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

Described is a "joke center" where elementary school students not only learned about various kinds of humor and practiced language skills but had a terrific week of laughter as they shared favorite jokes and made up new ones. (Author/KC)

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.…

Offers five strategies from teachers regarding self-evaluation of student writing, teaching sentence construction, research paper notetaking, using humor in the writing classroom, and student use of transparencies. (PRA)

The use of humor in teaching has been linked to learning in several studies, although the research has been equivocal. The various types of humor used by teachers have also been investigated but not in terms of what students view as appropriate and inappropriate uses of humor. Participants in this study were asked to generate examples of…

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…

Recommends teaching about the uses of humor in technical writing classes by using computer user manuals. Suggests that humor has a place in technical communication, particularly in computer manuals, where new users' apprehension must be reduced, heavy technical points need clarification, and warnings and cautions should be reinforced. (SKC)

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)

Presents strategies helpful in maintaining learner attention (providing response opportunities, providing variety in presentation style, connecting activities clearly); building learner interest (demonstrating results, using humor, using creative examples, using questions, using unpredictability); and developing learner involvement (using…

Examines several approaches to vocabulary development that are alternatives to direct vocabulary instruction. (AEA)

Discusses ERIC documents pertaining to oral reading instruction. (FL)

Humorous stories and comedy routines can form the basis for individual oral reading and comprehension activities and for group skits. (MKM)