Using Humor as an Integrated Tool in the Classroom: A Pedagogical Study of Incorporating Humor into a Grammar-Based Curriculum
Thesis
Al-Sudairi, Dana Tariq . 2013
Publication Work Type:
Masters of Arts
School:
King Saud University
Publication Abstract:
In Saudi universities, the methods of teaching grammar courses have followed traditional guidelines. Thus, the process of learning in such courses tends to be less interactive and communicative. The current trend is to move away from a solely structured curriculum and find a balance between the structured and interactive communicative curricula. The present study aims to assess the effectiveness of using humor in a grammar-based curriculum with Saudi female undergraduate students enrolled in the "Grammar -2- course" at Princess Nora University in the college of Languages and Translation- English department. The students were divided into a control group and an experimental group of about twenty-five students each. The experimental group studied English grammar with embedded humor in the lesson, and the control group studied according to the traditional structured approach. This study attempted to investigate: (a) whether there is a difference between the performance of students who had received humorous instruction and those who had not, and (b) the students' attitudes towards incorporating humor into the standard curriculum. The study utilized a pretest, cumulative posttest, and five weekly posttests that were administered to both groups. An attitudinal questionnaire was administered at the end of the experiment for the experimental group. The results of this study showed that the short-term and long-term grammatical competence of the experimental group was statistically positive when compared with the control group. As for the questionnaire, the experimental group expressed positive attitudes toward the effectiveness of humor on academic settings, affective filter, and cultural awareness.