METHODS FOR DEVELOPING EMPATHETIC READING IN UKRAINIAN LITERATURE LESSONS (BASED ON A. KOKOTYUKHA’S NOVEL “SAVING MARCH”)

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive theoretical justification and practical modelling of a methodology for developing empathetic reading skills among upper secondary school pupils in Ukrainian literature lessons (using A. Kokotyukha’s novel “Save March” as a case study). The relevance of the study stems from a contradiction present in contemporary teaching practice: despite the high demand for anticolonial studies and the reflection on historical trauma, the actual teaching process often boils down to the rote reproduction of biographical facts and formal literary analysis, which ignores the emotional state of adolescents. In the context of implementing the concept of the New Ukrainian School, there is an urgent need to shift the focus from dry academic terminology to the development of emotional and value-based competencies, emotional intelligence and psychological resilience among graduates. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the creation of a comprehensive methodological algorithm that integrates the fundamental psychological functions of emotions into the process of analysing a contemporary literary text about the experience of fullscale war. Among the main methods used to identify the psychological and pedagogical potential of the work and develop an effective system of lessons are: the method of emotional immersion, contextual and microtextual analysis of areas of heightened emotional tension, the ‘frozen frame’ technique, methods of projecting personal experience, as well as general scientific methods of description, systematisation and theoretical generalisation. The results demonstrate the validity of drawing on the conceptual frameworks of S. Vasyuta, O. Krasovska and L. Gorban regarding the signalling and regulatory functions of emotions and feelings as internal drivers of personal activity. The author proposes a methodological framework for analysing three key thematic blocks of the novel: ‘The destruction of the familiar world and the foundations of resistance’, ‘Resistance to colonial brutality and psychological pressure’, and ‘The value of human life’. Using specific textual fragments as examples (the first moments of the invasion, scenes of occupation violence, a moment of parental catharsis), the effectiveness of a system of open-ended empathic questions and reflective exercises is demonstrated, which ensure the evolution of the senior school pupil’s inner state from initial shock and dissociation to solidarity and a constructive civic stance. Conclusions. The study confirms that empathetic reading serves as an effective tool for developing emotional intelligence, transforming the perception of a text from passive consumption into a vivid experience. Engaging the signalling function of emotions enables adolescents to decipher complex cultural codes and recognise manipulation, whilst the regulatory function provides a way out of crisis situations through an awareness of their own identity. Analysing emotionally complex literary material within the safe space of the classroom builds robust psychological resilience and a readiness to face challenges. We consider further analysis of the integration of digital visual resources to enhance empathetic reading to be a promising avenue.