Puns, puzzles and riddles

Topics 2

Puns Puzzles and Riddles

1-Puns

Introduction:

Understanding jokes is part of the process of native language acquisition, and jokes are part of the charm that belongs to any language. Learning to understand jokes in a new language is both a cause, and a consequence, of language proficiency.

The benefits:
1-It can help students feel more comfortable in their new language.

2-A shared moment of humor lowers the affective filter, that invisible barrier that makes learners feel awkward and uncomfortable.

3-If a class can laugh together, they are likely to learn better together,
4-They build metalinguistic awareness, or conscious awareness of the forms of language, and this, in turn, helps in learning more language

Puns:
Puns are a special form of humor based on double meaning. They require processing the sound and meaning of words twice, puns demand considerable language agility. The humor of puns is based on language play.

1: Soundalike puns
Soundalike puns are based on homophones, words that sound the same, but have different spellings and meanings (e.g., hair/hare; to/too/ two). An example of a soundalike pun is the sign for a daycare provider that reads “Wee Care Day Care.” The words we and wee are homophones, which gives “Wee Care” two meanings. On the one hand, the phrase “we care” serves as a statement of philosophy by the business to show that they care about the
children they take care of.The meaning of the compound noun, which can be paraphrased as “care of little ones,” adds an appealing dimension to the name of the business.

2-Lookalike puns
Polysemous words are spelled and pronounced the same and have related meanings (e.g., “ruler” as a measuring stick or a king; “mole” as a burrowing mammal or a spy). Polysemous words create lookalike puns.

3: Close-sounding puns

When one word is substituted for another that sounds like it, whether the substitution is for a single word or part of a phrase, that can create a close-sounding pun. An example of a close-sounding pun is a sign seen on a van in Chicago: “Ex-stink Sewer and Drainage.” This humorous title for a plumbing business is based on the close pronunciation of “Ex-stink” and the word extinct.

4: Texting puns

(alphabetic, numeric, and simplified spelling) Alphabetic, numeric, and simplified spelling can create texting puns. These are based on the increasingly common practice of using the sound and/or spelling of alphabet letters, numbers or symbols, or simplified spelling as
a way to represent or “spell” a word. Examples might be “cre8” for the word create, or “@mosphere” for atmosphere.

B-Puzzles

Parents and teachers often underestimate the effectiveness of puzzles in teaching children skills and concepts. There are many types of puzzles, including those that teach spatial skills, hand-eye coordination, math, language, social science and science concepts, as well as logic and thinking skills. Children as young as one year of age can use simple puzzles. There are puzzles for all ages, including adults. The best quality of puzzles is the enjoyment experienced by the user as they solve them.

Wooden Puzzles

Puzzles made of wood or very heavy cardboard help young children ages 1-8 learn motor skills and hand-eye coordination as they fit the pieces together. They learn spatial concepts and how to problem solve. These puzzles teach the alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes, and concepts about animals and nature. Wooden puzzles have 2 to 30 pieces.

Simple number puzzles can be created using one inch (1/2 cm.) ceramic tiles. Use a permanent marker to write numbers from 1 to 100 on the tiles. Children start by putting the first ten in order and then add ten at a time until they can put all 100 in order. Teachers can make multiple sets by first painting each set of tiles a different color and then adding the numbers.

Jigsaw Puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles are usually made of heavy duty cardboard and have any number of pieces. Jigsaws teach spatial concepts and problem solving as the pieces are examined to see how they fit together. Jigsaw puzzles teach concepts about science, geography (i.e.; maps), social science, and even foreign languages. Children learn to work cooperatively as they complete a puzzle. A jigsaw in progress is a great way to keep children occupied during a break in homeschooling lessons or on a rainy day. Mark the back of each puzzle piece with a different color of felt marker so that the pieces are easy to sort.

Word Search Puzzles

Word search puzzles are puzzles made up of letters in which words are spelled horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. (Spelling them backwards is not recommended for children.) The player must find specific words and circle them in the puzzle. These puzzles help teach spelling and figure-ground perception. Figure-ground perception is the brain’s ability to see objects or words hidden in a background of pictures or letters.

Hidden Picture Puzzles

Hidden picture puzzles are those with elaborate, background pictures that contain specific pictures the player must find. This type of puzzle teaches figure ground perception and detailed observation skills, as well as vocabulary. A variation on the hidden picture puzzle is the puzzle in which two pictures appear to be the same, but the player must find the discrepancies between the two.

Crossword Puzzles

Crossword puzzles may be quite simple for children as young as 7 or very difficult for adults. Crossword puzzles teach vocabulary, reasoning skills, spelling, and word attack skills. The player must use word clues to determine the correct word to fit into the crossword, either across the puzzle or up and down. There are excellent software programs which allow teachers to create crossword puzzles using spelling, reading, or vocabulary words.

Logic puzzles

Logic puzzles are basically of two types – word puzzles or mechanical puzzles. Logic word puzzles come in many varieties, such as “Don is 6 inches taller than Harry. Harry is 2” shorter than Jan. Rich is 5’8” tall and is the same height as Jan. How tall is each person?” These puzzles can be simple for children and range up to very difficult for adults. In many ways, geometry problems can be considered logic word puzzles.

Logic mechanical puzzles consist of mechanically interlinked pieces. The puzzles challenge the player to explore the interlocking pieces in order to assemble or disassemble the puzzle, put the pieces in sequence, or use dexterity to move the pieces. Such puzzles include: Rubik’s cubes, sliding tiles or blocks puzzles, impossible object puzzles, etc.

Logic puzzles teach logical thinking skills, deductive and inductive reasoning, spatial concepts, motor coordination, and planning advance gambits.

Patterns

Pattern puzzles may be colors, shapes, numbers, letters, or any combination of them. The challenge is to create a pattern, determine what comes next in a pattern, or discover how the pattern was created. Patterns teach logical progressions, deductive and inductive reasoning, and spatial concepts.

Mazes

Mazes require the player to find a way through a maze on paper, in virtual reality, or in real life. Mazes teach spatial concepts, logical progression, and deductive reasoning, as well as directionality. Mazes are often considered to be art themselves.

3-Riddles

The benefits of riddles:

1-They introduce intellectual humour to learners.

2-They help learners to work their minds.

3-They make learners read for comprehension.

4-They expand learners' vocabulary.

5-They give learners the chance to learn riddles and teach them to others.

6-They make a bond with the learners in their future life.

View Other Resources:

1-Story Theater in Teaching English.

2-Merging environmental education and language instruction( CBI).

3-Generation Y Students.

4-Using original video and sound effects to teach English.

5-Uses of Mobile phone in teaching and learning English.

6-The Conversation Class

7- Back

Jump to Top