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Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 17. Number 2, June 2026 Pp.193-209
Faculty of Languages and Communication, Sultan Idris Education University, Perak, Malaysia
Highland International Boarding School, Pahang, Malaysia
Faculty of Languages and Communication, Sultan Idris Education University, Perak, Malaysia
Faculty of Languages and Communication, Sultan Idris Education University, Perak, Malaysia
Faculty of Languages and Communication, Sultan Idris Education University, Perak, Malaysia
Faculty of Languages and Communication, Sultan Idris Education University, Perak, Malaysia
The integration of drama into university-level English language teaching has been widely recognised for its potential to enhance communicative competence, creativity, and learner engagement. However, drama-based pedagogy may also intensify performance-related anxiety, particularly among learners using English as a second language. This study examines how humour functions as an affective and pedagogical resource in Malaysian university English drama classrooms. The study aims to investigate how lecturers employ humour in drama-based English instruction, explore their perceptions of its benefits and limitations, and determine how humour influences classroom atmosphere and student participation. A mixed-methods design was adopted, involving classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with six English drama lecturers, and a questionnaire completed by fifty-seven English lecturers. The findings indicate that humour reduces performance-related anxiety, strengthens lecturer–student rapport, supports classroom management, and enhances student engagement in drama-based activities. However, excessive or poorly timed humour may undermine instructional focus. Drawing on Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis, the study highlights the importance of strategically integrating humour into performance-oriented English language teaching to foster emotionally supportive learning environments in tertiary education.
Mokhtar, M. M., Zulazli, A. H., Albakri, I. S. M. A., Tahir, M. H. M., Khalid, P. Z M., & Zaini, K. (2026). Humour as an Affective and Pedagogical Resource in Malaysian University English Drama Classrooms. Arab World English Journal, 17(2):193-209
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Mazlin Mohamed Mokhtar (Ph.D). A Senior Lecturer at the Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI). She is a certified translator and proof-reader by ITBM, as well as a certified TOEFL Primary and Junior Teacher. She had also written some books for Oxford Fajar and UPSI Press; and journals in the Elsevier, EJHR, AWEJ, UJER, and TEFLIN. Her areas of expertise are sociolinguistics, ESL and education technology. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8231-2678
Arif Hakimi Zulazli. An English language Teacher at Highland International Boarding School, Malaysia. His research interests include humour in pedagogy, drama-based language learning, and affective factors in second language acquisition. He focuses on learner engagement and classroom interaction in ESL contexts at the school and tertiary level. https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1101-8837
Associate Professor Intan Safinas Mohd Ariff Albakri (Dr.). A senior lecturer at Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), Malaysia. She is attached to the English Language and Literature Department as a teacher educator and she trains pre-service teachers under Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) programme. Her areas of expertise are materials and methods in teaching English Language. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5499-1709
Mohd Haniff Mohd Tahir (PhD). A Senior Lecturer and internationally recognized researcher at the Faculty of Languages and Communication, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Malaysia. His focus area includes Materials Design and Development, Model and Module Development, and Vocabulary Acquisition related to ESL classrooms. Currently, he is exploring emerging ideas and concepts for vocabulary learning with the integration of technology. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5411-1000
Puteri Zarina Megat Khalid (PhD). A senior lecturer at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris. Her research interests are Discourse (Genre) Analysis, ESP and Corpus Linguistics. She has published several chapters-in-books and numerous other studies in reputable journals spanning across transdisciplinary domains. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9296-8662
Khazaila Zaini (PhD). A senior lecturer with expertise in TESOL. She has over 20 years of experience teaching at the university level. Her work focuses on language learning, cognition, and effective teaching practices. She is committed to academic excellence, research, and student development. https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2040-941X