The Effect of Empathy-enhancing Techniques on EFL Learners’ Empathy, Language Proficiency, and Perception of Classroom Activities

Abstract

Introduction: Learning English as a foreign language has been affected by new teaching approaches in the field of teaching. There is a keen in shift from studying teachers’ teaching to learners’ learning and learners' psychological and social factors. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the impact of empathy- enhancing techniques on EFL learners’ language proficiency, perception of classroom activities, and empathy. Methodology: To do so, three main variables were measured among 60 participants, devided into two groups of control and experimental. The Empathy Formative Questionnaire, Students' Perceptions of Classroom Activities' Scale, and Nelson English Language Test were utilized in order to evaluate students’ level of empathy, perceptions of classroom activities (interest, challenge, joy, and choice), and measure learners’ proficiency in both experimental and control groups, respectively. Unlike the control group, the experimental group were subjected to emphathy-based tasks and activities. Results: The obtained result indicated that empathy-enhancing techniques had a positive and significant effect on learners' empathy and language achievement, but not on perception. Conclusion: It can be concluded that enhancing empathy in learners and concentration on emotion positively affects language learning and diminishes recklessness.