Funny girl

Exploring the impact of teaching and learning humour in GCSE English language

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21548030
AutoresRebekah Lord (Head of English and Futures, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, autor de correspondencia)
Año2025
Volumen59
Número4
Páginas318-334
Fecha de publicación2025-10-02
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaEnglish in Education (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0425-0494 • E-ISSN: 1754-8845
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/04250494.2025.2589435
OpenAlexW4416615563
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas20

This study explores the relationship between girls’ confidence, humour, and academic risk-taking in the secondary English classroom. While research shows girls’ confidence often declines during adolescence, humour has been linked to improved persuasive skills and professional success for women. The investigation seeks to understand barriers preventing girls from using humour and whether targeted teaching strategies can encourage it. Methods include surveys, teacher and pupil interviews, and classroom interventions. Findings indicate that simplified tasks and exemplar texts help girls experiment with humour, while barriers include low confidence, limited preparation time and heightened social anxiety – particularly among Year 10 girls. Importantly, their willingness to take academic risks proves central to their engagement. The study concludes that embedding opportunities to use humour in English lessons can promote creativity, improve persuasive writing for GCSEs and build confidence. Iterative practice and consistent encouragement across schooling are recommended to support this growth

English as a second language · English language · Language acquisition · Language assessment · Language proficiency · Teaching method · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Humor Studies and Applications · Language, Metaphor, and Cognition