Personal & Social Development·Empathy & Social Awareness·procedural
Sympathy Versus Empathy
Distinguish sympathy ('I feel sorry for you') from empathy ('I understand what you're experiencing'); develop active listening skills: reflecting, paraphrasing, asking open questions, resisting the urge to problem-solve too quickly; understand empathic curiosity as genuine interest in another person's inner world; practise being present for someone in distress without trying to fix or minimise their experience; understand vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue, and how empathetic people can protect their own wellbeing while staying present for others
Suggested ages 12–13
Evidence of understanding
No evidence statements are recorded.
Assessment prompt
When a friend is going through something really difficult, can Sympathy Versus Empathy describe what makes a listener genuinely helpful — and explain the difference between empathy and sympathy, using an example of something that sounds supportive but actually isn't?
Standards alignment
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