Empathy and reading
exploring the closely intertwined relationship between reading ability, engagement - and empathy.
Thoughts and musings
Every now and again a piece of research arises which causes a real stir within the education community. This is a collection of findings which I hope causes a wave.1 The concept of empathy could be in danger of being another term to be inserted into a school improvement plan or potentially even a source of stress as yet “something else” which is needed to be covered within the curriculum. However, this would be a mistake. When embedded into school cultures, the education of empathy holds significant potential.
In November, I attended EmpathyLab’s ‘Raising Generation Empathy Conference’ in London.2 I was drawn to attending not only by the intriguing title, but also after hearing Professor Robin Banerjee from the University of Sussex speak at the OU/UKLA Reading for Pleasure conference the previous month. My interest was piqued. Robin was sharing some snippets from his team’s findings from a longitudinal study with UK primary children exploring the connections between empathy and reading.
The full findings of the study can be found here, but some of the key outcomes which the research team discovered include:
‘Children’s reading and empathy appear to develop side by side, each supporting and strengthening the other.’3
‘Strong reading skills foster empathy, and empathy supports reading engagement’
‘Feeling more immersed in a story increases affective empathy’4
So, why is this important for decisions which can be made in schools and classrooms as we step into 2026? With the National Year of Reading5 bringing reading to the masses through a number of exciting initiatives and events, using texts as vehicles to promote empathy is perfectly placed. I have written before about the decline in children’s motivation to read for pleasure, sharing thoughts, musings, ideas and practical suggestions which explore ways in which authentic cultures, curriculum offerings and text curation can have a positive impact.6 Considering the role which empathy can play in children’s engagement with reading and subsequent impact on their wellbeing and relationships is incredibly exciting.
To dive a little deeper into how empathy can be defined (ahead of sharing my ideas and practical suggestions) it is important to note that:
‘Empathy has three elements:
💡Affective - ‘feeling with’
💡Cognitive - understanding another’s feelings, thoughts or point view
💡Action - or pro social behaviour’
These definitions are important when considering the lens with which you review current practice and consider any additions, pivots or changes. The study also identified that:
‘cognitive and affective empathy can both be developed through how we approach and facilitate reading’
Ideas and practical suggestions
So, how can adopting an empathy-focused mindset when considering reading opportunities for your pupils be considered to enrich your current approaches. Below are two suggestions which I hope can be actioned with minimal time spent preparing. Think of these as more of an intentional evaluation and exploration of the texts and approaches which you have on offer within your daily school experiences.
1. Book choice
With a wealth of literature in existence, and the pleasure and privilege to be able to curate the texts we introduce our pupils to (within the curriculum and beyond) the role of a teacher truly is a special and influential one.
Sourcing books which explore thoughts, feelings, motivations and situations of a range of characters within an array of settings is important to allow for children to be able to:
See themselves and their situations in the texts which they read or
Explore events or circumstances which are beyond their own current experience
This idea of the power and potential of books to be ‘mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors’ as explored by Rudine Sims Bishop.7
The #ReadforEmpathy book collection is a fantastic resource to consider the texts which may be on offer for your young readers. Additionally, the criteria used by the judges when assessing book titles is helpful for reflection and evaluation of books which you may currently have on your shelves:
How inclusive the book is and whether it positively represents our diverse communities
Whether the book:
challenges tribal thinking and promotes understanding between individuals and communities
supports key empathy skills: perspective-taking (e.g. through different characters’ points of view); emotion recognition and vocabulary, empathic communication or social action
explores key social issues of the day e.g. refugees, homelessness, food poverty and climate change
provides insight into challenging life circumstances e.g. bereavement; mental health, disability8
During the conference, Michael Rosen shared his thoughts, experiences and expertise. Among the many insightful ideas, I deftly captured the following line in my notes - the importance of not ‘whether stories, but which stories.’
2. Reading approaches
Once you have evaluated your book offerings, how these are then explored with your pupils is integral to activating the identified conscious links between engagement, empathy and ability. The study found that the skilful questioning, moments of reflection and discussion and subsequent exploration activities were highly influential. Additionally, creating comfortable, informal settings for the discussions of difficult situations was cited as important.
Having the voice of a trusted adult here is key. It is their role to skilfully focus children on the emotions, difficulties, issues and dilemmas which characters may be experiencing. With high quality texts carrying these, the potential for pupils to become immersed within the story is increased. Another concept I captured from the conference is the idea that books form bridges. They are a safe rehearsal space for complicated feelings.
So which reading approaches can be utilised within a group reading session?
Make time to wonder - dialogue without agenda. Imogen Bond, Managing Director of EmpathyLab, makes the compelling case for reading experiences to be filled with ‘wonderings’. In this sense, ‘adult and children are equal “wonderers” rather then the child answering the adult’s questions - it flips the agency’. Be intentional in creating environments where discussion can flow and in which all perspectives are welcomed - and valued.
Guide, don’t direct. Within the experience of reading texts centred around empathy, adults take on the role of facilitators to conversation. Ensuring that the text has been explored in advance allows any potential prompts to serve as a guide, rather than a regimented list. Creating space for plenty of discussion is important here. Being prepared in advance ensures that you are aware of any themes which may be helpful to guide your class to consider and explore, beyond any initial ‘wonderings’
Post-reading. The importance of dedicating time and creativity for any subsequent exploration is an integral part of teaching and curating an empathetic mindset. After reading you may want to consider ways to organise discussion or plan outcomes which may come in the form of the creative arts, including drama and producing artwork.
From stories into action. Thoughts and ideas may arise from these communal reading activities which motivate pupils into wanting to create an actionable next step. This could be something which you may have already considered within your year group or as a school. Equally, these may arise from the pupils themselves. If so, nurture these ideas - demonstrate to the children that their voices and opinions matter.
EmpathyDay Festival. Save the date! From 4th - 11th June 2026, celebrations will be in full swing with free content, challenges and exciting experiences on offer. Do take a look and sign up to the free newsletter to be kept in the loop.
Watch reading and empathy in action! Take a look at the video ‘Other People’s Shoes’ for further ideas and exploration of impact.
Great post, Laura! Really interesting to hear about the research between empathy and reading developing together. That makes a lot of sense to me!
Really great tips in here too! Thanks for sharing.
Happy reading!! I feel like reading YA books has given me more empathy for my students :)