Humor infuses a lesson with laughter and happiness. Role-play scripts with a humorous element will encourage students to participate as its inherent focus on light-hearted topics relieves stress.
Reasons for Using Humor in the Classroom
These questions can be asked of a lesson planner as the core rationale for using humorous role-play scripts.
What is the reason for using humor in the classroom?
- to lighten the atmosphere after a difficult lesson
- to encourage communication
- to share funny experiences
What would humor add to the situation or to a particular lesson?
- relieves tension
- promotes contact and sharing
Why does humor enhance personal communication?
- encourages relaxed conversation
- can be used in lessons for students from many cultures, social and personal backgrounds
Why does humor help to teach language and communication?
Humor, although different from culture to culture, shares common properties such as laughing at human frailty, errors, misunderstandings and situational circumstances that are embarrassing or unusual. For what is humor if not the ability to laugh at oneself caught in a funny position? Sharing experiences means speaking and expressing feelings and telling stories to others, resulting in learning and practicing language skills.
Role Play Script Preparation for ELL Lessons
Both teacher and student can create scripts- either as an in-class assignment after a topic has been worked on, or for homework to review and practice material.
Settings for Humorous Dialogs
Good humor is not always easy to create, but light-hearted scripts are suitable enough. Choosing an amusing theme will encourage humor. To prompt ideas, think of absurd situations, or human circumstances in which errors occur. Here are some ideas.
- Two bed bugs chat about their problems.
- An elderly lady and grandchild discuss an animal at the zoo.
- Two zookeepers talk about an elephant and its baby.
- Two crocodile tears talk about their experience.
Humorous Dialog Role-Play Script Sample
Here is a script about two fleas discussing the dog they live on:
- Flea 1: Isn’t this just the greatest life! This dog is the perfect place for me.
- Flea 2: Yes, he’s dirty and he smells. What could be better?
- Flea 1: And as for his tasty blood, wow, vampires would envy us!
- Flea 2: I agree. Tomorrow night I’m having a party.
- Flea 1: Where?
- Flea 2: On the dog’s back, just near his tail. Bring your friends, it’ll be fun.
- Flea 1: Great. Thanks, we’ll see you then.
Dialog writing results in multi-skill practice because it involves creating with vocabulary and grammar, writing, reading and speaking. Dialog scripts with a humorous theme encompasses all of these aspects and adds the dimension of fun and enjoyment in a relaxed setting – a recipe for a successful lesson.
Lucille Lever - Creative teaching ideas can be incorporated into any kind of lesson. As a teacher of ESL and creative drama for more than 30 years, in a ...
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