The use of humour in university English language classrooms in China the perspectives of teachers and students

In order to collect comprehensive and diverse data, this study records and analyses audio and video recordings of nine English classes, conducts interviews with each of the nine teachers, and distributes questionnaires to 300 students from these classes. Through the analysis of the video, interview and questionnaire data, this study identifies eleven forms of humour expression in current Chinese university English classrooms, including some types of humour that have not been mentioned in previous studies, such as irony and shared cultural experience.

In addition, the study classifies these 11 forms of humour according to the three basic theories of humour and further explores the relevance and appropriateness of humour based on the lens of Instructional Humour Processing Theory (IHPT). The findings provide an empirical basis for educators to use humour effectively in teaching and suggest that teachers should reasonably consider the relevance and appropriateness of humour in the classroom to optimise teaching and learning.

The findings of this study provide new insights into research on the use of humour in educational contexts.<br><br><i>Thesis embargoed until 31st December 2026.</i>