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Enhancing Empathy Through a Creative Writing Program in Elementary School

Author

Listed:
  • Sofia Tsatsou-Nikolouli

    (Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece)

  • Stavroula Mavrogeni

    (Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece)

Abstract

Education is not only about the transferring of knowledge, but also about the cultivation of strong social and emotional skills, which are necessary for the strengthening of the social competence of students, their positive self-perception, and their success in school. Empathy, which refers to the ability to recognize another person’s emotional state is one of the basic skills of the 21st century, which helps all students grow up to become active and critically aware citizens. The research/intervention program "Creative Writing and Social Learning Skills", implemented by students of the 5th and 6th grade of elementary schools in Thessaloniki, Greece, explore the enhancement of empathy, through the use of creative writing as an educational tool. Activities used were based on literary texts from Balkan countries and countries of Eastern and Southeastern Europe. The research sample consisted of 573 students, who were divided into the Intervention Group, that implemented the program, and the Control Group, that attended its regular curriculum. The analysis of the level of skills in children, and especially the level of empathy, which is of concern to us in the present study, was carried out using a structured improvised questionnaire, the alpha Cronbach coefficients where of range at very high levels. Study results showed that the Intervention Group exhibited statistically greater improvement in the assessment of empathy compared to the Control Group.

Suggested Citation

  • Sofia Tsatsou-Nikolouli & Stavroula Mavrogeni, 2021. "Enhancing Empathy Through a Creative Writing Program in Elementary School," Research Journal of Education, Academic Research Publishing Group, vol. 7(2), pages 62-67, 06-2021.
    • Handle: RePEc:arp:rjearp:2021:p:62-67
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Faver, Catherine A. & Alanis, Erika, 2012. "Fostering empathy through stories: A pilot program for special needs adoptive families," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 660-665.
    2. Lee Cronbach, 1951. "Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 16(3), pages 297-334, September.
    3. Correia, Karla & Marques-Pinto, Alexandra, 2016. "“Giant Leap 1”: A Social and Emotional Learning program's effects on the transition to first grade," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 61-68.
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