Four motivating activities to teach core values through reading

Nicola Schofield
A young girl sat at a desk smiling at the front of the class, with other students in the background.
Reading time: 4 minutes

Teaching our children core values is so important in helping them to become happy, well-balanced citizens who will make a positive contribution to our future society. 

Values are present and visible everywhere and they are the foundation or starting point from where we make our decisions, which ultimately determine our futures. It is, therefore, important that our children learn a strong, moral set of values that will help guide them as they grow older, inform their decisions, help them to know right from wrong, solve problems, assert themselves and build self-esteem and confidence.

Values can be built on a personal level or even shared at a group level such as a family and friendship group. However, we often see them on a larger scale within communities, countries or even the whole world. 

Having a shared set of values connects people on a deeper level and helps us to all work towards the same goals and standards – they can even encourage people to see the similarities between each other, rather than the differences. 

Learning values through reading

Children learn about values through their families, friends, and teachers, through what they watch or listen to and through their life experiences. They also learn about values through the books they read. These lessons can be subtle but are often extremely powerful and can have a significant impact and influence.

As an example, let’s have a look at how shared values are explored in the new graded readers series for young learners, Disney Kids Readers, where special emphasis has been put on exploring values within a story. At the end, you will find several value-based activities that you can download for use in the classroom or as an activity at home. 

How do Disney Kids Readers teach core values?

  1. Learning through stories that are already familiar can help children to trust in and take on board the key messages much more easily. Familiarity can break down many barriers to communication and help us understand that values are often universal. 
  2. Many children are also familiar with the Disney characters and can find inspiration from reading how they react to situations in life, make decisions and behave. Children often look up to characters and can see them as role models within their own lives. As a result, the readers can be a reference point on how to respond to key life moments and how to incorporate values into real life.
  3. Also, depending on the child's age, some values may be new and children may not yet have experience with them in the real world. Therefore, the Disney stories allow them to explore these key messages through their favorite Disney character’s point of view. 

Each Disney Kids Reader is linked to a key value and contains a ‘Values’ page with a short comic strip that brings to life a specific value. 

The list below details a selection of key values taught across the readers. You could ask the children in your class to talk about which values are most important to them and why. Ask them to give an example of a time when they have demonstrated this value in their own lives. 

Friendship, positivity, curiosity, confidence, open-mindedness, courage, determination, self-belief, responsibility, resilience, respect, honesty.

Examples of key values in Disney stories

In The Jungle Book, friendship is a key value, and we learn that it is important to help our friends. Baloo helps Mowgli when he is alone in the jungle and scared. An angry tiger wants Mowgli to leave the jungle, but when Mowgli meets Baloo, he finds a friend in him. Baloo sees that Mowgli is scared and looks after him. We learn that it is important to help our friends when they are in need. 

Do: Ask the children when they have helped their friends.

In Inside Out, we learn about sincerity and how important it is to talk about how we are feeling. Riley is a teenager struggling with a whole range of emotions and we learn that life isn’t about being happy all the time and that it is okay to be sad sometimes. The children learn that this is a normal part of life and that talking it through with a friend, a parent or a teacher can help.

Do: Ask the children if they share their feelings with others.

Here are some activities for you to use with your class to help put into practice the core values from the readers. You can use these activities with any book, in and outside the classroom.

1. My Values Road Sign (L3-4)

This activity is a great way of talking to children about their values. By creating a road sign poster, it will help them to decide which values are most important to them and it is something that they can refer to again and again in challenging times. They can stick it on their bedroom wall, display it on the fridge or you could even make a classroom display of shared values when children have finished their books!

Download the worksheet

 2. Kindness Calendar (L4-6)

This activity can be done as a family, with friends or as a class. The children fill in the calendar with kind actions they are going to do for 7 days. They can cut them out and place them into a jar and ask a different family member/friend/classmate to choose one a day. Do this for a week and discuss how carrying out kind actions makes them feel. Chances are it will make them feel good!

Download the worksheet

3. Core Values Quiz (L5-6)

Try this quiz with your class and test their values. The questions focus on the following values: sincerity, honesty, positivity, resilience and friendship. If they answer mostly As, then they already demonstrate most of the values in their lives. If they answer mostly Bs, talk to them about why it is important to be honest, positive, strong and kind. The quiz will start a meaningful conversation about their own values and how they react to common situations in life.

Download the worksheet

4. My future self (L1-2)

The children fill in the crystal ball with pictures of who they would like to be in the future. Do they want to be smart, funny, have a good job, live abroad, have a family, be rich, be a good friend or help the planet? Which of the plans make one person (themselves) happy and which plans make the world better? Do they need to change any of them?

Download the worksheet

Read our blog post 'Fostering self-care and wellbeing through the world of reading'.

Explore our English Readers

More blogs from Pearson

  • A woman walking through ferns in the woods
    10 creepy cryptids you should know about
    By Charlotte Guest
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    Cryptids are creatures that are often unseen and mysterious. They are shrouded in legends and stories that have been passed down for generations, making them a fascination for humans for centuries. If you're looking to add a little more creativity to your story writing, learning about these elusive beings can be a great way to do so. In today's post, we'll take a closer look at some examples of cryptids, to get your imagination racing.

    What are cryptids?

    Cryptids are mythical creatures or beings whose existence cannot be proven by science. Some may claim to have seen them but there's usually no solid proof of the encounter. They exist in folklore, mythology and urban legends. Cryptids can be found in cultures all around the world, from the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland to the Chupacabra in Latin America.

    Here are ten cryptids you'll want to learn about this Halloween season:

    Barghest

    The Barghest is a ghostly black dog cryptid that appears in the folklore of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is often associated with misfortune, and sightings of this ominous creature continue to be reported.

    Owlman

    The Owlman is a humanoid creature with owl-like features such as red eyes, wings and feathers. Sightings of this mysterious creature have been reported around the village of Mawnan Smith in Cornwall, adding an eerie twist to local legend.

    The Kraken

    The Kraken is a legendary sea monster of gigantic size and octopus-like appearance, said to dwell in the deep sea and feasting on ships that are unfortunate enough to come across it.

    Water Leaper (Llamhigyn Y Dwr)

    The Water Leaper, also known as the Linton Worm or Lindworm, is a Welsh cryptid believed to inhabit bodies of water such as ponds and rivers. Descriptions vary, but it is often depicted as a fearsome water-dwelling creature.

  • a woman sat on her phone on a bench outside
    12 autumn words worth learning this fall
    By Charlotte Guest
    Reading time: 3 minutes

    Autumn (or fall, depending on where you are) is a season full of color, changing weather and cozy traditions. It is also a great time to learn new English vocabulary. Some autumn words are useful in everyday conversation, while others are unusual words that can help you sound more natural and descriptive.

    Here are some autumnal English words to add to your vocabulary.

    1. Crisp

    Crisp can describe cool autumn weather, especially in the morning. Not to be mistaken for the British potato snack. Example: “It was a crisp autumn morning.” It can also describe something that makes a sharp sound when you touch or eat it, such as a dry leaf or an apple.

    2. Foliage

    Foliage means the leaves of trees and plants. In autumn, the leaves can change from green to yellow, orange, red and brown. Example: “The autumn foliage was beautiful.” This word is useful when talking about nature and landscapes.

    3. Russet

    Russet is a reddish-brown color often associated with autumn leaves. Example: “The trees were covered in russet and gold leaves.” It is a less common word, so it can be a fun addition to your vocabulary.

    4. Mellow

    Mellow can describe something soft, calm or gentle. It is often used to describe autumn colors or light. Example: “The garden was filled with mellow autumn colors.” It can also describe music, flavors or a relaxed person.

    5. Harvest

    A harvest is the process of collecting crops from fields and farms. It usually happens in late summer or autumn in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere. “The farmers began the apple harvest in September.” You can also use harvest as a verb: “The farmers harvested the pumpkins.”

    6. Equinox

    An equinox is a time when day and night are approximately the same length. The autumn/fall equinox marks the start of astronomical autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. It is a useful word for talking about seasons and the natural world.

    7. Squirrel

    You may see squirrels collecting food and preparing for colder weather during autumn. Example: “A squirrel was hiding an acorn under the leaves.” Try learning the phrase “squirrel away”, which means to save or hide something for later.

    8. Drizzle

    Drizzle means light rain made up of very small drops. Example: “It was drizzling when we left the house.” Unlike heavy rain, drizzle is usually light and gentle.

    9. Gloomy

    A gloomy day is dark, grey or lacking in sunlight. Example: “The weather was cold and gloomy.” You can also use gloomy to describe a person, place or situation that feels sad or depressing.

    10. Rustle

    Rustle is the soft sound made when leaves, paper or other light materials move. Example: “We could hear the leaves rustling in the wind.” It can also be used as a verb: “The wind rustled the leaves.”

    11. Cozy

    Cozy means comfortable, warm and relaxing. It is often used when talking about autumn and winter. Example: “I love spending a cozy evening at home.”

    12. Petrichor

    Finally, here is an unusual one: petrichor. Petrichor is the earthy smell that you can sometimes notice after rain, especially when rain falls on dry ground. Example: “I love the smell of petrichor after an autumn shower.” You won't hear it every day, but it is a great example of how English has specific words for things we experience.

  • woman working on a laptop in a library
    Is remote testing as rigorous as traditional exams?
    By Alice Bazzi
    Reading time: 2 minutes

    Does taking an English test remotely make it less rigorous? Not necessarily. What matters is how the test is designed, scored and delivered – not simply where it is taken. For universities and governments, this is important. English test scores can help organizations make decisions about study, admissions and other opportunities.

    They need to know test results are reliable and comparable, wherever and whenever a test is taken. A strong test starts with good test design. PTE Express assesses four core English skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. The test uses a structured format to assess how candidates use English in different situations.

    Tasks can include understanding spoken information, responding to questions and producing written answers. This is important because a rigorous test is not simply a difficult test. It should measure the English skills it is designed to measure and give candidates a fair way to show what they can do.