Emotional intelligence and its role in second language acquisition: linguodidactic and psychological aspects

Abstract

This article examines the role of emotional intelligence in second language acquisition from linguodidactic and psychological perspectives. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing importance of affective factors in language learning and by the need to consider students’ emotional readiness in the multilingual context of higher education in Kazakhstan. The aim of the research is to identify the relationship between students’ emotional intelligence, foreign language anxiety and the development of communicative competence. The study employed descriptive and correlational methods. Empirical data were collected from 120 university students using questionnaires based on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) and the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire – Short Form (TEIQue-SF). The results indicate a negative correlation between emotional intelligence and foreign language anxiety: students with higher levels of self-regulation, empathy and emotional stability demonstrate lower anxiety and greater readiness to participate in oral communication. The findings also show that emotional intelligence contributes to overcoming the affective barrier, improving motivation and strengthening students’ confidence in the process of second language acquisition. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using its results in the development of emotionally supportive teaching strategies, communicative tasks and language curricula. The article concludes that emotional intelligence should be considered an important component of successful second language acquisition and an essential factor in humanizing language education.

Keywords: emotional intelligence, second language acquisition, affective filter, foreign language anxiety, communicative competence, linguodidactics, self-regulation, higher education in Kazakhstan.