Channels • 2021 • Volume 6 • Number 1 Page 15 This sort of arrogance, exaggerated with a grin, is well-tempered by the professor’s quick willingness to admit her own mistakes and share embarrassing stories about her language gaffes. “She sometimes talks about her own faux paus and…mistakes she had in French, stories with her husband’s family,” noted Participant 3. “She’s comfortable making fun of herself.” This sharing also contributes to the perception of low power distance in the classroom, instituting a sense of relatability and shared experience with the students. These frequent airy asides contribute to what Norrick (2010) would label a “play” context, allowing students to experience every part of the class in a less threatening manner. When prompted to discuss how they perceived their professor’s humor, three of the four participants made sure to clarify that humor was not a distraction within the classroom, but rather a beneficial and engaging aspect that increased their level of comfort in class. Willingness to Communicate Each of the aforementioned factors affects students’ WTC, an overarching theme highlighted by the interviewed students. The lowered power distance and use of humor both contribute to an affirmative class environment. All four participants stated that the professor’s humor contributed to an open environment in which they felt more comfortable practicing the language. As Participant 3 put it, “She puts people at ease with her humor and makes situations easier to be in.” By laughing at her own mistakes, the professor shows students that they can make mistakes too. She also tries to break things down when they seem difficult. “She’ll just make some lighthearted comments as she’s writing things down on the board…she makes the language feel more manageable,” Participant 2 explained. All four participants noted that they felt very comfortable and free to try speaking in the class, despite the risk of making mistakes. Even those who admitted they were not yet incredibly confident in their language skills reported this feeling of comfort in the French classroom. As Student 3 attested, “I’m not a person who would raise my hand or speak out in class, but it’s easier to do that in her class.” Likewise, Participant 2 noted that humor keeps her engaged in the class, increasing her WTC because of the interaction with and sense of personal investment from the professor. Additional Themes Another tangential theme elucidated by the interviews was the professor’s care for her students. Participant 4 established that making the effort to use humor shows that the professor is more engaged in the class herself, using it to check in on students. “If the teacher seems uninterested or stiff…how are the students supposed to pay attention or be interested?” she asks. Participant 3 affirms this, saying, “When the professor cares, it’s easier for you to care.” Students also cited this personal attention as a contributing factor to WTC. Limitations & Further Research Some of the major limitations of this study were the short time span allotted for data collection, the limited number of participants, students’ perceptions of me as a researcher, and of course my own biases. The restrictions of this study allowed for only a few observation sessions collected over a limited period of time and are not necessarily representative of the class dynamic throughout the
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