Nurturing empathy and values through stories while using the didactic potential of children’s literature

Abstract

This study explores the significance of children’s literature as a tool for fostering learning and social skills, focusing on its role in shaping cognitive, emotional, and social development. Through a qualitative methodology involving semi-structured interviews and classroom observations with 35 teachers, the research identifies key factors influencing the selection of literary texts. These factors include thematic universality, cultural relevance, narrative structure, pedagogical integration, and theoretical frameworks. Findings show that thematic universality and cultural relevance are most emphasized by educators and teachers, while integration with pedagogy and theoretical frameworks are less frequently prioritized. The study emphases the transformative potential of literature in building values such as empathy, critical thinking, and intercultural competence, offering practical recommendations for selecting and teaching literary texts to maximize their didactic impact.