Comic Strip Humour and Empathy as Methodological Instruments in Teaching

Laughter is an instinctive activity that facilitates social communication and can be used to enrich the education system. Taking into consideration that children are, by their nature, visually oriented, the humour and empathy of the comic strip make it an appropriate methodological instrument for the acquisition of new learning materials. The popular comic strip Alan Ford consolidates realist elements with social satire and black humour, owing its popularity and longevity to the creativity of its authors who accept self-irony as a powerful tool in their artistic expression. The author of this paper examines the possibility of applying the Alan Ford comic strip in primary and secondary school teaching as well as the influence of humorous discourse on the efficiency of the educational process. The importance of humour, as one of the most desired teacher’s characteristics, is examined in the research. A total of 14 schools of the Primorsko-Goranska County participated in the research; the sample consisted of 315 primary school pupils and senior secondary school students. Data distribution analysis points at the conclusion that humour has a significant influence on the efficiency of teaching and the quality of relationships between teachers and pupils, while the methodology of comic strips provides everyday discourse in teaching.