Creating and piloting humour-based activity sets for On Screen B2 and B2+ coursebooks

Abstract

The present thesis explores how humour can be used purposefully in upper-secondary English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms to support B1–B2 vocabulary revision and learner engagement. It introduces a set of joke-based slide decks aligned with On Screen B2/B2+ vocabulary content. Chapter 1 reviews key humour theories, common joke formats, research on humour in classrooms and EFL contexts, and vocabulary-learning principles (spacing, retrieval, linked skills). Chapter 2 describes the design, classroom piloting and iterative refinement of 13 activity sets in face-to-face lessons, using teacher debriefs and learner comments to evaluate feasibility, alignment and Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and Estonian National Curriculum (NC) relevance. Keywords: humour in EFL; vocabulary revision; joke-based materials; B1-B2 students