The role of emotional intelligence of a university foreign language teacher in the era of digitalisation

Abstract

The role of intrapersonal and interpersonal emotional intelligence of a foreign language teacher in a higher educational establishment is discussed in the article because of the growing impact of the digitalization adverse effects upon the emotional sphere of subjects of the educational process. It is mentioned that the transfer of communication into the digital sphere as well as the integration of digital technologies into the learning process may have negative affect on the development of the emotional intelligence of both teachers and students. It may affect the success in the chosen carrier. The special characteristics of the subject “foreign language” are being considered by the authors as the means of the development of the student’s emotional intelligence and creating of positive emotional atmosphere during the lessons. Ways of implicit and explicit expression of positive and negative emotions of the learning process participants are described in detail. Since the process of a foreign language learning implies close inevitable direct interaction ‘teacher-student’ and ‘student-student’, the stereotypes of emotional behavior occur (appear if already acquired) in the communication subjects. They may not positively affect the process of obtaining knowledge, skills and abilities. So the features of sanogenic and pathogenic thinking in the structure of emotional intelligence are focused on in the article. The examples of the pathogenic thinking expression of students during the lessons are described. Using the retrospective review method of the formation of the concept ‘emotional intelligence’, the structure and the types of emotional intelligence of a university teacher and his/her role in the process of the effective interaction between a teacher and a student are revealed.