This paper reports on some aspects of an investigation on the impact of an instructional approach aimed at generating and maintaining students’ interest in mathematics for secondary school students in displaced and re-settled communities in South Sudan. Two groups of Grade 11 students, an experimental group (E-group) and a control group (C-group), participated in the study. The E-group (n = 31) was taught using a Humour-supported Instructional Approach (H-SIA) and the C-group (n = 20) was taught using a Regular Instructional Approach. Preliminary indications from the pilot phase of the main study suggest that the method of instruction (H-SIA) generates and maintains at least similar levels of interest as the regular Regular Instructional Approach. The H-SIA also suggests some slight modifications and enhancement to the Interpersonal Competent Communication Model, the recommended existing guiding theory for humour communication in the classroom. It is concluded that H-SIA does indeed generate and maintain interest in mathematics in the classroom. Hence, it is recommended that mathematics teachers should consider infusing humour into their lessons to enhance students’ interest in mathematics.

中文翻译：

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利用幽默在南苏丹重新定居的社区中学生中产生并保持对数学的兴趣

本文报告了调查方法的某些方面，该方法旨在为南苏丹流离失所和重新定居的社区中学生培养并保持学生对数学的兴趣。两组11年级学生，一个实验组（E组）和一个对照组（C组）参加了研究。E组（n = 31）使用幽默支持的教学方法（H-SIA）进行授课，C组（n = 20）使用常规教学方法进行授课。初步研究的初步迹象表明，教学法（H-SIA）产生并保持的兴趣水平至少与常规“常规教学法”相似。H-SIA还建议对人际称职沟通模型进行一些细微的修改和增强，该模型是建议的课堂幽默沟通的现有指导理论。结论是，H-SIA确实引起并保持了对课堂数学的兴趣。因此，建议数学老师应考虑将幽默融入课程中，以增强学生对数学的兴趣。