Behnam Majidi Dehkordi - Department of Foreign Languages, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan Branch, Isfahan, Iran
Farinaz Shirani Bidabadi - Iranian Academic Center for Education, Culture & Research, IUT Branch (ACECR), Isfahan, Iran

Abstract This study aimed at investigating the relationship between Iranian EFL learners’ reading strategy use and Emotional Intelligence (EI) as well as exploring the most frequently-used reading strategies which can facilitate the process of reading comprehension. To this end, a group of ۶۰ was selected out of ۲۷۴ university learners majoring in TEFL and English Translation. Based on English Proficiency Test and Bar-On’s (۱۹۹۷) EI Test, they were divided into two groups (high and low EI). Then, the needed data were gathered by employing a Reading Strategy Questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed via SPSS software, version ۲۲. The results of the study revealed that EI level was positively associated with Reading Strategy Use (r=۰.۶۲۳, p<۰.۰۱). Also, the results of independent samples t-test were indicative of the fact that the degree of usage of meta-cognitive and cognitive strategies by the high EI group was greater than that of the low EI group, while with respect to the test-taking strategies, this degree of usage was weaker in the former than in the latter. In addition, cognitive strategy, as the most frequent one, was observed to be a facilitative strategy for reading comprehension. It was, therefore, concluded that the importance of reading strategies should be taken into account in improving the reading skill and other areas of language learning and teaching. The findings of the can be helpful for material development, testing and teaching methodologies.

Key words: Emotion, Intelligence, Emotional intelligence, reading strategy use, meta-cognitive, cognitive