Encourages laughter as a way to relieve stress and gain a new perspective on problems. Suggests that counselors take responsibility for enjoying their careers by incorporating laughter in their work. (ABB)

Presents a humorous account of possible dissertation topic and its rejection. (EL)

Recounts a childhood experience that helped develop a sense of delight in an author's choice of diction. (EL)

Kindergarteners and first and fourth graders watched an educational television program containing three types of humor. Information acquisition and funniness were assessed. Compared with distortion-free humor, irony resulted in overestimates of properties of novel objects introduced in the program. Age did not diminish perceptual distortion.…

Reviews tips on speech delivery for board members. Includes an outline for setting up a file for anecdotes and quotations. (MD)

Observed college students (N=195) divided according to sex and measures of wittiness to determine the effects of humor on problem solving in groups. Results showed that group composition was not a crucial issue in problem-solving performance, but that humerous group interaction was, and did not interfere with ongoing task performance. (LLL)

This book presents a collection of cartoons that focus on the lighter side of teaching. In a tongue-in-cheek introduction, the book asserts that one achievable goal which should have been included in the 1994 Educate America Act is that all teachers will start each school day by reading one funny cartoon and having a good chuckle before they go to…

In attempting to assess the effects of humor on vocabulary instruction, an intervention strategy was implemented which sought to compare the results of such instruction with those produced from vocabulary instruction delivered in a traditional, non-humorous vein. To this end, the intervention proceeded thus: an experimental group of seventh-grade…

A study of the development of elementary school children's appreciation of riddles was conducted within the framework of the incongruity and resolution theory of humor. (ST)

The present experiment sought to investigate the hypothesis that exposure to nonhostile humor would be highly effective in reducing the level of aggression subsequently evidenced by angry individuals. (Author/RK)

Hints on making learning fun. (SP)

Uses trademarks that are calculated misspellings, bumper sticker slogans, the strained and pretentious language of Howard Cosell, and governmental jargon to illustrate how to attune students to the magic and power of language, while poking fun at language abuse. (RL)

Discusses the art of riddling and its potential contribution to the elementary school language arts program, including a description of stages of riddling competence of children in the five-to-11 year age range and an examination of riddling efforts gathered from two classrooms. (HTH)

A humorous presentation of publisher-to-author correspondence that indicates how contemporary publishers might criticize or reject such works as "Treasure Island,""The Tale of Peter Rabbit,""Little Women," and the Grimm brothers' fairy tales. (ET)