CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS

published: 02 June 2022

doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.880935

Toward the Role of Teacher Empathy

in Students’ Engagement in English
Language Classes
Zhichao Zhang*
College of Foreign Languages, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, China

This paper aimed at examining the related studies on the relationship between teacher
empathy and learner engagement in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning
contexts. The positive and significant relationship between teacher empathy and learner
engagement has been verified in the literature. Studies have shown the positive influence
of teacher-learner rapport on learner engagement. Moreover, studies indicated that
teacher empathy leads to learner self-confidence in educational contexts. The literature
review has also shown that teachers’ provision of a positive environment through
empathy, sympathy, and kindness can trigger learner motivation and engagement.
Moreover, teachers’ empathy can reduce the stress level which, in turn, positively affects
Edited by: learners’ engagement level. Eventually, the pedagogical implications to engage learners
Slamet Setiawan,
Universitas Negeri Surabaya, and teachers in academic contexts have been provided. However, some suggestions
Indonesia have been offered to expand the insights over the associations between positive
Reviewed by: psychological constructs and teachers’ emotions.
Liqaa Habeb Al-Obaydi,
University of Diyala, Iraq Keywords: teacher empathy, teacher-student rapport, positive environment, learner engagement, kindness
Mojtaba Rajabi,
Gonbad Kavous University, Iran
*Correspondence: INTRODUCTION
Zhichao Zhang
[email protected] Emotions have been considered important components that affect instructors’ behaviors in
educational contexts. In effect, many studies have tended to explore teacher emotions and their
Specialty section: influences on learners’ academic achievement and engagement (Xie and Derakhshan, 2021).
This article was submitted to Language teachers are required not only to have language proficiency, the capability of designing
Educational Psychology, approaches and methods, the ability to assess and evaluate learners, and the aptitude to use
a section of the journal
numerous instruction aids but also to build their relationship with learners through considering
Frontiers in Psychology
their negative and positive affectivities (Liu, 2016). When learners feel that they are not connected to
Received: 22 February 2022
their instructors, their insights toward the efficiency of education are reduced (Moore and Kearsley,
Accepted: 11 May 2022
2004). Moreover, learners are inclined to engage more in classroom contexts if they have a positive
Published: 02 June 2022
and close relationship with their instructor (Richardson et al., 2012). Therefore teacher-learner
Citation:
rapport, particularly teacher empathy, can trigger learners to engage more in classroom contexts.
Zhang Z (2022) Toward the Role
of Teacher Empathy in Students’
On the other hand, engagement, as the positive psychology construct, has drawn the attention of
Engagement in English Language positive psychologists, since they try to enhance learning outcomes and foster learning contexts
Classes. Front. Psychol. 13:880935. (Wang et al., 2021). Seligman (2011) developed a positive psychology construct, and he called
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.880935 it five-dimensional PERMA, including “positive emotion (P), engagement (E), relationships (R),

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Zhang Teacher-Student Rapport

meaning (M), and accomplishment (A)” (p. 12). He asserted (Gao et al., 2016). Therefore teachers’ empathy can decrease
that the purpose of positive psychology is to prosper these theirs stress level and increase their psychological wellbeing.
dimensions of positive psychologists. However, investigators Moreover, the positive correlation between self-compassion and
tended to ponder into the positive emotional constructs with psychological wellbeing has been verified (Wang et al., 2022).
the aim of helping learners to process language better in their
minds (Fang and Tang, 2021). This paper tries to investigate the Teacher Empathy
related literature about the role of teacher empathy in learner Empathy is regarded as an important quality for instructors,
engagement. The significance of this study is to raise teacher medical doctors and social workers, and those interacting with
awareness toward their positive and negative behaviors and their individuals (Stojiljković et al., 2012). Since cognitive and affective
effects on learners’ willingness to involve in educational contexts. categories of empathy are significant for interactive operations,
they are useful for occupations that need emotional support from
society. Although many studies have been done on the empathy
LITERATURE REVIEW of psychoanalysts and physicians, few investigations highlighted
teacher empathy (Hen, 2010). Studies have revealed that empathy
The Concept of Empathy plays an important role in the development of teachers and
Eisenberg et al. (2014) defined empathy as individuals’ capability learners in terms of ethical, communal, and educational issues
to appreciate and share others’ negative and positive emotions. (Arghode et al., 2013). Concerning the educational contexts,
Weisz and Cikara (2021) also pointed out that empathy Rogers (1995) stated that “when a teacher has the ability
denotes the realization of the opinions, and emotional states to understand the student’s reactions from the inside, has
of individuals, and attending to their wellbeing. Amicucci a sensitive awareness of the process of how education and
et al. (2021) also stated that empathy can be described as a learning seem to the student. . .then the likelihood of learning
significant component of interpersonal behaviors. Baron-Cohen is significantly increased” (p. 157). Tettegah and Anderson
and Wheelwright (2004) expressed that empathic individuals (2007) defined teacher empathy as an aptitude to communicate
show their effort and persistence to spot others’ thoughts and with learners’ concerns and understand their concerns and
react to them. They maintained that empathy, as an inner feeling, perceive the situations from learners’ points of view. Moreover,
helps individuals predict other people’s behaviors. In a study, Cooper (2010) found out that teachers can convert a context
Cialdini et al. (1997) asserted that empathy consists of definite into a place for education, through satisfying the demands of
capabilities instead of attitudes alone. Mercer and Reynolds learners and responding to their apprehensions. Ikiz (2009),
(2002) regarded empathy as a multi-dimensional construct in an investigation, found out that empathic teachers control
with ethical, cognitive, emotional, and interactional constituents learners’ violence, increase their psychological wellbeing, and
and has been theorized in numerous fields. Studies have decrease their violent actions. Serbati et al. (2020), in a study
presented two key categories of empathy: cognitive and affective about exceptional instructors, highlighted the importance of
(Stojiljković et al., 2012). Cognitive empathy is concerned with teacher empathy, teacher motivation, and learner cooperation
understanding others’ emotional involvements (Blair, 2006). as valuable factors for teaching exceptional learners. Teacher
On the other hand, affective empathy refers to sharing other empathy is affected by numerous variables such as gender
individuals’ emotional experiences (Reniers et al., 2011). Studies (Pidbutska et al., 2021), and attitude (Parchomiuk, 2019). Klassen
have shown that cognitive and affective empathy are different, et al. (2017) found the relationship between personality traits
but they are significantly correlated (Smith and Rose, 2011). like teacher agreeableness with teacher empathy which enhances
Tusche et al. (2016) stated that autistic individuals, for example, teaching effectively. Wink et al. (2021) studied the relationship
are inclined to have cognitively, not affectively, deficient in between teachers’ cognitive empathy, mindsets, and job burnout.
empathy; while psychopathic individuals have a deficiency in They found out that cognitively empathic teachers tend to
affective empathy. They also argued that various brain parts have positive mindsets about learners’ performance, and they
belong to cognitive and affective empathy. Eisenberg et al. have an ability to manage learners’ problematic behaviors. They
(2014) stated that empathy is commonly regarded as a helpful also found out that teachers with higher levels of cognitive
social-emotional aptitude for group interactions. Investigations empathy are inclined to use problem−solving strategies, and
have shown that individuals may feel pain or happiness when they have lower levels of job burnout in educational contexts.
perceiving pain or happiness Studies have shown that empathy Trying to inspect the patterns of teacher empathy, Zohoorian
can predict individuals’ psychological wellbeing in educational and Faravani (2021) found fantasy, personal apprehension,
contexts (Vinayak and Judge, 2018; Wang and Guan, 2020). teacher engagement, autonomy, and different personality traits
Empathy is significantly correlated with psychological wellbeing, as the key elements influencing teacher empathy. Hassanpour
since taking others’ viewpoints in to account, specifies doing Souderjani et al. (2021), in another study, highlighted the
away with egotistic perspective of one’s own self, and then, importance of life satisfaction in teacher empathy, and they
helps in decrease of selfish and imprudent behavior, which in implicated that providing appropriate conditions can be helpful
turn contributes toward enhanced wellbeing (Gazzaniga, 2008). to increase teacher empathy. Zhu et al. (2019) also found out
Rajabi and Ghezelsefloo (2020) also asserted that English as that teachers’ professional identity positively influences teacher
a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ self-compassion in others, empathy. The significant correlation between EFL teachers’
leading to high levels of empathy, kindness, and compassion emotional intelligence and teacher empathy was approved in the

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Zhang Teacher-Student Rapport

study conducted by Salem and Tabatabaei (2015). Csaszar et al. and introduced agentic engagement as the fourth feature of
(2018) also found teacher compassion as a mediating factor in this construct. According to Reeve and Tseng (2011), agentic
the relationship between teacher empathy and apprehension. engagement refers to “students’ constructive contribution into
Cooper (2004) asserted that teachers with high levels of the flow of the instruction they receive” (p. 258). Reeve
empathy help learners to augment their self-efficacy and (2013) also stated that agentic engagement is regarded as
motivation. Hen (2010) found out that self-efficient instructors “proactive, intentional, collaborative, and constructive student-
have significantly high levels of empathy and optimism toward initiated pathway to greater achievement” (p. 579). Guo (2021),
learners with special needs in a mainstream classroom. Lam in studying Chinese contexts, found out that Chinese EFL
et al. (2011) also found a significant positive correlation between learners are cognitively, behaviorally, and emotionally involved
empathy and teacher-learner rapport among science teachers in in educational contexts. However, they did not involve agentically
educational contexts. Gandhi et al. (2021) argued that teacher in the educational contexts.
belief can be considered an important component that affects Some studies have been done on the relationship between
teacher empathy and motivation. Weisz et al. (2021) also found engagement and other positive psychological constructs
that teachers who believed in the changeability of empathy such as grit, wellbeing, foreign language enjoyment, hope,
showed more minor offensive behaviors and great empathy. and other emotions like motivation. Yang (2021) showed a
Goroshit and Hen’s (2016) study revealed that instructors’ self- significant correlation between EFL learners’ grit, wellbeing, and
efficacy and emotional self-efficacy are significantly related to engagement. It can be concluded from his study that EFL gritty
teacher empathy. They found out that teacher self-belief plays a learners with high levels of engagement tend to have higher
mediating variable in the association between teacher self-efficacy levels of wellbeing. Robinson (2015) investigated the relationship
and teacher empathy. between engagement and grit among nursing students. Her
study revealed that course engagement is significantly associated
Learner Engagement with learners’ grit. Moreover, she found out that persistence
According to Lamborn et al. (1992), engagement is described as of effort is significantly correlated with learners’ behavioral
“learners’ psychological effort and investment toward learning, engagement. O’Neal et al. (2019) compared elementary learners’
understanding, or mastering the skills, crafts, or knowledge grit with their emotional engagement. They operationalized
that the coursework is intended to promote” (p. 13). However, emotional engagement as learning enjoyment. They reasoned
Skinner et al. (2009) defined learner engagement as “the quality that motivation, as an important mediator, plays a key role
and quantity of students’ participation or connection with in the significant relationship between grit and emotional
the educational endeavor and hence with activities, values, engagement. Derakhshan (2021) also argued that learners with
individuals, aims, and place that comprise it” (p. 495). Lei high levels of grittiness in learning a language, usually evaluate
et al. (2018) pointed out that learners’ engagement denotes the their own activities, and foster their academic engagement and
time that learners spend efficiently doing educational tasks and enjoyment. Gallagher et al. (2017) highlighted the role of hope
activities. Chang et al. (2016) asserted that learner engagement is in increasing learners’ academic success. He also mentioned
described as the amount of learner involvement in educational the positive correlation between hope and learners’ engagement
contexts such as face-to-face or face-to-screen environments and in English courses. Reilly and Sánchez Rosas (2019) argued
the amount of energy they use on educational projects. Mostly, that language learning enjoyment and hope are significantly
in language education, investigating engagement can elucidate correlated, and they mentioned that higher proficient experience
learners’ contemplation, beliefs, and emotions in instructional learners have higher levels of engagement, enjoyment, and
contexts (Oga-Baldwin, 2019). Hiver et al. (2021) also argued that hope during learning. In contrast, low proficient learners have
the learner engagement construct is multifaceted and includes more apprehension and hopelessness. Eccles (2016) argued that
numerous features such as emotional, cognitive, and behavioral learner academic engagement has a positive and significant
aspects. They asserted that learners can, not only physically relationship with academic achievement and resilience. Oga-
but also cognitively, involve in the classroom by getting done Baldwin and Nakata (2017) stated that engagement is strongly
a language learning assignment. They maintained that these correlated with intrinsic motivation; however, they found
features interact to determine learners’ optimism toward the out that engagement is negatively correlated with extrinsic
learning process. Dincer et al. (2019) stated that some activities motivation. Their study also revealed that male learners tend
such as doing tasks, classroom participation, and interacting to be less engaged in the classroom, and they have lower
with teachers in terms of asking and answering questions are intrinsic motivation. Ryan and Deci (2017) also found out that
related to behavioral engagement. Mercer (2019) stated that the engagement increases a self-decided motivational orientation.
behavioral dimension of engagement distinguishes engagement Peng (2021) considered the learner motivation a precondition for
from motivation. Dincer et al. (2019) also defined emotional learner engagement and academic achievement. Lin (2012) also
engagement as learners’ emotional reactions in classroom pointed out that learners’ cultural and educational backgrounds,
contexts. Moreover, they described cognitive engagement as and teacher attitudes toward the learner can affect their academic
learners’ tendency to use complicated learning strategies instead engagement and motivation.
of simple strategies. Reschly et al. (2020) asserted that behavioral Ghelichli et al. (2022) found significant correlations between
engagement is significantly correlated with cognitive and affective language learning motivation and each aspect of learner
engagement. Reeve (2013) expanded the domain of engagement engagement. Their study also revealed the strongest significant

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Zhang Teacher-Student Rapport

correlation between cognitive engagement and language learning He argued that establishing rapport and empathy in educational
motivation. In another study on the relationship between contexts requires teachers’ devotion to learners’ wellbeing, and
negative emotions and learner engagement, Zhao et al.’s (2021) their permission to learners for sharing and easily articulate
study revealed that learner academic engagement is significantly their emotions concerning instruction and their life. Schutz
correlated with learner mindset. They also mentioned that stress, and DeCuir (2002) stated that empathic instructors intensify
as a negative emotion, mediates the correlation between learning learners’ willingness to participate in educational contexts, and
engagement and growth mindset. improve their self-reliance in the school environment. Varga
Teachers’ use of methodologies is also effective in academic (2017) also found out that learners’ desire to participate in
engagement. Guilloteaux (2016) asserted that learners’ a classroom context is positively affected by their behavior
engagement is affected by their background level, task type, with instructors. Nathan (2018) suggested that teachers with
task difficulty, instructors’ methodology, motivation, and an aptitude for creating a positive relationship with their
teaching style. Hung (2015) argued that memorization and learners and understanding their problems can efficiently
rote learning, as two outdated teaching approaches, significantly enhance learners’ willingness to participate in learning and
predict learners’ disengagement. He suggested flipped instruction their achievement, which in turn, contributes to their amplified
for solving disengagement. Using the teaching style of Grasha self-sufficiency.
(1996) and Shaaria et al. (2014) found a positive correlation Constructing a positive emotional relationship with learners
between teaching styles and learners’ academic engagement. in educational contexts is crucial for educators, since their
In another study, Ghaznavi et al. (2021) inspected the role of positive emotional behaviors like compassion, empathy,
teaching multiple intelligences in learner engagement, and they sympathy can engage learners in academic contexts to achieve
found out that this type of teaching approach can enhance their purposes (Frisby et al., 2016; Wang, 2017; Wang et al.,
learner multiple intelligence, which in turn, develops learner 2022). Cooper (2002) indicated that positive personal interaction,
academic engagement. such as teacher empathy, is significantly correlated with teaching
Recently, learners’ engagement has been proved as an quality, learning achievement, learner engagement in educational
important factor in solving educational problems, including contexts. Arnold (2009) pointed out that “an affectively positive
low achievement, high dropout proportions, and high levels environment puts the brain in the optimal state for learning”
of learners’ weariness and violence (Boekaerts, 2016). Using (p. 146). He maintained that empathy produced in positive
self-determination theory, Chen et al. (2021) argued that the teacher-learner rapport can significantly diminish anxiety and
relationship between context-based characteristics and learners’ result in improved engagement. Rogers et al. (2014) also stated
mental requirements influences learner engagement in an that instructors act as facilitator models and they should use
educational context. Hospel and Galand (2016) also stated that empathy, truthfulness, and respect during interaction with
the instructor plays a key role in facilitating the meeting of learners, and they should build up emotional safety, autonomy,
learners’ needs and engagement through providing autonomy engagement, and inquisitiveness which trigger learners to be
support. They argued that the autonomy support that instructors deeply involved in classroom contexts. Hashim et al. (2014)
provide increases learners’ engagement. Reeve and Shin (2019) verified the significant relationship between teacher-learner
also found out that instructors’ autonomy-support is regarded as rapport and learners’ engagement. They argued that English
a significant predictor of learners’ engagement. Noels K. et al. teachers’ love and empathy toward learners and their wellbeing
(2019) also approved the positive and significant correlation can increase learners’ tendency to participate in educational
between engagement, motivation, autonomy, and competency. contexts. Similarly, Wang et al. (2022) also stated that instructors
should incorporate positive emotional behaviors, such as
honesty, appreciation, empathy, and sensitivity to learners’
The Role of Teacher Empathy in Learner requirements, in their instructional practice, since these
Engagement behaviors fundamentally generate motivation and engagement
Some important moral values and merits, including teacher among learners. Bullough (2019) also stated that teacher empathy
empathy, sympathy, tolerance, teacher kindness, and justice not only increases learner engagement, but also contributes to
as the components of teacher-learner relationships, are teachers attaining social justice across different contexts.
incorporated in the instructional frameworks (Campbell, Mercer and Dörnyei (2020) asserted that learner engagement
2003). Roorda et al. (2017) stated that positive and emotional is instructor-dependent and it is a dynamic construct. They
relationships between teachers and learners are influential in argued that instructors can take important actions to enhance
learners’ academic achievement. It has also showed that positive EFL learners’ commitment. Consequently, they can show
teacher-learner rapport can inspire learning motivation and empathy, compassion, kindness, and numerous kinds of support
engagement (Wang and Guan, 2020; Xie and Derakhshan, 2021; to improve learners’ behavioral and emotional engagement.
Wang et al., 2022). Vandenbroucke et al.’s (2018) study revealed Khan and Armstrong (2019) argued that the enhancement of
that teacher-learner rapport positively impacts learners’ cognitive compassion, empathy, and sympathy among teachers are the
skills. Zhou (2021) aimed at studying teacher-learner rapport, critical issues to be considered in order to develop learner
and its positive effect on learner engagement in educational engagement and create pleasant performance among learners. In
environments. The positive influence of teacher-learner positive another study, Sadoughi and Hejazi (2021) demonstrated that
relationships on learner engagement was elucidated in his study. teacher support is directly related to academic engagement. They

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Zhang Teacher-Student Rapport

argued that learners, who feel empathy, affection, and support they can offer warming-up activities for learning contexts
from their instructors, usually persist in education, enhance self- and brainstorm learners to increase learner engagement. The
confidence, and enhance their willingness toward the educational demanding projects, lectures, conferences, and workshops may
contexts. Derakhshan (2021) indicated that empathic instructors discourage learners from participating in academic contexts and
play ethical roles for their learners by helping them engage in put additional strain on learners. In order to motivate and engage
interactions with their peers. He argued that such interaction learners, familiarizing learners with questions of the tests can
fosters the educational quality and helps learners enhance their be helpful, and teachers can change their assessment approach
positive behaviors. Teo et al. (2022) showed that English teachers’ in classrooms. Teachers can manage the time of classrooms
close relationship with learners has significantly correlated regularly, and learner engagement to arouse motivation.
with learners’ involvement. Their study indicated that teacher Through asking and answering questions, learners can be more
immediacy enhances learner engagement in the game-based engaged during the course and learn information efficiently.
flipped ESP educational contexts. Providing a competitive educational context through quizzes
boosts learner engagement. Unplanned quizzes are primarily
significant for exciting, less engaged, and unprepared learners.
IMPLICATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR Collaboration is another way for teachers to increase learner
FURTHER RESEARCH engagement. Learners are inclined to engage in classrooms when
they cooperate on class projects.
This paper investigated the role of teacher empathy in learners’ Instructing with videos, listening to the learners’ comments
willingness to participate in class. This paper enhances the and problems and giving feedback can arouse learner
educational knowledge of investigators who are interested in engagement. Furthermore, teacher educators can exploit
learners’ and teachers’ emotions. Regarding the related literature the related studies through consideration of the instructors’
about the positive role of learner-teacher rapport in learner interpersonal behaviors, empathy, and their rapport with the
engagement, it is worth noting that learners should be helped learners. They can hold workshops and provide some strategies
to manage, adapt, and normalize their emotions in educational to improve teacher empathy. They can also emphasize modeling
environments. Learners can control their affections to increase empathy, taking actions and improving listening, and trying
their enjoyment, and this issue can inspire teachers to take into not to interrupt learners while they are speaking. Teacher
account learner affections in practical classroom contexts. The educators can assess and validate the effectiveness of instructors’
development of empathy and engagement among learners to methods on learners’ engagement in EFL contexts. This paper
engage enthusiastically in classrooms can be considered one of recommends that teacher educators should have a positive
the pedagogical implications of this paper. Learners can use view toward teachers and learners, and they should provide
opportunities that teachers provide to express their thoughts wellorganized and inspiring teaching methodologies which can
and feelings, which can reduce their stress in front of other construct a motivation for language learning and engagement in
learners and encourage them to be accountable in their learning. the classroom. Teacher educators should provide elbow support
This study can also inspire instructors, teacher educators, to enhance pedagogical skills in online instruction. They should
and policymakers to brood over EFL learners’ behaviors and develop confidence and competence among in-service teachers
their academic engagement. Also, being aware of learners’ to entice learners’ interests and engage them in the learning
personality traits may encourage teachers to do their best to bring process. Policymakers can develop engagement programs that
passion to EFL learning contexts. Therefore, L2 instructors are help learners decrease their communication apprehension,
required to talk to learners about their internal and external and amplify their academic engagement. They can positively
motivation and ask their problems to improve learners’ points support learners and make a context in which learners can take
of view and motivation to engage in educational contexts. part in positive behaviors. They can hold academic workshops
They can increase other positive emotions such as foreign to help teachers increase engagement among learners. They
language enjoyment, pride, and hope, and reduce negative can provide interesting facilities and positive learning contexts
feelings such as communication apprehension, disengagement, for increasing positive behaviors and motivations among
etc., in their classes. learners. The importance of engagement and empathy may
Moreover, teacher-learner rapport and understanding make consultants expand their agendas to diagnose learners’
learners’ needs should be one of the fundamentals of instruction disengagement reasons, and the obstacles they cope with within
in language education contexts to achieve instructional outcomes. language learning.
To do so, teachers need to reconstruct and moderate the Future studies may consist of investigating the influence
instructional materials. They can find authentic and interactive of other individual variables, including learner’s extroversion,
materials to increase learners’ positive attitudes and engagement introversion, and many others on their different types of
for developing their outcomes. This can diminish learners’ engagement. Teachers’ negative emotions such as boredom,
cognitive load and despair, and arouse their enthusiasm and burnout, apprehension, and exhaustion and their role in learner
their concentration on language learning contexts. Teacher- engagement should be examined. Other studies can be done
learner rapport may persuade teachers to change their approach to investigate the effect of teacher sympathy and love on
to teaching by incorporating positive emotions in their learners’ academic engagement. Longitudinal studies are required
methodology to inspire learners to engage in learning. Therefore, to shed light on the intrapersonal and interpersonal emotions

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Zhang Teacher-Student Rapport

in language learning. Future studies can investigate the effects ETHICS STATEMENT
of teacher-student rapport, particularly teacher empathy, on
learners’ working memory and emotional intelligence. Moreover, The studies involving human participants were reviewed and
the effects of teacher empathy on the enhancement of language approved by the Henan Institute of Science and Technology
skills ought to be considered in detail. Further studies are needed Academic Ethics Committee. The patients/participants provided
to determine teachers’ empathy, sympathy, and kindness in their written informed consent to participate in this study.
traditional and digital contexts to illuminate how these contexts
may affect learners’ emotions. Besides, further research can
be done to investigate the gender effect on teacher empathy AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
in language learning contexts. Finally, future studies should
pinpoint the relationship between EFL learners’ emotional The author confirms being the sole contributor of this work and
intelligence and disengagement in foreign language contexts. has approved it for publication.

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