Laughter in the Classroom: Interactional Sense-Making and Research Agenda

doi:10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2025.10.003

Abstract

Abstract:

Laughter is everywhere in our daily life, yet it holds an ambiguous position in the educational context. While we expect laughter in the classroom, unexpected shared laughter is often viewed as a signal of disengagement from learning. This article conducts a multimodal discourse analysis of three episodes of laughter in a middle school science classroom from the theoretical perspective of laughter as a social action. It reveals the rich interactional sense-making of laughter and suggests that analyzing laughter contributes to a deeper exploration of issues such as the formation of knowledge authority, construction of social boundaries and identities, and the influence of social discourses and historical-cultural contexts on the classroom. The significance for textbook designers, teachers, and researchers is discussed.

Key words: laughter, classroom interaction, multimodal discourse analysis, identity, sociocultural

Sihan Xiao, Shenyang Bao, Meng Sun. Laughter in the Classroom: Interactional Sense-Making and Research Agenda[J]. Journal of East China Normal University(Educationa, 2025, 43(10): 33-43.

Figures/Tables 3

01	男生一：	实验后，必须清洗用具和整理所有仪器。
02	吴老师：	这又是为什么？我＞实验好了我还管你的？＜我走了。
03	众　生：	((零星地笑))##1
04 05 06	男生一：	如果把- (.) 如果不把这些仪器清理了，它上面会 (.) 它上面可能会残留一些化学物质，和后面的化学物质融合可能后果会不堪设想，可能两种物质融合 (0.5) 一下子就爆炸了。((将两手摊开又合上，再摊开，模仿融合和爆炸的状态))
07	众　生：	［((大笑，部分学生自言自语)) ##2
08	男生一：	［((皱着眉小声对同桌说))XXX，会起火，XXX ##3
09	吴老师：	你们呀，真的是，除了爆炸［不知道［任何的其他事情。((面带微笑))
10	众　生：	［((大笑)) ##4
11	某　生：	［至于不至于，
12 13	吴老师：	哎，(1.0) 要是［年年- 哎，年年的学生，年年说爆炸，(.) 要是年年炸，我们的学校年年重建呀？
14	众　生：	［((大笑))
15	吴老师：	［好啦，炸不了。
16	众　生：	［继续大笑，多位学生转身环顾四周 ##5
17	吴老师：	((拍手三下))有几位同学，没太有分寸啊。
18		((课堂上的人声骤止)) (2.0)
19 20 21 22	吴老师：	好，(1.0) 爆炸不至于啊。那么为什么要清洗呢？可能在A试管当中，你本来加入了A，但是你没有清洗，等下次要加入B 来做实验，可能你还没B- (.) B还没来得及跟其他物质反应，但是呢，(.) ＞跟里面本来存在的A反应掉了对不对，＜所以会造成你实验结果的 (.)［不准确，
23	男生二：	［误差。
24	吴老师：	甚至是完全影响你的实验结果，＝
25	男生三：	＝＞或者会爆［炸。＜
26		((少数学生小声地相视而笑))
27	吴老师：	［啊，所以 (.) 啊，我们有些 (.) 仪器在使用结束以后要及时地清洗啊。

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01 02 03	吴老师：	好，女性。(1.0) 那么- 但是女性不像男性一样啊，精子数量非- 精子的数量非常多，而且随时可以产生。女性的卵子，正常情况下 (.) 每月只排出一个 (.) 每月只排一个，数量有限啊，［(.) 好。
04	某男生：	［　^○呵呵呵［呵呵，^○ ((部分学生微笑))
05	某男生：	［^○先到［先得，^○
06	某男生：	［^○我们是批发的。^○
07	某男生：	噗，［批发的。
08	吴老师：	［啊对，你们是批发的啊。((微笑)) ##1
09	众　生：	((大笑，许多学生小声议论)) ##2
10	某男生：	^○限量［版。^○
11	某男生：	［女生是限［量版。
12	某女生：	［限量版。
13	某男生：	［^○女生是［限量版。^○
14	某女生：	［^○我们是限量版。^○
15		((笑声持续，并夹杂着低语声))
16	吴老师：	好啦。
17 18	某女生：	((先笑着转头和后排的男生说话，再回身和前排的男生说)) ^○批发版精子，限量版卵子。^○ ##3
19	吴老师：	((收起笑容，表情严肃)) 好了啊。
20	某男生：	((大声说)) 批发［精子。
21	吴老师：	((语气坚定)) 　　［啊好了啊。＝
22	某男生：	＝限量版卵子。
23	吴老师：	好了啊。
24		((学生们逐渐端正坐姿)) ##4
25	吴老师：	((音量稍稍减弱，语气转柔和))好啦好啦啊。
26 27		((笑声渐消，吴老师继续解释精子和卵子的区别。但在她说话的近二十秒钟内，课堂上依然存在零星的笑声和学生之间的小声议论。))

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