Shively, Rachel (2018). Learning and using conversational humor in a second language during study abroad. Berlin, Germany: de Gruyter (original) (raw)
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Humor as a pedagogical tool in foreign language and translation courses
In this paper I argue that the presentation and study of humor should be an important component in foreign language and translation courses. The use of humor in language courses, in addition to making classes more enjoyable, can contribute to improving students' proficiency. Humor is useful for the development of listening comprehension and reading. An analysis of the vast bibliography on humorology has led to the organization of humorous discourse into three groups: (i) universal or reality-based humor, (ii) culture-based humor, and (iii) linguistic or word-based humor. This grouping serves as a pedagogical framework for teaching humor in both language and translation classrooms. Learners and tyro translators should deal first with the relatively straightforward universal humor, continue with cultural humor, which demands more of learners and translators, and finally deal with linguistic humor that offers serious challenges to students of foreign languages and translation. The study of humor presents translators with the opportunity to exercise their
Humor and foreign language teaching
Humor: International Journal of Humor Research, 1995
The benefits of humor in education have been widely assessed in recent research. Theorists and teachersfrom differentfields have made suggestions about possible uses of humor in the classroom. Among them, language methodologists have tried to demonstrate how jokes and puns could be used in language teaching. Ho we ver, a harmonious integration of humor into existing language teaching approaches is still lacking. The present paper shows how classroom humor can enhance language learners' linguistic and cultural competence if introduced at the right time in the teaching sequence.
Humour in Foreign Language Teaching
Practice and Theory in Systems of Education (PTSE) , 2011
ABSTRACT In this work we discuss humour and its uses in second language teaching citing examples from some European and African languages, more specifically Russian and Ghanaian humours. Our analysis suggest that there exist a common thread running through culture and humour in foreign language teaching since understanding humour is not only linked to the level of understanding of the language but also knowledge of the culture of the studied language. We conclude that humours should be used in foreign language classes as teaching material, especially at the advanced levels and should be one of the goals of teaching and learning. This is due largely to the motivational role that it plays in the teaching process. The type of humour to use in the teaching process depends on the level, age, culture of the learners as well as the pedagogical goals. For different traditions and countries there is different sense of humour. Although, there are some similarities in Russians and Ghanaians humour, many cross cultural humour differences can be observed in these cultures. A major challenge encountered in the use of humour in the teaching process is the sense of humour of the learner and inadequate knowledge of the culture of the studies language. General and specific recommendations aimed at finding out how and what kinds of humour can be used in foreign language teaching are also made.
Humor as Safe House in the Foreign Language Classroom
The Modern Language Journal, 2011
Analyses of second language (L2) classroom interaction often categorize joking and other humorous talk by students as disruptive, off-task behavior, thereby rendering it important only from a classroom management perspective. Studies of language play, however, have illustrated that such jocular talk not only allows students to construct a broader and perhaps more desirable range of classroom identities, but also occasions more complex and creative acts of language use than those normally found in L2 instructional settings. Likewise, critical sociolinguists have observed that the use of humor may constitute opposition and/or resistance to monotonous, culturally insensitive, or even face-threatening classroom practices. This article presents a case for a particular communicative mode-humor-to be seen as a pedagogical safe house , extending this notion beyond spatial and temporal domains. Specifically, it draws on the notions of performance, calibration , and layered simultaneity to understand how particular instances of classroom humor function in this fashion. It then considers how an understanding of humor as a safe house can inform recent theoretical discussions of communicative competence and L2 classroom interaction.
THE ROLE OF HUMOUR IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: WHEN STUDENTS FLUENTLY SMILE IN L2
As opposed to conservative instructors from decades ago, more and more educators seem to adopt humorous approach to make students more comfortable and attentive in classrooms, and where a safe space for risk-taking can be generated. The role of humour as a teaching tool has been discussed/ researched in numerous disciplines and even in academic settings—which had formerly been considered “serious”—the moments of laughter in classes have become more frequent. However, we might wonder: What is humour? Why do we use it? How does it affect our understanding, learning and socialising abilities? Can humour harm us in any way? Is exposing L2 learners to humorous discourse in their target language “too much to ask”? Trying to find some answers to these questions, this paper will analyse humour, sense of humour and humorous discourse from perspectives of various disciplines, while having a close look at the effects of humour in second language learning/teaching. After a brief etymological analysis of the word “humour”, the first focus will be on different categorisations/interpretations of humour types and styles throughout decades. In the light of some valuable studies, the paper will further review the perception/appreciation, production as well as neuro-scientific values/outcomes of humour, prior to analysing and exemplifying its various pedagogical functions in L2 classrooms. If not otherwise indicated, all illustrated moments of humorous discourse have been self-created/self- experienced examples in various classroom settings.
THE PLACE OF HUMOUR COMPETENCE IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING
ICERI2020 Proceedings, 2020
Foreign language teaching and learning is a challenge for both teachers and learners. Mastering the target language is a long process and it involves the development of both receptive and productive skills: listening, reading, speaking and writing. Despite the communicative language competence and the intercultural communication competence, foreign language (L2) learners need to develop a range of pragmatic skills in order to successfully participate in a variety of speech acts. Considering the fact that humour is a universal human trait that expresses the social norms, attitudes and views of the world of a specific language community, the study of joking as a speech act sheds light on the types of strategies used by native and foreign language speakers of the same language. This paper is an attempt to outline the range of competences which are needed to adequately understand and react to a verbal joke in a foreign language. In order to do so it will examine the theoretical frameworks used to explore speech acts to identify a set of strategies that are essential in decoding verbal jokes in the target language. The Common European Framework of References for Languages will be used as a basis for outlining the proper place for "humour competences" in L2 acquisition. It is hoped that the results will trigger future debate on the issue and would help L2 practitioners to find the proper place of "humour competence" in the L2 curriculum.
The use of humour in the off-task spaces of the language classroom
ELT Journal, 2019
The focal point of most investigations into classroom discourse tends to be on the institutionally sanctioned and legitimized on-task exchanges between teachers and students with particular attention to the IRF/E structure. Liminal spaces of interaction such as during the small talk just before the 'lesson proper', transitions between activities, and playful moments before or immediately after breaks are often unexplored. Using transcribed naturalistic spoken data collected via participant observation over 12 weeks, examples of teacher-initiated humour are analysed to shed light on how off-task, 'non-teaching' spaces can be used as a pedagogical resource. This study puts the spotlight on how humour can be deployed in these obscured interstices of the L2 classroom to create a space not only to build rapport between students and teachers but also to impart new vocabulary and sociocultural knowledge.
2017
With the advent of humanistic approach to education, notions like whole person learning, learner-centered education (LCE) and edutainment gained more popularity. The outburst of technology-enhanced methods of learning provided more momentum and impetus for more humanistic trends in education prioritizing learner emotions, needs and desires. Thus, the endeavors made by current practitioners and educationalists to create more playful, fun and engaging ways of learning in humor-laden, stress-free and non-threatening learning environments might be regarded as the offspring of both movements referred to above, i.e. humanistic education and technology-enriched learning. The main mission of the book reviewed here, entitled Humor in the Classroom: A guide for Language Teachers and Educational Researchers, is therefore, thought to be twofold. On the one hand, the book tries to inform teachers of the ways in which humor can be integrated in learning environments, and on the other, it strives to pave the way for more inclusive and fun learning by introducing practical techniques and presenting a researchsupported gamut of available options for implementing such learning. The book comes in nine chapters, all dealing with diverse perspectives of learning with fun. In Chapter 1, titled Language, Communication and Education, after giving an account of how language