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E-ISSN: 2468-6891
Research in Social Sciences and Technology
Volume: 7 Issue: 3 2022

pp. 65-85

The Effects of Emotional Intelligence on Teachers’ Classroom

Performance: A Case of Primary Schools in Southeast Region of
Botswana
Tshireletso Philemon Kgosiemanga & Samuel Dumazi Khoza*b

* Corresponding author
ABSTRACT
Email: [email protected]
The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of emotional
a. Botswana Open University, Botswana intelligence (EI) on teachers’ performance in Southeast Region
b. Tshwane University of Technology, primary schools in Botswana. The research methodology applied
Soshanguve, South Africa was mixed methods. The target group consisted of 300 teachers
from 16 primary schools in Botswana's Southeast Region. The
Article Info participants were chosen using a simple random sampling
Received: June 6, 2022
procedure. Seventy (70) out of 300 teachers comprising both
Revised: October 14, 2022
Accepted: November 17, 2022 males and females with years of work experience ranging from
less than 2 to more than 10 were used as the sample in the study.
10.46303/ressat.2022.18 The 9-layered model of the EI pyramid was used as the theoretical
framework for the study. The pragmatism paradigm was used to
How to cite
blend qualitative and quantitative research approaches to arrive
Kgosiemang, T. P., & Khoza, S. D. (2022).
The Effects of Emotional Intelligence on at trustworthy conclusions about the effects of EI on teacher
Teachers’ Classroom Performance: A performance in primary schools in Botswana's Southeast Region.
Case of Primary Schools in Southeast The findings of the study revealed that primary school teachers in
Region of Botswana. Research in Social the Southeast Region of Botswana require EI skills to enhance
Sciences and Technology, 7(3), 65-85.
their performance, improve their attitudes towards their
https://doi.org/10.46303/ressat.2022.18
instructional practices, and apply appropriate ways of assisting
Copyright license
and encouraging struggling learners and colleagues. The findings
This is an Open Access article distributed
under the terms of the Creative also indicated a link between teachers' EI and academic
Commons Attribution 4.0 International performance.
license (CC BY 4.0).
KEYWORDS
Emotional intelligence; academic performance; emotional
stimuli; self-awareness.
 66

INTRODUCTION
According to Siddique et al. (2020), teaching is a challenging process, and it is a vast concept in
the teaching field. Since teaching deals with the interaction between humans, one needs to be
emotionally strong to effectively manage the emotions involved in teaching and learning
activities. Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to recognise one’s own and other people's
emotions, to distinguish between different feelings and categorise them accordingly, and to use
emotional information to influence others’ thinking and behaviour (Abraham & Scaria, 2017).
So far, only one EI-related study was conducted in Botswana (Machera & Machera, 2017) using
Botho university learners to investigate the need to design and develop an EI curriculum for
learners in universities. A study by Machera and Machera (2017), found that the “Generation Y”
group was emotionally challenged with drug abuse, family abuse, sexual abuse, relationship
problems, and other challenges which could be contributing factors leading to failure and
dropout. As a result, teachers must have a high degree of EI to deal with emotionally challenged
learners, hence the undertaking of the study.
A study by Malejane and Diraditsile (2019), indicated that Botswana’s educational policy
was predominantly poorly implemented at the primary school level, which forms the
groundwork for secondary schooling, and regardless of whether the children excelled in
preparation, ground, and secondary school or not, they are automatically enrolled into higher
learning institutions, even though most of them are not emotionally stable. The factors which
contribute to the emotional instability of these children range from socioeconomic
backgrounds, poverty, and social ills, among others (Malejane & Diraditsile, 2019). This places a
huge demand on teachers who find themselves dealing with these children on a day-to-day basis
at school. The problems that these children bring to the classroom create a burden for the
teacher and consequently affect academic performance. This occurs when teachers fail to
recognize the importance of EI in a working environment for the academic programme to
prosper. According to Botha and Hugo (2021), teachers leaving the profession before age of
retirement is an ongoing problem in schools worldwide. This is because teachers fail to
concentrate on their work because of such factors which in the end affect their EI. The goal of
the study was to examine the effects of emotional intelligence on teachers’ classroom
performance in the Southeast Region of Botswana's primary schools. The study is significant
because it will assist various stakeholders in the education sector in incorporating EI into
teaching and learning processes for the smooth running of the teaching and learning activities.
In developing countries like Botswana, limited research has been conducted on EI and teacher
performance in primary schools, which could influence academic accomplishment.
Research Questions
The study was guided by the following main research question:
• What are the effects of EI on teachers’ classroom performance in the Southeast Region
Primary schools in Botswana?

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The above main research question was supported by the following secondary research
questions:
• How does EI contribute to teachers’ attitudes towards their classroom performance in
the Southeast Region Primary Schools in Botswana?
• What is the relationship between teachers’ EI and academic performance?
• What strategies need to be put in place to contribute to teachers’ EI in primary schools?

LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
According to Saeidi and Nikou (2012), Salovey and Mayer (1990) were among the earliest to
propose the concept of “emotional intelligence” to represent the ability of people to deal with
their emotions. The teacher must be aware of EI competencies and skills, promote and
encourage interaction in a positive learning environment, and comprehend the learners to
support learning and develop the classroom setting (Alhashemi, 2018). Kanwal et al. (2018)
carried out a research study on emotional labour and EI of Secondary School Teachers in South
Asia. The findings revealed that emotional support offered by the teachers allows the learners
to participate in classroom activities, focus on the lessons attentively, and manage their
emotions more effectively. This shows that besides the concept of EI being important to the
teacher, the teacher’s recognition of the learner’s emotions in the classroom is of paramount
importance.
Effects of Emotional Intelligence on Teachers’ Performance
Emotional Intelligence has numerous effects on teachers’ performance. Farhah and Ali (2016),
add that EI is a significant part of teachers’ training programs because it is related to classroom
administration performance and other maintenance factors for teachers. Farhah and Ali (2016)
also found that EI predicted self-efficacy and life satisfaction, and had a positive influence on
university teachers. Gunu and Oladepo (2014) conducted a study to investigate the influence of
EI on the commitment of the organisation and employees' performance. Their findings proved
that employees' EI, organisational dedication, and capabilities had a strong link. This shows that
employees’ EI could have dire effects on any organization regarding production or output. Arifin
(2019) asserts that education, provided by teachers with great character, often results in a
generation with good character because learners learn from their teachers. In the process of
shaping learners’ characters, teachers need to display commitment and hard work, hence this
study aimed to investigate the effects of EI on teachers’ classroom performance in Botswana
primary schools in the Southeast Region.
The contribution of EI to teachers’ attitudes towards their classroom performance
Attitudes are how people think and behave. Jones et al. (2013) explain that today’s teachers are
more stressed out and discontented than ever before and most of them are leaving the
profession because of the attitudes they develop while in the school system. Therefore,

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teachers who have not acquired EI skills are not able to manage stress effectively. To address
teachers' attitudes toward teaching, a thorough examination of the notion of EI and its relation
to teacher performance in Botswana's Primary Schools was required, hence this study.
Emotionally intelligent teachers tend to make better team players and they are more
effective at motivating themselves and others (Adeyemo & Agoke, 2014). Emotional Intelligence
helps teachers improve their social skills, allowing them to collaborate with others more
effectively. One of the reasons why teachers with high EI do better than others is that they have
the skills and talents to avoid and manage stress throughout the teaching and learning process
(Sharma, 2015). Hence, EI is advantageous for teachers to handle any circumstance in the
working environment. When teachers are emotionally stable, they can maximize their potential
since there is a link between their EI and their degree of job satisfaction (Khan, 2010).
The Relationship between Teachers’ Emotional Intelligence and Academic Performance
A research study was conducted on EI in both primary and secondary schools by Kannaiah and
Shanthi (2015), to investigate the workplace drivers of EI and to determine the extent to which
employees are aware of EI. According to the study, EI has a critical role in boosting workers'
organisational commitment, increasing productivity and efficiency, keeping top talent, and
encouraging people to give their all. As a result, the study is relevant in determining the link
between EI and the academic achievement of teachers in Botswana's Southeast Region Primary
Schools. Competencies are key factors in the professional development of teachers, and as such,
teachers need to be in a good state of mind all the time for their EI to assist them in pulling off
their educational obligation (García-Martínez, et al. 2019).
Emotional Intelligence is a vital skill that is crucial in teachers’ careers. Majoka and Khan
(2017) conducted a study among 210 female teachers who taught Grade 10 learners for 2-10
years. These female teachers were randomly selected from 35 government high schools. The
study's goal was to find out whether EI was a predictor of work success among high school
female teachers. The study found that EI has a beneficial influence on the teaching and learning
process, because teachers with high EI have higher work satisfaction than those with low EI, and
their learners do better as shown by higher marks. As a result, there was a need to investigate
the link between EI and the academic achievement of teachers in Botswana's Southeast Region
Primary Schools.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
A conceptual framework explains the path of a research study and grounds it firmly in
theoretical constructs (Adom et al., 2018). Therefore, the theory of EI should represent how a
particular conclusion regarding emotions was reached. Everyone, regardless of gender,
ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or culture, expresses their sentiments through their face and
body (Darwin & Prodger, 1998). Emotion can be defined as a mind-boggling feeling, which
brings about physical and mental changes influencing thought and behaviour (Darwin &

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Prodger, 1998). Therefore, this study made use of the Pyramid of Emotional Intelligence which
has a Nine-Layer model as its framework.
Pyramid of Emotional Intelligence: The Nine-Layer Model
Drigas and Papoutsi (2018) developed an emotional intelligence pyramid, which is also known
as “a nine-layer model”. In a hierarchical framework, the model combines characteristics from
the Ability EI and Trait EI models. The ability level includes aspects of self-awareness (both
personal and social) and management. The trait level relates to the mood connected with
emotions, as well as the inclination to behave in a specific manner in emotional states when
other relevant aspects are considered. Gardner's concepts of intrapersonal and interpersonal
intelligence are also incorporated into the EI pyramid.

Figure 1. The emotional intelligence pyramid (9-layered model) (Drigas and Papoutsi, 2018)

The framework in Figure 1 assisted the study in establishing the effects of EI on teachers’
classroom performance in Primary schools in the Southeast Region of Botswana. In making
sense of the model, we decided to break it down as discussed below to show its relevance to
the study.

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Emotional Stimuli
This layer is the immediate stimulus of emotions as a product of the modification of the neural
processes of sensory input (Drigas & Papoutsi, 2018). An agent receives sensory effects when
an event occurs. Cognitive processes then interpret these stimuli and generate emotional
stimulation for increasing emotions. Emotional stimuli are then mediated through a neural
system that decides what feelings to experience and, as a result, generates an emotional
reaction that may affect the outcome of actions. The outcome of actions could then affect the
reaction of the teacher who in this case is the subject of the study and the quality of classroom
performance depends on such outcomes and actions.
Emotion Recognition
This layer means that to detect emotions, a person requires the ability to interpret the signals
of his or her emotions and that of others, typically relayed by non-verbal means (for example,
face, body, and voice). Detecting the learners’ emotions is truly important for promoting
effective learning, because of the inextricable link between cognition and emotions (Bouhlal et
al., 2020).
Self-Awareness
It entails having a clear understanding of one's personality, including strengths, shortcomings,
thoughts, beliefs, motives, and emotions. Arifin (2019) defines teachers’ self-awareness as
teachers’ ability to recognize their boundaries and tasks. As one's self-awareness grows, there
is a shift in one's thinking, which leads to changes in emotions and, finally, actions. Self-
awareness is a psychological state in which a person is aware of his or her characteristics,
feelings, and behaviours (Crisp & Turner, 2014). This would then enact emotional
consciousness, proper self-esteem, and self-confidence (Goleman, 2001), which every teacher
requires for better classroom performance.
Self-Management
It is the capacity to regulate one's reactions so as not to be driven by impulsive thoughts and
feelings (Drigas & Papoutsi, 2018). Self-management makes one more adaptable, receptive, less
judgmental of situations, and less reactive to other people's attitudes. Primary school teachers
need to possess such traits to accommodate learners of various personalities. Self-management
skills include the ability to manage emotions, express emotions properly, and listen to the heart
to organize actions daily (Arifin, 2019). This layer is also important because should a teacher fail
to manage his or her emotions and express them properly, teaching could be affected and
compromised.

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Social Awareness
This is the level of identifying and understanding the emotions of others. It is an increase in
emotional awareness. The way people handle connections and their understanding of others'
feelings, needs, and worries is referred to as social awareness (Drigas & Papoutsi, 2018). This
skill is relevant to primary school teachers who receive children from a range of socio-economic
backgrounds and who need psychosocial support, which makes this layer one of the most
important to teachers.
Social Skills
Following social awareness, the next stage in the emotional intelligence pyramid that aids in
boosting our Emotional Quotient (EQ) is social skills. The phrase "social skills" is used in
emotional intelligence to describe the abilities required to effectively handle and affect other
people's emotions to successfully manage interactions (Drigas & Papoutsi, 2018). These
qualities include the ability to attune to others’ feelings and comprehend how they feel and
think about things, the ability to collaborate and work well with others, and expertise in other
people's emotions and negotiations. Teachers in primary schools are team players and
collaborators who require social skills to create a positive learning environment for learners,
hence the need for social skills.
Self-Actualization
It is crucial to remember that self-actualization is a lifelong journey, not a destination like
"happily ever after”. Bar-On (2006) shows how emotional intelligence and self-actualization are
linked, concluding that "you may actualize your potential capacity for personal growth only
when you are socially and emotionally efficient in meeting your needs and dealing with life in
general." Primary school teachers’ level of self-actualisation is paramount in the teaching and
learning process as part of EI.
Transcendence
Maslow (1962) also suggested that those who have achieved self-actualization may occasionally
encounter a state he called "transcendence." Transcendence refers to far higher and more
comprehensive or holistic levels of human consciousness achieved through behaving and
associating with ourselves, important others, humanity in general, other species, nature, and
the planet as ends rather than means (Drigas & Papoutsi, 2018). At this level, one assists others
in self-actualization, fulfilment, and identification of their potential. The emotional quotient is
high, and those who have acquired it try to help others understand and regulate their own and
others' emotions as well.
Emotional Unity
It is the top tier of the EI pyramid. It is a purposefully positive and dynamic level in the sense
that it strives to achieve and maintain emotional dominance, which informs the subject that he
or she is in control of the circumstance or setting in an acceptable form (Drigas & Papoutsi,
2018). Emotional rules prescribe what teachers should do to comply with certain expectations
about the teacher role – for example, displaying too much affection or too much anger may be

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inappropriate (Zembylas, 2003). Therefore, teachers in primary schools need to have a

reasonable and efficient level of emotional unity for better classroom performance.
The above layers are interconnected and as such, teachers need to be fully engaged in
them for their classroom performance to be effective.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Design
The study employed a case study research design. A case study is an in-depth investigation of a
person, a group of people, or a unit, to generalize across multiple units (Heale &
Twycross, 2017). This design was suitable for the study because a sample of teachers was
derived from various primary schools to represent one population. A case study can either be
qualitative or quantitative or contain a combination of both approaches and cover investigation
within individual cases (Rebolj, 2013).
Participants
The researchers were able to pick a sample from all description levels within the primary school
setting using a case study. These types of studies are research methods aimed at holistically
analysing a phenomenon in its context and involve detailed consideration of contextual factors
leading to higher construct validity (Yamashita & Moonen (2014). Therefore, the Botswana
Primary schools in the Southeast Region of the country, which took part in the study, e, shared
the same classroom performance challenges. In this case, mixed methods research was used in
the study. The target population was 300 teachers from 16 Primary Schools in the Southeast
Region of Botswana. The participants were chosen using a simple random sampling procedure.
The procedure entailed giving everyone in the population a chance to be selected as a
participant (Majid, 2018). The research study's sample was selected from four primary schools
in Botswana's Southeast Region and 70 out of 300 teachers were used as the study sample. The
sample comprised both male and female primary school class teachers across all levels with a
range of fewer than 2 years to above 10 years of work experience.
Research Approach and Paradigm
Mixed methods research is an approach involving the collection of both quantitative and
qualitative data, integrating the two forms of data, and using distinct designs that may involve
philosophical assumptions and theoretical frameworks. The core assumption of this form of
inquiry is that the combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches provides a more
complete understanding of a research problem than either approach alone (Creswell, 2014).
In terms of quantitative research methodology, the positivism paradigm was used to guide the
research study. This methodology derives its strength from positivism which contends that
reality is objective, and that the researcher is an independent observer of such reality (Addae,
2015). The paradigm was relevant to account for the closed-ended questionnaire, which was
quantitative. The interpretivist paradigm is polarized in the dimension of the sociology of

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regulation by using the subjective approach as an analytical tool (Gunbayi & Sorm, 2018).
Because of its qualitative nature, interpretivism also explains and expands on the realm of
individual consciousness and subjectivity. Therefore, the researchers used open-ended
questions to interview participants. The most effective paradigm to adopt in mixed methods is
the one that solves problems. Mixed approaches, in which reality is constantly renegotiated,
contested, and interpreted, are best suited to pragmatism (Perera, 2018). The paradigm is
concerned with action and change and the interplay between knowledge and action (Goldkuhl,
2012). Primary school teachers are the driving force of the learning and teaching process,
therefore, their reactions to EI concerns as a performance indicator are critical. To a pragmatist,
the mandate of science is not to find truth or reality, the existence of which is perpetually in
dispute, but to facilitate human problem-solving (Parvaiz et al., 2016). Therefore, the positivism
research paradigm was suitable for the research study, which focused on determining the
effects of EI on teachers’ academic performance.
Instruments
Items adapted and derived from a test designed by Schutte, Malouff, and Bhullar (2009) referred
to as the "Schutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT)" were employed in both the
written interview and the questionnaire. The test was designed in 1998 and covered EI
dimensions which are: Emotion Perception, Self-emotion Management, Emotion Management
of Others, and Emotion Utilisation and has 33 items of which only ten were answered on a 5-
point Likert scale. The questionnaire had the following scale: 1= Strongly disagree (SD); 2 =
Disagree (D); 3 = Neither Disagree nor Agree (NDNA); 4 = Strongly Agree (SA); and 5 = Agree (A).
The results were evaluated using a variety of statistical methods. Quantitative data were
analysed using quantitative univariate descriptive analysis expressed in contingency (frequency)
tables, bar charts, and graphs to show nominal scores and statistical interpretations. A
univariate descriptive analysis uses bar charts, graphs, and tables as inferential statistics to draw
conclusions and identify relationships from data collected using absolute frequency (number of
cases) and relative frequency (percentage) (Cardenas, 2019). The qualitative data were analysed
with the help of “verbatim quotes” derived from teachers’ responses. Pattorn (2002) argues
that verbatim quotations are a basic source of raw data in qualitative research that serve to
reveal the informants’ emotions and experiences. Luckily, with the decline in COVID-19
numbers, we were able to access the respondents and address them in the study. Permission
for interviewing the Primary school teachers in the Southeast Region was also granted. To
validate the instruments, a pilot study was conducted with one Primary school from a different
region in Botswana. Piloting is important to establish the content validity of an instrument and
to improve questions, format, and scales (Creswell, 2009). The teachers from the said Primary
Schools were employed to assess the study instruments' reliability and validity (interview
questions and questionnaires).

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RESULTS
The questionnaire was used to assess respondents on features of emotional intelligence, which
include emotion recognition, social awareness, self-management, and self-awareness. Further,
quantitative data univariate descriptive analysis was expressed using contingency tables, bar
charts, and graphs to show nominal scores and statistical interpretations. Inferential statistics
were used to draw conclusions and identify relationships from data collected using absolute
frequency (number of cases) and relative frequency (percentage). The items that were used in
the questionnaire were adapted from the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test
(SSEIT): Schutte et al., (1998). Below are the results:

Table 1. Presentation and Analysis of Data from the questionnaire: Contingency Table, Emotion
Recognition, Self-Awareness, Social Skills, and Social Awareness
# Question 1 (SD) 2 (D) 3 (NDNA) 4 (SA) 5 (A)
1 I find it hard to understand 11 (16%) 14 (20%) 21 (30%) 9 (13%) 15 (21%)
the non-verbal messages
of other people
2 I am aware of my emotions 6 (8%) 9 (13%) 15 (21%) 18 (25%) 24 (33%)
as I experienced them
3 I am aware of non-verbal 9 (13%) 10 (14%) 18 (26%) 18 (26%) 15 (21%)
messages I send to others
4 By looking at their facial 11 (16%) 12 (17%) 15 (22%) 15 (21%) 17 (24%)
expressions, I recognise
the emotions people are
experiencing
5 I know why my emotions 9 (13%) 8 (11%) 9 (13%) 16 (23%) 28 (40%)
change
6 I easily recognise my 6 (9%) 8 (11%) 6 (9%) 19 (27%) 31 (44%)
emotions as I experience
them
7 I am aware of non-verbal 5 (7%) 13(19%) 19 (27%) 14 (20%) 19 (27%)
messages other people
send
8 I know what other people 10 (14%) 18(26%) 16 (23%) 9 (13%) 17(24%)
are feeling just by looking
at them
9 I can tell how people are 8 (11%) 20 (29%) 16 (23%) 10 (14%) 16 (23%)
feeling by listening to the
tone of their voice
10 It is difficult for me to 8 (12%) 12 (17%) 15 (21%) 15 (21%) 20 (29%)
understand why people
feel the way they do
Note: All the items were adopted from the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) (Schutte
et al., 1998).

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In question 1, a total of 36% of those polled disagreed with the statement, while 34%
agreed. The respondents who strongly agreed were (13%) and those who agreed were (21%).
This indicates that most respondents have difficulty understanding nonverbal messages from
others due to a lack of emotional awareness and require assistance. As a result, teachers do not
possess qualities that enable them to decipher nonverbal information from others. The positive
response by teachers to understand the emotions of other people has been supported by
Jennings and Greenberg (2009) in a study that identified one of the features of socially and
emotionally competent teachers as the "ability to recognize and understand the feelings of
others". As a result, teachers must possess qualities that enable them to decipher nonverbal
information from others.
Question 2 shows that 21% of respondents disagreed with the statement, while 58%
were aware of their emotions as they experience them. This indicates that most of the
respondents were aware of their emotions as they experienced them. However, a large
percentage (42%) indicated that the respondents' level of emotional awareness was low and
that it must be developed for them to be aware of their emotions as they occur. Therefore,
teachers need high self-awareness to utilize EI traits during teaching and learning. The positive
response of teachers being aware of their emotions as they experience them (58%) has been
supported by Jennings and Greenberg (2009), who identified “high self-awareness” as one of
the characteristics of socially and emotionally competent teachers. Therefore, teachers must
have high self-awareness to utilize EI traits during teaching and learning.
Question 3 indicates that a total of 27% of those polled disagreed with the statement,
while 47% agreed. This demonstrates that most of the respondents lacked emotion recognition
abilities, as they were unaware of the non-verbal signals they transmitted to others. Therefore,
teachers need more emotional skills to be aware of the non-verbal messages they send to
others. The above response by teachers, about the need to understand non-verbal messages
sent to others, has been supported by Drigas and Papoutsi (2018) in their Pyramid of Emotional
Intelligence referred to as “The Nine-Layer Model”. The second layer of the pyramid is “emotion
recognition”. It is a stage in which accuracy becomes stronger as emotions are both relayed and
remembered. At this level, a person must be able to detect emotions followed by the ability to
interpret the signals of his or her emotions and that of others, typically relayed by non-verbal
means such as the face and body. Therefore, teachers need emotional skills to be aware of the
non-verbal messages they send to others.
Question 4 shows that 33% of respondents disagreed with the statement, while 45%
agreed. This demonstrates that most of the respondents lacked emotion detection skills, as they
were unable to recognise the emotions that others were experiencing based on their facial
expressions. Therefore, with the acquisition of emotion recognition and social awareness skills,
Primary school teachers in the Southeast Region of Botswana will be able to recognise the
emotions learners experience by looking at their facial expressions. Teachers' responses reveal
that they require social awareness, as Drigas and Papoutsi (2018) argue that "Social awareness

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is essential for one to identify and understand the emotions of those around him, including the
facial expression". Therefore, with the acquisition of emotion recognition and social awareness
skills, primary school teachers will be able to recognise the emotions students experience by
looking at their facial expressions.
The above question 5, shows that 24% of respondents disagreed with the statement,
while 63% do. This demonstrates that a substantial portion of the respondents lacked self-
awareness, as they had no idea why their feelings changed. Therefore, due to a lack of self-
awareness skills, teachers could not know why their emotions changed. The response of most
respondents concurs with Crisp and Turner (2014), who describes self-awareness as a
psychological state in which an individual knows his or her traits, feelings, and behaviours.
Therefore, through self-awareness skills, all teachers can learn why their emotions change.
Question 6 illustrates that 20% of respondents disagreed with the statement, while 71% agreed.
This demonstrates that most responders had emotion detection skills, as they could recognise
their own emotions as they occurred. Therefore, Primary school teachers in the Southeast
Region of Botswana must not only recognize their emotions as they experience them but also
choose among the various negative and positive emotions and apply positive ones in the
classroom situation. Most of the teachers' comments corroborate Gardner's (1989) multiple
intelligence theory, which is discussed in this study. He identified 7 aspects of intelligence found
in both teachers and learners. Among them is “intrapersonal intelligence”. It is found in a
teacher who has detailed and accurate self-knowledge. Such a teacher must be able to access
and differentiate among his or her sentiments, as well as leverage his or her abilities and desires.
Therefore, primary school teachers must not only recognize their emotions as they experience
them but also choose among the various negative and positive emotions and apply positive ones
in a classroom situation.
Question 7 above shows that 26% of respondents disagreed with the statement. The
statement was supported by 47% of the respondents. This indicates that most of the
respondents lacked emotional recognition and social skills, as they were not aware of the non-
verbal messages other people send. Drigas and Papoutsi (2018) go on to describe social skills
as qualities that span from being able to tune into another person's thoughts and comprehend
how they feel and think about things, being a great collaborator and team player, and having
expertise in other people's emotions and negotiations. Additionally, primary school teachers
must always be aware of non-verbal messages students send to accord them the necessary
assistance during teaching and learning.
Question 8 above shows that 28 respondents disagreed with the statement, while 37%
(26 respondents) agreed. The total number of respondents who strongly disagreed (14%),
disagreed (26%), and neither disagreed nor agreed (23%) makes 63%. This demonstrates that
most respondents lacked social awareness, as they could not tell how other people were feeling
simply by looking at them. One of the characteristics of socially and emotionally competent
teachers identified by Jennings and Greenberg (2009) in their study, which agrees with teacher

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responses in the current study, is that such teachers are socially conscious, fully comprehend
that others may have different points of view than they do, and account for this in relationships
with learners, parents, and colleagues. This means that teachers would need to improve their
EI skills to be able to tell what their learners perceive simply by looking at them.
Question 9 shows that 40% of respondents disagreed with the statement, while 37%
agreed. This demonstrates that most of the respondents lacked social awareness abilities, as
they were unable to tell how others were feeling simply by listening to their voice tone. Gardner
(1989), in his multiple intelligence theory, supports the need for teachers to be able to tell how
students are feeling by listening to their voice tone. Linguistic intelligence entails sensitivity to
the sounds, rhythms, and meanings of words; sensitivity to the different functions of language,
including voice. As a result, teachers must have linguistic intelligence and social awareness
abilities to assess the tone of students' voices and provide appropriate assistance.
Question 10 above shows that 29% of the respondents disagreed with the statement,
while 50% of the respondents agreed. This demonstrates that most respondents lacked social
awareness abilities since they struggled to comprehend why individuals felt the way they did.
Most of the teachers' responses indicate a lack of self-management abilities, which supports
what Drigas and Papoutsi (2018) stated, that self-management allows one to become more
flexible, responsive, less critical of situations, and less reactive to people's attitudes. This means
that teachers must understand why learners feel the way they do. Arifin (2019) also concurs
with Drigas and Papoutsi (2018) that a socially aware teacher shows empathy for other people
and provides good service to the learners at school. Most of the responses (50%) by teachers
and the supporting literature indicate that the respondents lack EI skills.
Presentation and Analysis of Data from Open-ended Interview Questions
This section shows how selected interview questions were used to address the EI research
questions. The first question sought to find out if teachers do need EI skills and below is how
they responded:

Figure 2. Teacher’s Need for EI Skills

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The above question sought to find out from participants if teachers need EI skills. The
figure shows that 68 (97%) of respondents agreed that instructors require emotional
intelligence skills, whereas 2 (3%) disagreed. This demonstrates the necessity for elementary
school teachers to be equipped with emotional intelligence abilities. The following are some of
the most common responses provided by participants:
T1: Yes, they do. The ability for one to understand and handle their emotions well helps
him or her to interact better with learners and colleagues.
T2: Yes, teachers need emotional intelligence skills because sometimes they just cause
conflicts unnecessarily.
T8: Yes, because it helps them deal with complicated situations in the classroom without
affecting students.
Teachers' comments suggest that they recognise the importance of having EI abilities.
The above comments agree with Alhashemi (2018) who states that to understand learners and
promote learning and progress in the classroom environment, teachers must be aware of EI
skills and competencies, as well as promote and encourage interaction in a conducive learning
environment. This indicates that teachers must have EI abilities to improve both their
performance and that of learners.
The second question sought to find out if teachers think emotional intelligence training
can help them develop good attitudes towards their profession, and below was the response:

Figure 3: The EI Training Towards the Development of Teachers’ Good Attitudes Towards Their
Profession

In figure 3 above, 69 (99%) of the respondents thought that EI training can help teachers
develop good attitudes towards their profession whilst 1(1%) disagreed. The following are some
of the most frequent answers given by the respondents:
T6: Yes, it can help one to know how to control feelings and emotions.

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T11: Teacher training can aid in the development of positive attitudes toward their
career, as they will be able to make the best decisions based on their capacity to critically
evaluate circumstances before engaging in them, “Thinking before the act”.
T21: Teachers need emotional intelligence training; it can assist them in constructively
managing and controlling their emotions.
Several authors cited in this study agree with 99% of teachers' comments. They include
Adeyemo and Agoke (2014) who commented that emotionally intelligent teachers tend to make
better team players and are more effective at motivating themselves and others. Sharma (2015)
supported teachers' responses, claiming that one of the reasons why teachers with high EI do
better than others is that they have the skills and capacities to avoid and cope with stress during
the learning and teaching process. The argument has been cemented by Khan (2010) who
claimed that when teachers are emotionally stable, they use their potential at an optimum level
because there is a relationship between their EI and the level of their job satisfaction This shows
that EI training can positively contribute to teachers’ attitudes towards their instructional
practices. The next question asked teachers whether they helped others feel better when they
were down and below is how they responded:

Figure 4. Do you ever help other people feel better when they are down?

Figure 4 shows that 68 (97%) of respondents indicated that they assisted others to feel
better when they were down, while 2 (3%) claimed that they never helped. The findings show
that most teachers can assist others when they are down. The following are some of the most
frequent answers given by the respondents:
T9: Yes, everybody needs support, so I feel it is human to assist whenever another human
is in need.
T 14: Yes, because talking to someone can help him or her to heal or get better.
T 33: Yes, I always motivate people because you cannot work with someone who is not
in a good mood. It automatically transfers to you, so you all need to have the right
mindset towards the job to produce good results.

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Teachers' replies demonstrate that they had EI skills that needed to be combined with
other skills like social awareness for them to show empathy for others and deliver excellent
service to students at school during instructional activities (Arifin, 2019). The response by
teachers also supports the argument advanced by Soanes and Sungoh (2019), as discussed in
this study, that teachers who exhibit EI have a deliberate reflective (rather than reactive)
personality, are more flexible (rather than resistant to change), communicate affirmatively
(rather than aggressively or passively), are more future-oriented and optimistic (rather than
pessimistic and negative), and are creative and practice positive behaviours (non-reactive
habits). Therefore, teachers need EI skills to apply appropriate ways of assisting learners to make
them feel better when they are down. On the question of whether teachers’ EI has any impact
on academic performance, the responses are indicated below:

Figure 5. Do you think teachers’ emotional intelligence has any impact on academic
performance?

Figure 5 shows that 69 (99%) of respondents believed that teachers' EI has a major
impact on academic success, while 1 (1%) disagreed. Most respondents believed that EI has an
impact on academic performance, according to the findings. The following are some of the
answers given by the respondents:
T4: Yes, because teachers work with children and must be emotionally intelligent to
achieve the best results.
T9: Yes, because once they are down, they won’t deliver as expected and this may affect
their learners’ performance.
T16: Yes, it does have an impact because emotionally intelligent teachers will grasp
people's psychology and behaviour and will approach them in the right manner.
The findings of the study conducted by Majoka and Khan (2017) concur with the
responses of teachers as discussed earlier on in this study, where it was revealed that EI had a

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positive impact on the teaching and learning process. This indicated that teachers with high EI
have more job satisfaction than teachers with low EI, and their students scored higher.
Therefore, there is certainly a link between teachers' EI and students' academic success. The
question on the strategies needed to improve teachers’ EI in the region where the study was
undertaken was responded to as follows:

Figure 6. What do you think could be done to improve teachers’ level of emotional intelligence?

The information above reveals that 30 (43%) of the respondents thought that training
could improve teachers’ level of EI whilst 29 (41%) of them thought that workshops could help.
6 (9%) of respondents believed that counselling was necessary, whereas 5 (7%) believed that
incentives could help them enhance their EI. According to the data, most respondents believed
that formal training could boost teachers' EI levels. The following are some of the most frequent
answers given by the respondents:
T22: Regular training and motivation and appraisal can improve teachers’ level of
emotional intelligence.
T28: In-service training, followed by encouraging or instilling the spirit of personal
development.
T29: Teachers should be exposed to this emotional intelligence training.
The above responses by teachers support what Alhashemi (2018) asserted, that to
understand students and promote learning and progress in the classroom environment,
lecturers must be aware of Emotional Intelligence (EI) competencies and skills, as well as
promote and encourage interaction in a positive learning environment. Teachers considered EI
training as a contributory factor that has an impact on the advancement of their EI
competencies, according to the findings of a study conducted by Dolev and Leshem (2016) to
determine the impact of teacher-centred EI training on teachers' EI in Israel. Another relevant
study by Turi, Ghani, Sorooshian and Abbas (2017), which supports the responses by teachers,
indicated that socio-emotional intelligence produces better social, socio-emotional, and

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psychological skills in teachers directly, and indirectly develops teacher proficiencies and
performance. Therefore, EI training can be used as a strategy to improve teachers’ levels of EI.

CONCLUSION
The findings of the study reveal that primary school teachers in the Southeast Region of
Botswana need EI skills to enhance their performance. The study found that lack of EI has an
effect in the classroom and affects the performance of the teacher which could overflow to the
learners. The study's findings show that EI training can improve teachers' views towards their
instructional practices in Botswana's Southeast Region Primary Schools. Furthermore, teachers
need EI skills to apply appropriate ways of assisting learners to make them feel better when they
are down. The study's findings reveal that there is a link between teachers' EI and academic
performance and demonstrate that EI training can be utilised to raise teachers' EI levels.
Recommendations
The main recommendation based on the findings of this study is that Emotional Intelligence
training should be offered as a module during pre-service training of teachers. Teachers in the
field should attend EI refresher workshops. Similar research studies should be conducted among
teachers and learners.
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