Discusses the problem of the British student of French confronted with French humor in classic and modern French literature. (AM)

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 humor in the language classroom, and provides some sample activities in Italian. (AM)

Results from a survey of students in a beginning communications media course show the value of using humor in course lectures to make the presentation of material more effective. (RL)

Presents examples of creative humor activities produced by gifted elementary students. These include droodles, create-a-creature, wanted posters, and work machines. (MA)

In maintaining command of a classroom situation the teacher who establishes rapport with the group and uses humor effectively is most often successful in controlling or preventing disciplinary problems. (JD)

A broad sample of adult male and female subjects was administered an humor appreciation inventory (54 jokes, 9 categories). The major finding was that humor appreciation scores are remarkably similar regardless of background characteristics. (Author/SBP)

Interpreters who understand differing reasoning abilities of children can more effectively use humor with children, as in the case of getting a school group comfortable with a stranger (the interpreter) in a strange environment (the woods). Humor can also enhance learning and information retention and increase attention span. Development of humor…

Discusses humorous incidences of translating an idiom from one language literally into another. Notes that words with a similar look or sound in English and the target language, or within the target language, cause confusion. (Author/CK)

A study of 90 children in third, fourth, and fifth grade investigated the students' ability to detect the idioms embedded in 12 humorous items and their ability to explain the idioms. Results showed that idiom comprehension improved significantly between the ages of 8 and 11 years and that idiom detection was easier than idiom explanation. (CR)

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…

Explains how humor not merely creates a comfortable classroom environment, but also a sense of community, which empowers students as writers. Notes that once empowered in this way, students are free to express themselves in writing and discussion without holding back. Concludes that with humor, teachers can let go of carefully crafted lesson plans…

Shows that an increased level of humor in commercials was beneficial to recall and purchase intention; increased humor in the television program was detrimental to recall of products advertised; and gender interacted with program humor levels, such that products were viewed less negatively by men when they were exposed to commercials in a more…

Explains how the author's father taught her about theatre in their everyday life. Discusses artistic sensibilities such as the use of voice, body, mind, and values. Explains the following theatre specifics: pacing; language; telling the story; relaxation and humor; participation; the audience's job; inflation of titles; history; subtext; and…

Studied the use of humorous cartoons to reduce the anxiety levels of students in statistics classes. Used the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS) to measure the level of student anxiety before and after a statistics course. Found that there was a significant reduction in levels of mathematics anxiety after the course. (SLM)