AI is important, but what about EI?
Today, in order to mark the kick-off of a new school year, we have an article about a hot topic written by our Head of Training, Yolanda Esanu: Emotional Intelligence.
In the not-so-distant past, teaching – even language teaching, the area with which we are concerned here – was generally done in front of a group of students in a classroom, with the teacher talking and scribbling on the board…
…while the students frantically copied verb conjugations, vocabulary lists (which were not always accurate in context), and other information into their notebooks.
We humorously called this method ‘chalk and talk’.
Has it worked? It worked in the past, just like horse-drawn carriages and open fires for cooking did, but humans have moved on, technologically and pedagogically speaking, and here we are now almost a quarter of the way through the 21st century!
✅ PAST AND PRESENT
We are now living in the post-digital era, and as educators we are working with a generation that is tech savvy and has used digital devices since the cradle.
Couple this with the Pandemic and a massive shift from in-person learning to the virtual classroom, and connecting the dots is not difficult. It is obvious that chalk-and-talk is very much a part of the past.
So, if C&T is out, what is in? Many changes have occurred, of course, since the 1980s when many of us older educators started our careers. Even during the pre-digital days of the 1990s, there was a growing value placed on learner-centered language acquisition, which included:
a large amount of student talk-time – after all, how can you learn a language without practicing it –
constant constructive feedback from both sides
a much stronger focus on feedforward.
Today, there is also a growing awareness of the importance of emotional intelligence in the learning process – including in adult learning.
Coupled with Artificial Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence in learning has now opened up whole new dimensions.
With the pandemic more or less behind us, we can now draw the lines and form some conclusions.
✅ WHAT WE LEARNED AFTER THE PANDEMIC
Initially coming as a shock at the start of the pandemic, the language and communication training and education sector – educational institutions, language schools, and companies – has had no choice but to embrace technology and accept digitalization as a fait accompli.
During the pandemic, people became vulnerable, anxious, and more exposed to immediate realities that were initially little understood.
Talking openly about these feelings became the new normal. It was no longer shameful to express oneself, nor to accept that the need to update and sharpen one’s skills was a matter of personal development as opposed to a weakness to be embarrassed about.
Creating a safe bubble around us and understanding the importance of wellbeing has helped us navigate some very rough and uncertain years, both economically and emotionally.
Yes, in 2024, emotional intelligence, has arrived on the learning scene and is here to stay. Moreover, this new trend is, I believe, directly linked with Artificial intelligence!
Today, we no longer learn just to memorize information and take exams.
In the 2020s, we learn with the future in mind: we acquire skills for life, and learning has moved from the mere acquisition of knowledge to developing the ability to think analytically.
Our cognitive thinking abilities are probably better developed now than at any point in our history. This has been happening since the 1990s and is no huge revelation.
What is pretty new, however, is that our emotional intelligence is also assuming a more important role in our learning.
The knowledge and skills we acquire today will help us to become better, more productive people, who will use what they learn at work and in real-life situations to not only become stronger intellectually and pragmatically, but emotionally as well.
✅ FEEDBACK
When we were children, nobody asked us for feedback. In fact, feedback was a concept barely known to many adults! It is interesting to note that the word ‘feedback’ does not have a word-for-word Romanian translation!
Today, we are encouraged to ask for, to give, and to embrace constructive feedback!
Giving and receiving feedback enhances our active listening skills, our social skills, and our communication skills, it makes us more empathetic, and humble in a way, as we are ready to learn from mistakes, accept suggestions, and move on with confidence in the future.
✅ HOW ABOUT GRAMMAR?
Honing one’s communication skills is not about simply using the right word at the right time, or having a perfect knowledge of grammar.
Grammar is important as the skeleton of the language that gives us a definable structure, but good communication skills also rely on the following:
understanding the functions of the language,
some awareness of and consideration for the cultural, educational and emotional background of the receiver of a message (the person we are speaking to )
the sharpening of our EI.
Having self-awareness and observing the needs of others is what makes us better communicators. Do we know how to listen? Do we listen simply to respond and to react, or do we listen to understand a complex situation?
When we negotiate, do we focus on what we want, or are we flexible, patient and kind, but firm and assertive at the same time?
✅ OUR APPROACH
Should you expect a detailed grammar presentation on the Present Perfect Continuous but without any real-life context? No, of course not.
What you can expect, however, is to be able to understand why we use the present perfect continuous in given situations and contexts. “The people in the office have been working very hard on the project” shows a greater level of empathy with, and appreciation for the efforts of, your colleagues or employees than the same sentence in the past simple, “The people in the office worked very hard on the project.”
The former tense (PPC) shows an understanding of their ongoing efforts and an awareness that they are still feeling tired from their efforts, even though the project may have finished.
Similarly, we do not give you a simple list of modal verbs to learn; instead, we show you how to use different modals in different emotional contexts.
The use of “I will…” in answer to a job interview question about what you would do if you got the job, can show greater confidence and positivity…
…but with a senior and possibly more conservative interviewer, it could easily backfire and indicate unnecessary arrogance. In such a case, “I would…” might be a better choice.
Each modal verb is linked to our emotions, feelings and intentions, and unlocking the meaning behind a modal verb will make you a better communicator and a better negotiator!
“Choosing X might not be such a bad idea” is more persuasive and will make people feel a lot less pressurized than, “I think we should choose X.”
Our courses are task based, tailor-made, and practical, with a strong focus on real-life application in your work, and the skills you develop will stay with you for life!
YOLANDA ESANU
Head of Training at SkillsBar.eu
I started this publication in order to help you learn quickly and comfortably, building your knowledge and skills and adding value to your career prospects or your business.