Developing Successful Intelligence in Global Academia: A Triarchic Framework for EAP Pedagogy

This review synthesizes research from cognitive psychology and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) to propose a new conceptual framework for understanding and fostering international student success. It argues that traditional EAP approaches, while effective in developing analytical intelligence-evidenced by a focus on critical reading, argumentation, and source-based writing-provide an incomplete model for the multifaceted demands of global academia. Drawing on Robert Sternberg's Triarchic Theory of Intelligence, this paper posits that "successful intelligence," defined as the capacity to achieve one's goals within a specific sociocultural context, is a more holistic and ecologically valid construct. It depends equally on creative intelligence (e.g., formulating novel research ideas, adapting to unfamiliar academic genres) and practical intelligence (e.g., navigating academic norms, acquiring tacit knowledge, demonstrating pragmatic competence in communication). This paper conducts a critical review of pedagogical practices within EAP that implicitly or explicitly cultivate these three interdependent intelligences. After providing a balanced overview of Sternberg's theory, including its scholarly critiques, this review broadens its theoretical lens to incorporate complementary perspectives from sociocultural approaches to academic literacies. It systematically maps specific EAP tasks-such as source-based synthesis essays (analytical), research proposals for occluded genres (creative), and simulations of academic email communication (practical)-onto the components of the triarchic model. Drawing on this analysis, the paper concludes by proposing an integrated pedagogical framework, the "Triarchic EAP Model." This model consciously balances the development of analytical, creative, and practical abilities through integrated tasks, explicit scaffolding, and a focus on transferability. It offers a more holistic approach to student support and strategically positions the EAP classroom as a unique environment for the cultivation and assessment of the multifaceted intellectual skills required for sustainable success in 21st-century global academia.