Do Cultural Intelligence and Language Learning Strategies Influence Students’ English Language Proficiency?

Abstract

Cultural Intelligence (CQ) is believed as an additional type to the existing forms of intelligence (IQ, EQ). It also explains why some individuals are more effective than others in culturally diverse situations. Studies have documented how successful language learners seem to use wider variety of language learning strategies than unsuccessful learners. Having these two important aspects in relation to the successfulness of acquiring foreign language thus this study is intended to explore the relationship of Cultural Intelligence, Language Learning Strategy and English Language proficiency. The study involved 87 second-year students of English Department, Mulawarman University. Data were gathered using The Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS), The Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) and TOEFL. Descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS 20 were used in the process of data analysis. The result reveals that CQ level of the students is medium (M=51.984) with metacognitive and motivational as dominant factors for both male and female students. The data shows that there is a significant relationship between CQ and LLS (F= 13.082, p= 0.001). This result confirms the previous studies that culture influences the frequency and type of LLS use. As for strategy categories, metacognitive is the most frequently used strategy (M=3.704) and affective is the least frequently used (M=3.080). The students’ proficiency level is ranging from elementary (25.29%) to advanced (8.05%). The dominant level is low intermediate. The data recorded that there is no correlation among cultural intelligence, language learning strategies and English language proficiency (F=1.208, p= 0.304).