Teaching Performance in Relation to Emotional Intelligence among English Student-Teachers in the Teacher-Education Program in Hodeidah, Yemen

This study basically aims to determine if higher teaching performance in the practicum courses was positively correlated to higher emotional intelligence among male and female ‎student-teachers, who enrolled in the English Department of the Faculty of Education at Hodeidah University. It also investigates gender differences in EI among the third and fourth-year student-teachers, and whether they are aware of the concept of EI and its influence on learning and teaching English. ‎It focuses on a sample of 160 English student-teachers: 60 of them are in the third-year level and 100 are in the fourth year. Out of 160, 30 are males plus 130 females. Bar-On and Parker (2000) 60-item Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-I) is used to measure students' EI. Also, student-teachers' end-semester marks in the courses of teaching practicum I & II are used. The findings revealed that the participants are unaware of EI and its significance in the learning/teaching processes. Also, they do have a good level of teaching performance and a quite high level of EI as measured by Bar-On & Parker 60-item EQ-I but ‎no significant correlation found between them. ‎Therefore, EI isn't a significant predictor ‎of the student-teachers' good ‎performance in teaching. Furthermore, gender differences in the student-teachers' EI‎ are so simple and not of great significance. ‎This study helps to raise the instructors' and student-teachers' awareness of EI and its influence on teaching effectiveness. It further recommends that EI could be increased through the inclusion of it as a curricular component.