Social Intelligence and its relation to the Performance of Students in Foreign Language Skills: A Study of Yemeni Students at the Department of English, Taiz University, Turba Branch

Abstract

This study investigates to what extent social intelligence may contribute to the performance of students in receptive and productive language skills. It is an empirical quantitative study that included 137 level three students at the Department of English, Faculty of Education, Science and Arts, Taiz University, Turba Branch. The study hypothesizes that there is no relation between social intelligence and the performance of the students in foreign language skills. It has concluded that a statistically significant relation does exist between social intelligence and language skills and thus the hypothesis of the study has been rejected. That is, enhancing the social intelligence of the learners should not be ignored. Social intelligence is not something genetic, but it can be developed in the individual.  The study has recommended that social intelligence should be included as a scale and criterion for students' admission to the departments of English and other foreign languages departments. In addition, some guidance programs for the development of social intelligence among students of foreign language departments need to be conducted with a view to developing their language skills.