Empathy – the ability to understand and share the feelings of another – is often called the cornerstone of Emotional Intelligence. It’s not just about being nice; it’s about truly connecting with others, seeing the world through their eyes & responding with compassion & understanding. The World Economic Forum emphasizes socio-emotional skills, including empathy, as vital for the future of work [but they would, wouldn’t they?].
In today’s diverse, interconnected world, one could argue that empathy is more crucial than ever, especially in educational settings.
Recent research from the world of education shows how cultivating empathy can transform classrooms for the better. A novel study involving 900 students across 6 countries has demonstrated that a short-term empathy training program can significantly improve classroom behaviour & emotional awareness.
The Empathy Programme, developed by UK-based Empathy Studios in conjunction with Cambridge University, used the following approach:
- Students watched thought-provoking films about real-life stories of diverse individuals
- Each film was followed by 30 minutes of activities & discussions about the issues raised
- The program focused on three core concepts: ‘Empathy for Myself’, ‘Empathy for Others’ & ‘Empathy in Action’.
- Teachers rated students’ empathy & behaviour on a 1-10 scale before the program, then at 5 & 10 weeks.
- Surveys & interviews with students & teachers provided qualitative data.
- One primary school saw an increase from 86% to 96% of students wanting to “find out more about the world”.
Key findings:
- After just 10 weeks, average empathy scores rose from 5.55 to 7 out of 10.
- Behaviour scores increased from 6.52 to 7.89 out of 10.
- Students showed increased curiosity about different cultures & the wider world.
Although the study wasn’t conducted in an ELT context, the outcomes are likely to be extrapolatable. Overall, the approach aligns with recent research highlighting the teachability of empathy & its crucial role in personal & professional development. Fostering empathy can be seen to not only improve classroom dynamics but also prepare students for real-world communication in a globalized society.
[Playing Devil’s Advocate- I wonder whether at least some of the positive results can’t be explained away by the students being exposed to ‘better’ material than they are used to.]
Teacher Takeaways:
- Don’t just ‘do a reading’: Incorporate regular discussions about emotions & perspectives (from a text, for example).
- Groupwork: Collaborative projects often require students to understand each other’s viewpoints.
- Role-play: encourage learners to walk in another’s shoes [metaphorically].
Do you think we can consciously ‘build empathy’ in our classrooms?
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