Product reviews for Independent Thinking on Laughter

It seems obvious that schoolchildren like funny teachers, but perhaps it is less obvious that they might learn more when lessons are funny. In case you have ever been in any doubt about this, or simply had never thought of it before, Dave Keeling presents an extremely strong case for it in Independent Thinking on Laughter. Your first thought, upon being convinced, may well be: -˜Oh crap, I'm just not funny!' However, Dave is on hand to show you the ways in which you can harness humour for yourself, and put it to good use in your lessons.

Alongside enlightening quotations sprinkled through each chapter, Dave shares his expertise on how we can use techniques from stand-up comedy in our teaching - techniques that can be learned by those who do not necessarily have a natural talent for humour. Confidence, he explains, comes after experience, not before - a point which I have subsequently used to good effect to bolster bravery and even a little recklessness in my own students. At the end of the book he gives us a compendium of 30 exercises that can be tried right away in lessons - and what teacher doesn't love a giveaway?

This book is the perfect antidote to energy-sapping staffroom cynics - an optimistic and joyful shot in the arm for anyone who feels their enthusiasm for teaching might be slipping. Laugh off those directives and specification changes, and give your teaching a humour injection.