Emotional Intelligence and Language Competence: A Case Study of the English Language Learners at Taif University English Language Centre

Variation in general abilities of human beings gave birth to the concept of intelligence. Since 1990, when for the first time emotional intelligence was introduced, it has become a buzzword in many fields including education, management studies, and artificial intelligence. Within the context of foreign language learning, it is being applied in educational institutions for language competence. An empirical study was conducted on English language learners at Taif University English Language Centre (TUELC) to find out relationship between their Emotional Intelligence (EI) and language competence. For this study, a group of 200 (male and female) students were selected randomly studying English at the undergraduate level. Data collected through EI Inventory was matched with their academic achievement in English language based on assessment of four skills. The result revealed a close relationship between EI and language competence of undergraduate students at TUELC and EI also affects students’ English language competence