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Interactive Activities · Activity 1 of 18
Differentiating Cognitive and Emotional Empathy
Three scenarios that help students discriminate cognitive empathy (what they think) from affective empathy (what they feel).
Key takeaways
- The activity teaches children aged 8–12 to tell apart what someone is thinking and what they are feeling.
- The board is divided into two columns: thoughts on the left and feelings on the right.
- Three scenario cards are used: Ahmet, who got a low grade on an exam; a boy who lost his ball; and a new, lonely student in the class.
- For each card, students first suggest a thought (“I wish I had studied harder”) and then the feeling behind it (sad, regretful).
- The closing message: true empathy happens when our minds and hearts work together.
What is the aim of this activity?
Children aged 8–12 can usually recognise other people's feelings from their behaviour or facial expressions, but they often have difficulty working out the thoughts behind those feelings. This activity trains them to distinguish what someone is thinking from what someone is feeling, so they pay closer attention to others and understand them better.
How does the activity run in class?
The teacher divides the board into two columns, thoughts and feelings, and shows a scenario card. Students suggest what might be passing through the person's mind; the teacher writes each thought on the left and asks how the person would feel if they were thinking that, then writes the feeling on the right.
In the first scenario, Ahmet gets a low grade on an exam. “I wish I had studied harder” goes with feeling sad or regretful; “The teacher treated me unfairly” goes with feeling angry; “I expected a better grade” goes with feeling disappointed.
Which other scenarios are used?
A boy who lost his ball: “I wanted to play with it today” (disappointed), “I can't find it anywhere” (frustrated), “Where did I leave my ball, in the schoolyard or in the park?” (confused). A new and lonely student: “Maybe the others don't want to talk to me because I'm too quiet or shy” (guilty) and “I don't know where to go” (nervous).
Video transcript
Generated automatically from the video's audio or subtitles; it may contain small errors.
Scenario: Student with a Low Grade
Okay, today our topic is about differentiating between emotional empathy. Let's try to explain a little bit. If you think about children whose ages are between 11 and 13 they can recognize others' feelings from their behaviors or facial expressions. But they may have difficulty to get the underlying thoughts. This can happen.
The worst case is possible. Sometimes they try to understand what are the peopie thinking from their seeing, but they often will ignore or sometimes miss a step. This can happen. The worst case Sometimes what are the people from their seeing, but they miss a step.
For vample if we vsmapow a child if we ohink about a child who is crying, it's influenced by not only the sadness of the child, but also the thoughts. Like, I wish I had one example. My parents don't me. From love me. From this explanation, we can conclude that... If the children are aware of this awareness of distinguishing thoughts and feelings, have students pay close attention to understand someone's behaviors and better understand them?
And secondly, this awareness offers... Students or children have an opportunity to explore their English world. Hello children! Today we are going to learn a very important skill. Distinguishing what someone Is feeling and what they are thinking. We have some examples. We have some stories. The first one is about Ahmet's aan - I situation.
Ahmet... Hello children! Today we are going to learn a very important skill. Distinguishing what someone is thinking and what are they feeling. We have examples too here. For example, if we look at the cards. This is about Ahmet. Ahmet's situation is... Ahmet cut a low grade on the exam. Ahmet cut a low grade on the exam. Howeve what do you think might be sossible to...
Come to Ahmet's mind? What do you think? I wish I had studied harder. Nice thinking. Thank you. I wish I had studied harder. It's a good sentence. going to write this sentence on the left hand side. have divided this board into two groups. Left hand side. gave name, thoughts. And right hand side, gave name to feelings. When I see thoughts or when I hear thoughts from you, going to write on that.
I wish had studied harder. This is the thought that Ahmet's mind... is passing through Ahmet's mind. If this is the case, how do you think Ahmet is feeling in this situation? What do you think? Sad, nice, very nice. Or sometimes regretful. Ahmet feels himself sad or regretful.
We say another idea? another idea for the thoughts of Ahmet. Another idea. The teacher treated me unclearly. Very nice. Well done. writing here, the cence veated the teacher treated unclearly. If this sentence is passing through Ahmet's mind, what about... How do you think Ahmet is feeling? Any idea?
Angry about his teacher. Very well done. Very excellent answer. Angry. He feels angry himself. And another thought. Can you Say it for me? expected a better grade. This very nice sentence. expected better grade. hette. fade hotter grade This may be the thought that Ahmet's in Ahmet likes. In this case, how do you think Ahmet is feeling?
Of course, disappointed. Very nice. is the Ahmet's... story. We have another card. It's about the... boy. An... a... a...
Scenario: A Boy Who Lost His Ball
We have another example. We have another card. It is about a boy who lost his ball. we think about this boy, what do we think might be passing through this boy's mind? Can you tell me some sentences from this situation? want to play with it today. Very nice, very good example. lam going to write this boy from the left hand side.
Want to play with It tonight. If this boy thinking like this, how do you think this boy is feeling himself? Can you tell me? an Disappointed. Very nice. Excellent answer. He feels himself disappointed. Can you say something more about this boy's thoughts? can't find it anywhere.
Very nice. Congratulations. Well done. can't. can't it anywhere. If this boy saying these sentences, how do you think he is feeling himself? Frustrated. Congratulations. Well done. Frustrated. And some more sentences or ideas about this boy's situation.
Very nice. When I left my ball in the schoolyard or in the park. Yes, yes, he may think like that. When I left my ball in the schoolyard or In the park. This is a thought. am putting it on the left hand side. If the boy says these sentences, how do you think he is feeling himself?
Frustrated. Frustrated? Let me check. No, he is maybe frustrated, but confused. He feels himself confused.
Scenario: New and Lonely Student
First example is about a girl, anew and lonely student in the classroom. Think about the situation of this girl. What do you think might be going through, So! passing through in her mind? Can you tell me some sentences? Very nice. That's a good explanation. Maybe students don't want to talk to me because I'm too quiet or shy. Very nice.
Maybe my parents don't want to talk quietly. If this girl is thinking like that, what What will be the emotions, her emotions? How do you think this girl is feeling himself? Guilty. You are right. Thank you. She feels guilty herself. Any other?
-Can you give me another idea which is passing through her mind? Do you pray? Yes. I don't know where to go. Very nice. don't know where to go. If this is the case, lonely new gir! how do you think this lonely new girl?
Any idea? She feels herself nervous. You see that from our examples, from our covers, we differentiate or we distinguish the thoughts from the feelings. If we summarize our lesson, a I can say that try to understand not only how your friends are feeling, but also what they are saying.
The true empathy occurs when both our minds and hearts work together.
18 videos
Differentiating Cognitive and Emotional Empathy
Ages 8–12
Discriminate Between Cognitive and Affective Empathy (Ages 13–16)
Ages 13–16
Foster Empathy: What Would You Do If…? (Ages 8–12)
Ages 8–12
Developing Empathy and Creating Scenarios
Ages 13–16
Moral Dilemmas and the Importance of Emotions
Ages 8–12
Moral Dilemmas and the Importance of Emotions (Ages 13–16)
Ages 13–16
Coping Strategies for Intense Emotions (Ages 8–12)
Ages 8–12
Strategies for Coping with Intense Emotions
Ages 13–16
Handling Conflict Constructively (Ages 8–12)
Ages 8–12
Handling Conflict Constructively
Ages 13–16
Language as an Empathetic Tool: Empathy in Digital Communication (Ages 8–12)
Ages 8–12
Developing Active Listening Skills
Ages 13–16
How Stereotypes Affect Empathy
Ages 8–12
How Stereotypes Affect Empathy (Ages 13–16)
Ages 13–16
Empathy and Textual Barriers in Digital Communication
Ages 13–16
Communicating Negative Feedback Correctly
Ages 8–12
How to Communicate Negative Feedback Properly (Ages 13–16)
Ages 13–16
Understanding How Others Feel
Ages 8–12