英语论文范本-Suggestions for Teaching with Humor

英语论文范本-Suggestions for Teaching with Humor

Humor will not always be understood or enjoyed successfully, the failure of using humor is not a rare phenomenon. To achieve successful humorous communication, various factors should be taken into consideration. This is also true for teaching with humor. In order to achieve the expected effect of humor, teachers should comply with the following suggestions.

(1) Make humor relevant

Humor in the classroom is most effective when linked to contents being studied. Humor for the sake of humor might make you a “cooler” teacher in the eyes of some students, but humor that educates will help you become a more effective instructor for all students. Humor should be employed in a natural way and be made an integral part of the class, rather than something exceptive. It is improper to adapt humor for humor’s sake. Overuse of humor sometimes leads to failure of teaching. Only when humor is used properly, will the effect of humor be achieved.

(2) Make sure that humor is comprehensible to students

Humor should vary with the language proficiency and specific situation of your class. Humor must be comprehensible with proper themes and attention should be paid to the students’ responses.

(3) Avoid inappropriate humor

Common sense and consideration of what you students may have experienced can help you decide what subject matter leads to appropriate humor. Any humor intends to belittle or ridicule is inappropriate in class. Furthermore, the strained humor as well as dirty humors definitely should be avoided. Before using humor, it is wise to ask, “Will this use of humor alienate or embarrass any of my students?” If the answer is “yes”, try a different strategy to get the point across.

(4) Be yourself

Just as Robin Williams would not be as funny as Bob Newhart (or vice verse), you need to find an application of humor that fits you. To that point, I would be surprised if anyone reading this thesis thought, “I agree with everything here and I’m going to try every suggestion!” chances are, many of you at some point have thought, “No way---that is not for me”. Please pick and choose what might seem appropriate for your teaching style.

Conclusion

The present study has explored the function of humor in senior English teaching within the framework of Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis and the theories and principles of mood in educational psychology. Humor can be explored in increasing motivation, reducing anxiety and creating harmonious relationship between teachers and students, which all together help to create a positive classroom mood for the smooth acquisition of language. The thesis has analyzed specifically the application of humor in senior English teaching from the perspective of teaching material, teaching method and classroom language. Teachers can use jokes related to the textbook, choose humorous teaching methods and use humorous classroom language to keep students less anxious and keep them in a positive classroom mood conductive to learning. The author also gives some guidelines for the appropriate use of humor to achieve the optimal of teaching effect. Nowadays, humor is playing such an increasingly important role in senior English teaching that it has become the first assistant of teachers（厉平 2004）.

As with all language activities, care must be taken to prepare students before the activity and guide them along the way. Although the teacher may perceive humor as a lighthearted moment in the course of their lesson plan, humor should be well prepared. Specific goals and objectives must be pre-established and clear in mind of the teacher. Humor, along with the encouragement and praise should be one of many useful tools used by English teacher to make their classrooms more inviting and conductive to learning.