Learners’ Humour as the Key to Reducing English Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety and Boosting Enjoyment

This study examines the extent to which language learners’ humour profiles – particularly their sense of humour and preferred humour styles – can predict their experiences of foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) and foreign language enjoyment (FLE). A total of 256 Chinese college students learning English as a foreign language (EFL) were recruited to complete an online questionnaire, and eight of them participated follow-up interviews. Results revealed that EFL learners with an adaptive sense of humour and positive humour styles reported significantly lower FLCA and higher FLE. Additionally, the study found that the ability to use humour as a coping strategy in stressful situations is a strong predictor of both FLCA and FLE. The study highlights that fostering humour-based coping strategies can help learners deal with stress in the EFL classroom.