“No harm done”: Cover Image

“No harm done”:
“No harm done”:

Teachers’ humorous talk about children’s safety

Author(s): Ros Sullivan
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Education, Theoretical Linguistics, Communication studies, Pragmatics
Published by: Krakowskie Towarzystwo Popularyzowania Wiedzy o Komunikacji Językowej Tertium
Keywords: teachers; child safety; humour; interpretative repertoires; outdoor classrooms;

Summary/Abstract: This paper presents and discusses the forms of humour employed by New Zealand primaryschool teachers when talking about children’s safety in the outdoor classroom. A discourseanalysis, guided by the notion of interpretative repertoires (Potter & Wetherell 1990, 2004),suggests a tension between safe practice and enjoyment with humour as a mediating factor.Three repertoires were named from analysis: safe practitioner; adventurous risk-taker; fun,pleasure and excitement seeker. A surprising and unexpected aspect was the place of humourin teachers’ talk, as analysis indicated that humour was an interpretative resource employedin all three repertoires. I suggest humour is a mechanism through which teachers negotiateand manage both providing for children’s enjoyable outdoor educational activities andensuring their safety.

  • Issue Year: 2/2014
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 19-30
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: English