ABSTRACT
This chapter provides snapshots of autonomous learning as it occurred in an English as foreign language classroom in a Gulf Arab university. It begins with a discussion of the concept of autonomy and the role of humour in pedagogy, followed by a description of the research context and research methodology in which the study is situated. Humour has been found to aid the learning process by helping learners relax, easing tension and enhancing motivation. An autonomous learner draws on a repertoire of socially available and relevant meanings and practices to self-govern their world of learning. As learners claim ownership of learning spaces, they transform the classroom into a personally significant place for learning. Being able to disrupt classroom discourse through humour involves the learner in evaluating the power relations that exist in class at that time, and finding effective ways of engaging in learning within those networks of power.
