This research investigates the impacts of humor as a communication strategy for teachers in the context of university English learning. The study employs a mixed-methods approach utilizing questionnaires and interviews. The primary aim is to explore the effects of incorporating humor into the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. A…

Internet memes--usually taking the form of an image, GIF, or video with text--have become an important type of semiotic tool for meaning making. Due to the fact that memes can help learners leverage semiotic modes in social contexts, they hold great potential for language education. Integrating ecological social semiotic frameworks, this…

Throughout the years, a lot of research has been looking at the significance of effective atmosphere in second language classroom. We often overlook the fact that humour is a vital element in attaining a supportive learning environment that can benefit students. There is limited research conducted on the effectiveness of the use of humour in ESL…

Previous studies have implemented a quantitative method to explore the relationship between teacher self-disclosure and student participation in the educational context, particularly in communication courses. In this study, a qualitative method in data collection and analysis is used to fill this methodological gap to observe whether teachers' use…

The role of the teacher's personality can be placed amongst many factors that play a role in learning English as a second/foreign language. A teacher with a humorous character inevitably aids in reducing any potential fear that may be experienced by students in relation to the learning of a second language in the classroom (Bell, 2009; Chee,…

Working with Korean university-level learners of English, this study provides a detailed analytical comparison of 2 task work groups that were video-recorded, with 1 group scoring very high and the other relatively low based on the results of a Group Work Dynamic (GWD) measuring instrument. Adopting a complexity theory (CT) perspective and…

Culture is an indispensable dimension of human life and also foreign language teaching and learning process; and as a part of the current trend, diverse cultural elements are covered in recently published English as a foreign language (EFL) coursebooks. These cultural elements are not limited to the target culture but they cover local and…

Presents a number of word games, jokes, puns, etc., stating grounds for using them in language teaching. Discusses their roots in the English-speaking world, and their motivating effect as they brighten up the teaching routine. (IFS/WGA)

Discusses the use of puzzles and jokes to encourage student interest in an English-as-a-Second-Language class. The object of this project was to relate to a more human context, the playfulness that pushes aside arbitrary school time each spring when Purim comes. (CK)

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…

This article profiles Toni Billingsley, an African-American teacher teaching Spanish classes at the Academy of Communications and Technology Charter School in the West Garfield Park section of Chicago. This article also describes her unique teaching methods. Billingsley uses clever puns, outright slapstick, sly references to black popular culture…

This collection of research projects includes: "What Types of Questions Do Mathematics Teachers Ask?" (Cynthia L. Adams); "Will Alternate Assessment Formats Create a Difference in Student Motivation to Study?" (Robyn J. Allen); "Factors Affecting the Motivation of Students" (Dejon J. Banks); "The Dynamics of…