34th Annual Student Research Conference
The Impact of Empathetic Language in ELA Classrooms
Emily B. Schaeffler♦
Dr. Rebecca Dierking, Dr. Barbara Price, and Dr. Paul L. Yoder, Faculty Mentors
Reading allows students to see new worlds through a variety of different perspectives. To understand new perspectives, students must utilize empathy. In schools, students read a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts. This research project explored how students' empathetic responses changed based on whether they were reading fiction or nonfiction texts. Students were given a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts which included many characters/people that had different life experiences. Through written responses and class discussions, analysis focused specifically on how student language showcased their empathetic response. Of the cases examined here, students appeared to generate more empathetic responses to nonfiction accounts.
Keywords: empathy, fiction texts, nonfiction texts, discussion, journal reflections, language
Topic(s):English, Secondary MAE Research
Presentation Type: Asynchronous Virtual Oral Presentation
Session: 9-2
Location: https://flipgrid.com/4edc694a
Time: 0:00