This study investigates the use made of humour by teachers during classroom interventions with adolescent students with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD). Literature mentions the use of humour as a key tool in successful classroom interventions with students with SEBD and yet there is little quantified research on this topic. The study investigates, through a mixed methodology framework, the learning and behaviour outcomes of this method of intervention. The basic premise and hypothesis of this paper is that teachers who successfully use humour in interventions do so to establish a platform of reciprocity, much in line with the principles highlighted by eco-systemic theory. The mechanisms of humour are complex and their analysis deeply rooted in subjective standards, which makes investigation difficult. The paper therefore also reflects on the methodology best suited to the study of learning and behaviour outcomes of students with SEBD. The discussion section weights the findings within the wider context of inclusive education and draws the conclusion that students with SEBD in many ways highlight the concerns and needs of the mainstream student body. The receptivity of students with SEBD to humour thus emphasizes the need for what these children frame as "genuine" relationships with teachers--not only within the context of their specific needs but in all teaching situations.