Laugh and Learn:Thinking over the Funny Teacher Myth

e may argue that competition itself adds more fun to the class. Competition can be fun, but such consequences as embarrassment and a lack of discipline may arise out of such games. Still, they may be worth a try, especially if the teacher plays an active role during the game and students learn to focus on cooperation rather than winning.

A humor questionnaire

Perhaps you have changed your mind and now believe you are a funny teacher after all. You might even have decided to join the club at last. But before you start laughing and learning, see how ready you are by answering the following questionnaire (see Appendix), which I prepared together with my colleague Lynn Mallett. Tally your results when you are done. Good luck and have fun!

Conclusion

You should not take this questionnaire too seriously. The underlying message is simply laugh and learn. Make sure you differentiate between what is appropriate and what is not for each group of students you teach. Do not miss a chance to make their learning more pleasurable and meaningful, but select and plan your activities carefully. The few suggestions provided here for making your class activities fun are only meant to provide you with ideas so you can start improvising and making your own classroom a fun place to learn.

Reference

Larsen-Freeman, D. 1986. Techniques and principles in language teaching. New York: Oxford University Press.

Antonio Luciano Tosta teaches English and ELT methodology at Bahia State University in Brazil and is presently a Ph.D. candidate at Brown University in the USA.

《Laugh and Learn:Thinking over the Funny Teacher Myth》