Implementation and Effects of Humour in the Language Classroom

master's thesis

• Author: Paula Car
• Mentor: Lovorka Zergollern-Miletić (mentor)
• Committee member: Alenka Mikulec (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Marija Andraka (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Lovorka Zergollern-Miletić (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Teacher Education; Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2022-02-11, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: SOCIAL SCIENCES; Pedagogy

Abstract

In the English language, humour is defined as the ability to find things funny, the way in which people see that some things are funny or the quality of being funny, but the notion of humour encompasses much more than that.
This thesis combines theoretical knowledge of humour, the application of humour in the language classroom and its effects on the students who learn with the help of humour or learn about humour. From a brief history of how the theories of humour evolved, we are able to see a positive shift in the philosophical approaches towards humour. From being thought of as irrational and aggressive, during the eighteenth century, humour and laughter began to be regarded as a rational way of enjoying incongruity. From an evolutionary point of view, comparing humour to a kind of play describes it as a way for our cognitive functions to deviate from practical thinking, while remaining rational. Since theories prove how relevant humour is, we can presume that it would have positive effects in the school environment, and also in the language classroom, which is the focus of our interest. Humour can be introduced in the classroom in two ways: as an aid of achieving certain learning and management objectives, and as the subject of teaching. The effects of using humour in the classroom are various (intellectual, physiological, psychological, educational) and beneficial. The effects of humour in the classroom were examined and confirmed in a study which was carried out in the Ksaver Šandor Gjalski primary school in Zabok on the sample of more than a hundred participants. The results of the study show us that the students have a positive attitude towards the use of humour in the classroom and that humour has a positive effect on their mood, attitude and learning in general.

Abstract (croatian)

U engleskom jeziku, humor se definira kao sposobnost da nešto smatramo smiješnim, način na koji ljudi protumače da je nešto smiješno ili karakteristika osobe ili stvari da bude smiješna, ali pojam humora obuhvaća mnogo više od toga.
Ovaj rad donosi teorijska znanja o humoru, način uporabe humora u jezičnoj nastavi i utjecaje koje humor ima na učenike, koji uče uz pomoć humora ili o humoru. Iz kratke povijesti o tome kako su se teorije humora razvijale možemo primijetiti pozitivnu promjenu u filozofskom stavu prema humoru. Od toga da je humor smatran iracionalnim i agresivnim, tijekom 18. stoljeća humor i smijeh se počinju percipirati kao racionalan način uživanja u neskladu. S evolucijskog stajališta, uspoređivanje humora s igrom opisuje ga kao način da naše kognitivne funkcije odstupaju od praktičnog razmišljanja, ali da pri tome ostaju racionalne. S obzirom da teorije potvrđuju koliko je humor bitan, možemo pretpostaviti da će imati i pozitivne utjecaje na školsko okruženje te isto tako i na jezičnu nastavu koja je fokus našeg interesa. Humor se u nastavu može integrirati na dva načina: kao pomagalo pri postizanju pojedinih ishoda učenja i upravljanju razreda te kao predmet poučavanja. Utjecaji korištenja humora u nastavi su različiti (intelektualni, fizički, psihički, edukativni) i djelotvorni. Njih je proučavalo i potvrdilo istraživanje koje je provedeno u osnovnoj školi Ksavera Šandora Gjalskog u Zaboku na uzorku od više od 100 učenika. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da učenici imaju pozitivan stav prema uporabi humora tijekom nastave i da humor ima pozitivne utjecaje na njihovo raspoloženje, stav i učenje općenito.

• Keywords: humour; theories of humour; language classroom; effects of humour
• Keywords (croatian): humor; teorije humora; jezična nastava; utjecaju humora
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:147:725227
• Study programme: Title: Integrated undergraduated university study with english language and german language; specializations in: English language, Deutsche sprache; Course: English language; Study programme type: university; Study level: integrated undergraduate and graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja (magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2022-07-21 07:24:06