[Walking with Language] Pandemic is Ruthless, Teaching is Caring — A Teaching Diary on “Empathy” in English Major Classes During the Pandemic (2020-03-23)

Second-year undergraduate students in the English major are scheduled to take the national Test for English Majors-Band 4 (TEM-4) this semester. This test not only assesses students' professional proficiency but also evaluates the foundational teaching standards of the English Department. The annual TEM-4 pass rate highlights the standing of our university's English major teaching level among national institutions of higher education, particularly those with a science and engineering focus. The TEM-4 test is crucial for both students and teachers. Affected by the pandemic this semester, face-to-face Q&A sessions are impossible, and it is challenging to foster a class learning atmosphere among students scattered in various locations. Students are now isolated learners, lacking the encouraging smiles of teachers and the warm gazes of classmates; learning has turned into browsing traffic on the internet. How can we make students feel the emotional warmth in online teaching to adjust their learning attitudes? In this semester's online instruction, I attempted "empathy" teaching online. Beyond utilizing technical tools like bullet-screen interactions, real-time Q&A, and inviting students to speak on the virtual platform in Tencent Classroom for effective communication, I also integrated teacher-student emotional exchange into offline homework grading.

1. Expressing Hopes for Students Through Cartoon Drawings

When grading TEM-4 vocabulary test papers, I add cartoon emojis based on student performance to share my feelings about their work. A smiley face encourages students' learning, while a sad face motivates them, making students feel that teachers and students "share weal and woe." For example:

2. Affirming Students' Learning Attitudes Through Homework Comments

For assignments submitted to the teaching platform, I fully utilize the platform's text input feature to use warm words, allowing students to feel my approval and encouragement for their diligent study. For example:

Comment 1: Grading your homework always makes me happy! Everything pleases my eyes: the scores, the handwriting, the proofreading, and the attitude you have. Don't forget to finish the rest of the exercises from page 54 to 59.

Comment 2: Your homework is eye-delightful, so neat, so good! Thank u! Pls continue to finish the rest of the exercises from page 51 to 59.

3. Enhancing Emotional Communication with Students via WeChat Course Groups

WeChat private chats offer the advantage of instant and easy communication. I usually send test scores to students privately, accompanied by brief comments—either encouragement or praise—so students feel the teacher is consistently attentive to their learning and progress. For example:

Although online teaching can connect students from all directions, what continuously engages them in learning is emotional guidance. "Empathy" teaching adds warmth to online instruction and gives students a positive attitude toward learning.

Written by: Associate Professor Liu Xiaoyan, Department of English

编译：张天翼