Emotional Intelligence Among Elementary Learners, Parents, and Teachers in Korean English Language Institutes

Although Korean students are pressured to master the English language, standardized test scores in English are lower among Korean students than among students of other non-English speaking countries. Emotional intelligence (EI) is positively associated with the acquisition of a second language, but levels of EI among Korean students learning English have had very limited examination. In this exploratory mixed methods study, the role of EI in English language education in Korea was investigated. The study combined descriptive quantitative and qualitative approaches. Sixty-four Korean students, 21 teachers of English as a second language, and 25 Korean parents completed surveys designed for this study to measure elements of EI in second language acquisition. Interviews and observations were also conducted with a subset of the participants. Translation was provided from English to Korean as needed in interviews and surveys. Survey scores were above the scale midpoint for all participants, indicating that participants believed that they were able to recognize, identify, and forecast emotions accurately. Qualitative results differed in some areas from survey results, suggesting that social desirability may have influenced survey responses. The students interviewed demonstrated anxiety when speaking English, even though on the survey most denied being anxious. Parents who reported being sure of their emotions on the survey lacked empathic behaviors and appeared not to understand the learning processes of their children. However, results from teacher interviews and observations were similar to those found in the survey as they supported the students in learning English. In conclusion, data suggest that the concept of EI has been introduced in Korean education, but its application is evolving. It is recommended that students be taught to recognize their own emotions and to seek help from adults to understand their emotions when needed. Similarly, teachers and parents associated with English language institutes in Korea need to learn ways to provide emotional support to students. Additional observational research should be conducted to explore the potential benefits and application of EI in more Korean classes and homes, in public Korean schools, as well as in private English academies.