Some types of instructions for creativity tasks (such as explicitly telling people to be creative) can boost performance. Showing people examples or telling them ways of approaching the problem before they begin a creativity task can help, but results are mixed about whether it is better to emphasize positive examples/approaches that can be…

This study examined the use of humour in EFL classrooms in Islamic higher education in Indonesia. It intends to find out whether Indonesian EFL teacher educators used humour as pedagogy and how they used it. Using a narrative inquiry method, it involved 25 EFL students undertaking English Writing courses working in groups of two or three members…

Purpose: Unlike formalist and functional approaches to literacy and teaching writing, a languaging theory approach centers on the dynamic and interpersonal nature of writing. The purpose of this study was to determine students' ability to engage in explicit reflection about their languaging actions in response to their personal narrative writing…

This article proposes a "pedagogy of riffing" and examines how satire and some earlier forms of metacommentary can help first-year composition students appreciate the mediated nature of contemporary current-events discourse. Beginning with comic news and working back to those pioneers of cultural riffing, "Mystery Science Theater…

There has been little research into 'language play', the manipulation of language for enjoyment, in children's narrative writing. The unprompted language play of 36 children was investigated in their writing of an imaginative story. The sample comprised three attainment sub-groups from a larger repeat-design quantitative study of writing…

Writing is used for various purposes: to accomplish political agendas, build relationships, assert identities, positioning texts as meaningful beyond printed letters on a page. Therefore, teaching children to write is a cultural practice, an invitation to enter into a larger community where identities are created, practiced, and re-imagined using…

This paper analyses laughter in spoken academic discourse, with the aim of discovering why lecturers provoke laughter in their lectures. A further purpose of the paper is to identify episodes in British data which may differ from those in other cultural contexts where other lecturing practices prevail, and thus to inform the design of study skills…

In a remix of the infamous Hitler meme--taking a scene from the movie, "Downfall" (2005), and adding subtitles appropriate (in this case) for "Kairos" readers--theamishaugur makes a pointed, humorous (to some) commentary on the status of multimodal composition scholars in English departments during job market season.

As part of a research study on collaborative writing, this paper discusses defining and facilitating features that occur during face-to-face collaboration, based on the literature and research. The defining features are mutual interaction, negotiations, conflict, and shared expertise. Facilitating features include affective factors, use of L1,…

This study compared the frequency, structure, and purposes of laughter in writing tutorials between 46 acquainted and unacquainted tutor-student pairs. Of particular interest were instances of shared, or coordinated laughter, which took the form of sequenced, simultaneous, and extended laughter. Familiarity, viewed as a continuum, was also…

Demonstrates the impracticality of imposing rigorous definitions on the various stages of the writing process and the ineffectiveness of requiring students to adhere to strict writing strategies. (SRT)

Suggests, on a humorous note, a game-plan for assignment justification and elaboration that utilizes, in a constructive and professional manner, the best of what is known about assignment-making. (EL)

Discusses lighthearted writing, much of which has a serious intent as well as two highly desirable qualities: writer satisfaction and reader-appeal. Offers examples of all sorts of lighthearted writing including lighthearted writing from the classroom. (SR)

Argues that since technical and prose writing are both rhetorical discourse, technical writers should use the same devices as prose writers (such as metaphor and humor) and should be as aware of the political, ethical, and moral context of their writing as writers of prose. (ARH)

Argues for the value of humor in writing center instruction. Shows how writing center tutors can use humor effectively in tutoring settings. Relates personal experiences as a writing tutor in which humor proved useful and effective. (HB)