Exploring the Lived Experience of High School Teachers on Emotional Intelligence and Its Impact on Students' Achievement: A Case Study of Larkana

Abstract

Emotional intelligence (EI) is increasingly recognized as a core teacher competency that shapes classroom interactions, student motivation, and academic outcomes. While global evidence links EI with learners’ achievement and well-being, less is known about how teachers in semi-rural Sindh, Pakistan, experience and enact EI in everyday school life, and how this relates to measurable student achievement. This case study examines high school teachers in Larkana district, focusing on their lived experience of EI alongside a quantitative test of EI–achievement relationships using SPSS-style analyses. A cross-sectional survey design was employed with n=150 public high school teachers sampled across boys’, girls’, and co-educational schools. Teachers completed a four-domain EI scale (self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills) and a classroom climate scale; student achievement was operationalized as the teacher-reported class mean percentage in the most recent annual examination cycle. Reliability analysis indicated strong internal consistency for the EI scale (Cronbach’s α=0.874). Pearson correlations showed that teacher EI was positively associated with student achievement (r=0.558, p<.001) and classroom climate (r=0.651, p<.001). Multiple regression indicated that EI (B=6.43, p<.001) and classroom climate (B=4.55, p<.001) significantly predicted achievement (R²=0.391), even when controlling for teaching experience and gender. ANOVA results demonstrated meaningful differences in achievement across EI quartiles (F(3,146)=30.00, p<.001), with the highest-EI group averaging 79.11% compared with 65.62% in the lowest-EI group. Findings support contemporary international research showing EI as a practical lever for improving classroom processes and achievement. Implications emphasize district-level professional development in EI, supportive supervision, and school climate improvement as scalable strategies for enhancing learning outcomes in Larkana.