Suggests that childrens' responses to traditional methods of teaching literature are a function of their developmental status, which parallels their preference for particular types of jokes. (KS)

This book presents classroom-tested ideas to help teachers make teaching and learning more enjoyable, noting that humor can be a positive force in teaching, learning, and health. The book is designed to: help teachers see the importance of a pleasant, good-humored environment; convince teachers that laughter can be an essential element in…

A teacher describes using melodrama as a way to combine the elements of humor and drama to engage the imaginations of young gifted children. Techniques for use with elementary through junior high students are presented along with the script of a play for first or second graders, with the last lines left blank for students to supply their own…

Teachers' judicious use of humor in the classroom can have such positive effects as improving communication, focusing attention, provoking thought, liberating creative capacities, motivating students, and reinforcing desirable behaviors. Activities are suggested for exposing deaf students to various types of humor and helping them explore their…

Humor in the classroom can be effective in maintaining student attention, providing mnemonic examples, and aiding the relationship between teachers and students. (HOD)

Suggests 12 activities to make humor an integral part of the reading/language arts curriculum. (MKM)

This article discusses sources of difficulty that language-impaired children and adolescents often have in understanding the various aspects of humor. General and specific techniques for remediating humor comprehension deficits are offered. Suggestions are also given for using humor materials in remediation of other areas of language impairment.…

Intended as a supplementary resource for teachers, this paper focuses on using humor to develop students' critical thinking and reading abilities. The paper suggests many newspaper humor activities for predicting word meanings through context clues, including the meanings of words in isolation and in context, in headlines, and in the comics. Next,…

This paper discusses playfulness and creativity and draws educational implications. The suggestions in the paper are intended to provide a rationale for incorporating foolish interludes, humor, flexibility, and the playful side of human nature into classrooms to stimulate creative thinking in young people today. Play is described as a mode of…

Describes a teaching unit that involves students in reading and analyzing elements of humor in young people's literature. Focuses on what makes quality humorous books funny as well as literary. (FL)

This proceedings contains half of the papers presented at the third annual conference of the Association of Teachers of English Grammar. Papers in the proceedings are: "Grammar as a Method, Not as a Subject" (Marilyn N. Silva); "Using Humor to Teach Grammar, or the Grammarian as Stand-up Comic" (Frank Peters); "Grammatical…

Discusses techniques for teaching descriptive adjectives in second-language classrooms that rely on humor to help relieve the stress of learning situations. Specific examples of Spanish adjectives and humorous phrases are provided. (contains two references) (MDM)

While humor can backfire or, worse, mask dark, underlying prejudices, research reveals positive and promising connections between humor and creativity, efficiency, and mental health. Although there remains considerable room for disagreement on the essential qualities of humor, several researchers after reviewing the literature appear to have…

This article presents arguments for including activities to develop students' sense of humor and related skills in the gifted curriculum. Cognitive skills, reading, writing, mathematics, communications skills, and self-concept are seen as beneficiaries of humor units. A group activity and projects for a school comedy club are described. (PB)

The 17 articles in this journal issue focus on writing and writing instruction. The articles discuss the following: (1) the NorthEast Texas, Texas Hill Country, and University of Arizona writing projects; (2) the necessity of dealing with truth in the writing class, not as a concept to be defined, but as an act that creates and recreates…