Presents six generalizations on using humor in public speaking. (PD)

Uses trademarks that are calculated misspellings, bumper sticker slogans, the strained and pretentious language of Howard Cosell, and governmental jargon to illustrate how to attune students to the magic and power of language, while poking fun at language abuse. (RL)

A summary of research on humor that has practical implications for those who work with children. (Author/MP)

The production and understanding of humor calls for a specific competence. It appears that second language learners fail to develop this competence even when they reach native-like proficiency levels. A review of the literature suggests that the notion of humor competence in second language learning has not been examined. Humor competence can be…

Examines a group of young adult novels written by American Jewish authors to support claim that they have helped establish the irreverent, lively tone characteristic of contemporary literature for young adults. Also discusses definitions of Jewish humor; the use of Jewish places, names, and words; discussion and wordplay; and stereotypes. (EM)

The theory and practice of analyzing jokes, with implications for class discussions. (RL)

Humor in adolescent literature is the focus of the articles in this themed journal issue. The articles and their authors are as follows: (1) "Of Fiction and Madness" (Paul Zindel); (2) "Before the Immaculate Cuticles" (Jerry Spinelli); (3) "I Want To Make Them Laugh" (Ellen Conford); (4) "The Terrible Hilarity of Adolescence in 'Dinky Hocker…

Reviews the literature concerning children's humor. Discusses major characteristics of early humor based on the child's level of developmental mastery, and proposes a conceptual model of humorous play. (RJC)

This paper examines the role of communication in library leadership. The discussion is organized into 14 sections: (1) multidimensional approaches to effective leadership communication and varying communication style to the situation; (2) the importance of conciseness; (3) streamlining library communication; (4) the vision being communicated by…

Empirical studies of the connection between humor and learning indicate that humor can increase student attention and interest. Presentation of humorous material involves skills that can be learned through practice, and faculty development programs for teachers to acquire these skills should be made available. (MSE)

Shared laughter is a powerful way to reinforce learning, and it helps to make tasks less laborious and threatening. Humor, retention, anxiety; engaging in spontaneous and planned humor; concerns about humor use; and personal humor growth and integration with instruction are discussed. (MLW)

Contends that the study of the psychology of humor integrates areas such as child development stereotyping and creativity. Describes an undergraduate college-level course in which students apply psychological theories of humor to understand both popular humor and experiences in everyday life. (CFR)

Humor is an important tool for the teacher in college classrooms. Generally, laughter is a great benefit in anyone's life, having even physiological influence. Laughter reduces stress and may facilitate creativity. However, the use of humor can both enhance and hinder the learning process. Various researchers have tried to identify structures,…

The purpose of this paper was threefold: (1) to review the literature; (2) to determine the effects of the use of humor upon stress within the classroom; and (3) to examine the extent to which students and teachers use humor as a coping mechanism to deal with stressful school situations. It was hypothesized that humor in the classroom is effective…