Four major teaching strategies for linking humor and learning are identified: (1) to perform as models of humor; (2) to select learning materials that foster the expression of humor; (3) to elicit expressions of humor; and (4) to be responsive and appreciative. (LB)

Four short articles are combined: "Adding Discourse-Level Practice to Sentence-Level Exercises" (Eric S. Nelson); "Presenting Picture Books in the ESL Classroom" (Lijun Shen); "Role Playing in a Large Class" (Ellen Rosen); and "Calvin and Hobbes and Other Icons of Americana" (Daniel J. Conrad). (Contains seven references.) (LB)

Reviews both the library and the training literature to investigate methods for developing skills for effective library instructional presentations. Examples from the Xavier University (Ohio) library are included in discussions of teaching effectiveness, learning theories, adult learning, active learning, the use of humor, and psychological…

Proposes the use of humor and the personalization of word problems by inserting students' names in the problem statement as methods of gaining students' attention. Illustrates their use in a mixture problem and the Tower of Hanoi problem. (MDH)

A three-year study evaluated the effectiveness of 10 systematic strategies for using humor as a teaching tool. Student ratings at the end of three undergraduate and five graduate statistics courses assessed the extent to which each strategy reduced anxiety, improved the ability to learn, and made it possible to perform one's best on problems and…

Provides 10 steps to classroom success: (1) develop a course profile; (2) complete the course; (3) return assessments quickly; (4) integrate humor with course content; (5) learn students' names quickly; (6) utilize the textbook; (7) empower students with study skills; (8) develop "targeted homework"; (9) demonstrate flexibility; and (10) exemplify…

Makes the case for democratic education, criticizing critical pedagogy for its absence of a coherent, testable theory, lack of understanding of democracy, and inapplicability to the reality of classroom experiences. The paper presents six attributes of democracy that are generally recognized and applies them to education, adding a seventh that…

Every year in the United States, health and social problems result from adolescents' use and abuse of alcohol. Alcohol use is associated with high-risk behaviors and is a leading cause of death among adolescents. Research indicates that alcohol advertising influences drinking intentions for children and adolescents. Using content analysis of 486…

Previous research has noted a corresponding relationship between young children's play and divergent thinking ability. This study examined how far fluency and flexibility in movement patterns' production, as indicatory elements of divergent thinking and critical thinking, are related to a variety of psychological elements (physical spontaneity,…

Several studies have examined the pedagogical implications and cautions concerning the use of humor in teaching. Humor has been associated with a host of positive physiological and psychological effects. Researchers have identified that educators who use humor in their instruction are more positively rated by their peers and their students; others…

Using poetry to enrich the lives of adult literacy students, this book provides nine complete, detailed lessons using poetry that will help teachers and tutors of new adult readers and writers. Each lesson in the book focuses on a different type of poetry and is presented in a clear, step-by-step format. The book also offers advice on dealing with…

Exploring the range and diversity of humorous literature for children, this book attempts to remedy the past neglect of children's humorous books by taking humor seriously. The first five chapters of the book discuss what children find funny and at what age, different kinds of humor found in children's literature, passages of humorous tone in…

Presenting a diagnostic teaching unit for grade 7 language arts, this handbook is intended to be used along with the companion handbook 1, "Evaluating Students' Learning and Communication Processes: Integrating Diagnostic Evaluation and Instruction." The student activities of the diagnostic teaching units in the handbook have been…

Focusing on humor as a powerful instructional resource, this booklet addresses a variety of issues regarding humor in the elementary and secondary classroom. Thirteen ways in which humor can help teachers to achieve educational goals are presented, specifically that it (1) attracts attention and provokes thought, (2) liberates creative capacities,…

This study documents the differential sex and age influences on children's judgments of each other's humorousness, whom they prefer for friends, and the relationship between perceptions of humorousness and choice of friends. Two groups of children from a university-operated laboratory school participated in this study: one group consisted of 8-,…