Shows how the rhetoric of selected woman humorists from 1820 to 1880 exemplifies the operation of various comic literary reference frames. Asserts that their comic frame disintegrated because these writers were unable to foster identification between females and males and failed to provide a world view that could accommodate social change. (MM)

Receptive and expressive humor was investigated in learning-disabled (LD), mildly retarded, and nondisabled students (N=54) from primary (ages 7-10), intermediate (ages 10-13), and middle school (ages 13-16) grades. LD students did not display increased understanding at later ages and had more difficulty with phonological than with lexical or…

Investigated reactions to humorous feminist slogans in these groups: (1) males and females (N=20) over 30 years old who were feminists or strongly sympathetic; (2) female and male undergraduates (N=39) with various levels of sympathy; and (3) 6th, 8th, and 10th grade academically gifted students (N=62). Results suggest gender and feminist sympathy…

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)

Investigates kindergarten children's ability to comprehend and appreciate cognitively-oriented humor. Conceptual development was measured by assessing children's responses to a liquid conservation task modeled after Piaget. Results fail to support previous theories and indicate that a majority of the children fully comprehended and were able to…

Describes how magic tricks can be used as a counseling technique in elementary schools. Describes two magic tricks and suggests ways they can be used to facilitate guidance lessons on the counselor's role and self-change. (ABB)

Measures humor appreciation (including mirth, subjective ratings, and response sets), comprehension, and production in children between the ages of 10 and 14. Relates humor to several areas of competence manifested at school. (HOD)

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…

Reviews the content of parents' notes to teachers covering a variety of subjects. (FL)

Recounts observations of a bartender working in a lounge patronized during a rhetoric conference and notes that the composing processes the bartender exhibited are similar to those needed by writing students. (DF)

Humorously discusses the problem of discerning when students are being honest in their writing and how to deal with the problems their honesty sometimes presents. (DF)

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

Describes a demonstration in which the pattern on a rotating turntable can be affected by humming and adjusting the pitch of the hum. At some frequency, if conditions are right, the pattern can be stopped, or "strobed." Also describes a way to introduce humor into physics instruction. (JN)

Discusses how laughter and joke-telling can be channeled in such a way as to enhance second language teaching. In addition, it is suggested that jokes can act as a dynamic in overcoming problems (such as lassitude) that arise in situations involving group work. (SL)

This study did not support the following hypothesis: more sexually-oriented jokes will reflect a sexist bias against women than against men. Instead, the findings indicate that joke-tellers of both sexes were more likely to select sexual jokes that discriminated against males. (PD)