Can laughter make you smarter?
This was a very interesting question posed to me today.
My answer, as an ESL teacher, is a qualified yes.
Qualified because the non-stop class clown jokes are distracting and not at all helpful.
However it is a public speaking axiom that when the audience is laughing, they are leaning in to listen.
With that in mind, I always try to get at least a chuckle out of every class session.
In teaching conversation, the human connection is far more important than grammar rules or vocabulary lists.
If I can garner so much as a hint of a smile, I know I will have a successful ESL session with that student.