
Bar-on, R. (1997).Bar-on Emotional Quotient Inventory: Technical Manual
Toronto. Multi-Health Systems
Barchard, K.A.(2003).Does emotional intelligence assist in the prediction of
academic success? Educational psychological measurement, 63,840-858
Bracket, M., &mayer, j.D.(2003).Convergent discrimination and incremental
validity of competing measure of emotional intelligence. Personality and social
psychology Bulletin, 29, 1147-1158.
Chan, D. W. (1992). Teachers as clinicians: In adequacies in teacher
education. Education Journal,20, 37-42.
Chan, D. W. (2004). Perceived emotional intelligence and self-efficacy
among Chinese secondary school teachers in Hong Kong. Personality and
Individual Differences, 36, 1781-1795.
Ciarrochi, J.V.,Deane,F.P,and Anderson,S.(2002).Emotional Intelligence
Moderate the relationship between stress and mental health. Personality and
Individual Differences,32.pp.197-209
Class.www.classobservation.com. (Access in 2010, March).
Defabio,A&Palazzeschi,L.(2008).Emotional intelligence and Self-efficacy in
A sample of Italian high school teachers. Social behavior and
Personality,36(3),315-326
DFES.(2003).Developing Children's social, emotional and behavioral skill,
a whole curriculum approach. London, DFES.
Eysenck,M.W.,&Calo.M.G.(1992).Anxiety and performance: the processing
efficiency theory.Cagnative Emotion,6,400-434
Fraser, BJ. (1990). Individualized Classroom Environment Questionnaire.
Melbourne: Australian Council for Educational Research.
Fraser, B.J., Anderson, G.J., & Walberg, H.J. (1982). Assessment of learning
environments: Manual for Learning Environment Inventory (LEI) and My Class
Inventory (3rd versions). Perth: Western Australian Institute of Technology.
Forgas, J.P. (Eds.) (2000) Felling and thinking. The role of affect in social
cognition. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Gathercoal, F.(1993). Judicious discipline. San Francisco, Ca, Caddo Gap
Press.
Goleman, D.(1995).Educational Intelligence: why it can matter than IQ
.London: Bloomsbury.
Gardner, H. Hetch, T. (1989).Multiple Intelligence goes to School,
Educational Research, V.18, and N.8.
Gardner, Howard. (1993).Multiple Intelligence: The Theory in Practice.
New York: Basic Book.
Hargreaves, A.(2001).Emotional Geographies of teaching. Teachers College
Records,103(6),1056-1080 
Hwang, Fei-Fei (2007).The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and
Teaching Effectiveness.
http://www.tamuk.edu/edu/kwei000/Research/Dissertations.htm
Kaufhold.J.A., & Johnson,L.R (2005).The Analysis of the emotional
intelligence skills and potential problem areas of elementary
educators.Education,125(4),615-626
Kremenitzer, p.J.(2005)The Emotionally Intelligence Early Childhood
Educators: Self-Reflective Journaling. Early Childhood Education
Journal.Vol.33, No.1, August.
Lam, L.T., & Kirby, S.L (2002).Is emotional Intelligence and advantage? An
Exploration of impact of emotional and general intelligence on individual
performance. Journal of Social Psychology, 142,133-143
Lupton,D .(1998).The motional self .London, Sage.
Mayer, J.D; Garuso, D. and Salovey,P.(2001).Emotional Intelligence Meets
Traditional Standards for an Intelligence,Intelligence,27(4),pp.267-98
Mayer, J.D., & Cobb,C.D.(2000).Educational policy on emotional
intelligence: does it make sense?. Educational Psychology Review, 12(2), 163-
183
Mayer, J. D., & Salovey,P.(1997).What is emotional intelligence?.In
P.Salvey& D.Sluyter(Eds). Emotional development and emotional intelligence:
Educational Implication (pp.3-31).New York: Basic Books.
Mayer, J.D.,Salovey,P.,Caruso,D.R.(2004).Emotional Intelligence: Theory,
Findings, and Implications. Psychological Inquiry, vol.15, No.3, 197-215
Moos, RH. & Trickett, EJ. (1974). Classroom Environment Scale: Manual
and Form. R. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Oately, K. & Jenkins, J.M. (1996).Understanding emotion .Cambridge, MA,
Blackwell.
Ostovar.Soghra, Amirzade .Mandana.(2009).An investigation into the
relationship among emotional intelligence, job satisfaction and organizational
commitment of a private company personnel. Quarterly Journal of New
Approaches in Educational Administration. Vol.1/No.2/Winter 2009.
Palmer,B.,Donaldson,C. And Stough, C.(2002).Emotional intelligence and
life satisfaction. Personality and Individual Differences,33,pp.1091-100
Petrides ,K.V.;Fredrickson,N.and Furnham,A.(2000).The Role of Trait
Emotional Intelligence in Academic Performance and deviant behavior at
school. Personality Individual Difference,36,P.P277-29.
Petrides, K.V., Fredrickson, N.and Furnham,A.(2001). Trait Emotional
Intelligence: psychometric Investigation with Reference to Established Trait
Taxonomies. European Journal of Personality,15, pp.425-48.
Pianta, R.C, & Hamre, B. (2009). Conceptualization, Measurement, and
Improvement of Classroom Processes: Standardized Observation Can Leverage 
Capacity. Educational Researcher, Vol. 38, No. 2, 109-119 (2009), American
Educational Research Association
Pianta, R.C, La Paro, K., & Hamre, B.K. (2008). Classroom Assessment
Scoring System (CLASS). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
Pitt, A. & Brushwood Rose, C.(2007).The significance of emotion in
teaching and learning: on making emotional significance. International Journal
of Leadership in Education. October - December 2007.Vol.10, No4.327-337.
Qualter,P.,Gardner,K.J.,Whiteley,H.E.(2007).Emotional Intelligence:
Review of research and Educational Implications.Journal Complication,
Pastoral Care,NAPCE.
Rubin, M.M.(1999).Emotional Intelligence and it's role in mitigating
aggression. Correlation study of the relationship between emotional intelligence
and aggression in urban adolescents. Unpublished dissertation, Immacula
College, Immaculta, Pensylvania.
Salovey, P., Stroud.L.R, woolery.A And Epel,E.S.(2002).Perceived
Emotional Intelligence, Stress Reactivity, and Symptom Reports: Further
Exploration using the trait Meta-mood scale. Psychology and health,17,pp.611-
27
Samoiee, Rahele&others(2007).Emotional Intelligence: Iranian version of
Bar-on inventory. Sena Research instituation for Behavioral Science, Ravan
tajhiz.(In Persion)
Summerfeldt,L.J.,Kloosterman,P.H.,Antony,M.M and
Parker,J.A.(2006).Social Anxiety, Emotional Intelligence, and Interpersonal
Adjustment. Journal of Psychology and behavioral Assessment,28,pp.57-68
Suttorn, R.E&Wheatley,K.F.(2003).Teachers' emotion and teaching: a
review of the literature and directions for future research. Educational
Psychology Review, 15(4), P.327-358
Trinidad, D.R., &Johnson, C.A.(2002).The Association between emotional
intelligence and early adolescent tobacco and alcohol use. Personality&
Individual differences,32,95-105
Wear,K.&Gray,G.(2003).What works in developing children's emotional and
social competence and wellbeing?.Department for Education and skills
research report n.456, London, (DfES).