Including Emotional Intelligence in the Practicum Subject Syllabus at Uniminuto

Abstract

To explore the importance of Emotional Intelligence in pre- service English teachers at Uniminuto university.This qualitative exploratory research study attempts to understand the importance of Emotional Intelligence for pre-service English teachers in a private university. The main objective of this study is to explore the importance of Emotional Intelligence in pre- service English teachers at Uniminuto university as they face mainly five negative emotions in their practicum field. By following an exploratory research method, three different instruments (semi structured interviews, a questionnaire, and a workshop) addressed to three different actors (the director and coordinator of the program, teachers and pre-service English teachers) were conducted in order to determine whether or not Emotional Intelligence is relevant in the formation process in the practicum pre-service teachers face.This qualitative exploratory research study attempts to understand the importance of Emotional Intelligence for pre-service English teachers in a private university. The main objective of this study is to explore the importance of Emotional Intelligence in pre- service English teachers at Uniminuto university as they face mainly five negative emotions in their practicum field. By following an exploratory research method, three different instruments (semi structured interviews, a questionnaire, and a workshop) addressed to three different actors (the director and coordinator of the program, teachers and pre-service English teachers) were conducted in order to determine whether or not Emotional Intelligence is relevant in the formation process in the practicum pre-service teachers face. Thus, the teachers in charge of the Practicum space, the director and coordinator took a semi- structured interview with different questions about the practicum of being English teachers and the support the Bachelor Program provides to students who attend the practicum in terms of dealing with negative emotions. Besides, a questionnaire was conducted to pre-service English teachers in order to comprehend if the problem exists. Also, a preliminary intervention to the pre-service English teachers was carried out with the aim of giving a general knowledge about Emotional Intelligence and understand if they consider this knowledge useful. Findings show that the lack of knowledge about Emotional Intelligence is evidenced and occurs because pre-service English teachers do not know how to manage and control those five negative emotions that might appear during their performance in the practicum