Humor means understanding not only the language and words but their use, meaning, subtle nuances, the underlying culture, implications and unwritten messages. Humor does not often travel well from one culture to another, as each society has a somewhat different concept of what is funny (Dobson, 1987). In Foreign Language Learning (FLL), the…

Discusses the use of humor in the English-as-a-Foreign-Language classroom. Suggests that when student laugh they learn better. Highlights ways to make learning activities fun and provides a humor questionnaire. (Author/VWL)

Four French language classroom activities are suggested, including an exercise sensitizing students to the structure of poetry, a group of games centering on the Eiffel Tower, a series of activities exploring attitudes toward the Eiffel Tower, and a vocabulary and cultural awareness development exercise using the terminology of painting. (MSE)

Four activities for language learning are presented, including: class completion of incomplete dialogues excerpted from major literary works; games for learning vocabulary and civilization using words beginning with the same letter; a lesson using cartoons to elicit description and dialogues; and a unit on appropriate and inappropriate…

A rationale is presented for using humor as a French language teaching tool, and several class activities designed for different language skill levels and using humor as a central element are described. Some suggestions are offered for selecting appropriate instructional materials. (MSE)

Outlines a series of humorous classroom activities and games using novel combinations of words and word parts for vocabulary development. (MSE)

Describes four activities for the French-as-a-Second-Language classroom, including: a lesson in the interpretation of graphs (Lescure); a unit on measurement, money systems, museums, and schools in France (Berteloot, Ploquin); oral and written exercises based on French history and culture (Ploquin, Store); and a vocabulary development activity…

The guide provides teachers of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) with classroom instructional activities that reinforce vocabulary or teach specific language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) while demonstrating that communicating in English can be fun. The activities are brief and self-contained, and an audiotape cassette (not…

Advertisements can be used in many ways to facilitate the teaching of a commercial language. If reproduced as slides or other visual aids, they serve as a visual warm-up exercise for each class period, either reinforcing previously discussed topics or introducing new ones. Catchy headlines in commercials promote rapid expansion of vocabulary and…

Humor is an excellent teaching tool because, in addition to preventing classroom boredom and monotony, it introduces lateral aspects of language such as irony, sarcasm, mockery, elision, ellipsis, and euphemism. Humor in language can be approached interactively or structurally through a variety of activities. It can be used to expand vocabulary,…

Reading, writing, listening, and speaking activities and exercises that use folders of interesting material that students can use alone or in small groups are described. The folders contain pictures or other material of interest to the students, instructions in English and Spanish, and answers. The folders are color-coded by type of activity.…

Six class activities for 16 advanced students of English as a Second Language that used videotape recording are described. All are designed to improve pronunciation and general listening and speech skills, and all use videotaping and classroom and home playback for peer and self-assessment. The activities involve: (1) oral interpretation of jokes,…

The practicum reported here was developed to provide a curriculum to improve English skills and a knowledge of American culture in the adult English speaker of other languages (ESOL). A 12-week curriculum was devised to teach grammar and language skills within the context of humorous stories about daily living and by using weekly themes that are…

Articles on various aspects of second language teaching include: "Global Education Language Teaching Activities" (Kip A. Cates); "Classroom Management in Japanese Colleges and Universities: Some Practical Approaches" (Paul Wadden, Sean McGovern); "Control: An Independent Learning Model" (Don Maybin, Lynn…

This document presents the proceedings of an annual educational research forum held at Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) on December 10, 2003. A table of contents and 31 research studies of high school teaching are included. The following studies are included: (1) No, Seriously: Humor Use by High School Social Studies Teachers…