Multiple intelligence profiles vis-à-vis speaking achievements: evidence from Ethiopian EFL university students

This research examined the correlation between EFL learners’ multiple intelligence types and their speaking achievements in two Ethiopian universities. To achieve the intended objective, a correlational study design was used involving fifty (50) undergraduate EFL students chosen purposefully from Hawassa and Madda Walabu Universities. To collect the necessary data, multiple intelligence inventory survey and document analysis acquired from the teachers’ course grade submitted data were used. The information gathered through these tools were statistically examined using descriptive statistics and Chi-square testing. The findings showed that the most prevalent student profiles were bodily-kinesthetic and visual-spatial intelligences. The results of the Chi-square testing revealed a statistically meaningful relation, χ2(21, N = 50) = 34.07, p =0.036, Cramer’s V = 0.48, showing a moderately substantial statistically significant correlation between speaking achievement and predominant MI types. The results underline the significance of recognizing student variability in EFL speaking courses and imply that students’ intelligence types are linked to variations in speaking achievement.