Week 8 - Things to Consider

1. How to use podcasts in language teaching.

Learners can choose, listen and subscribe to any podcasts that interest them at any time, on any electric devices like an MP3 player, cell phone and computer. They can listen to podcasts made by others and, and also produce their own podcasts.

As a teacher, I can record lectures as podcasts to let students who miss a class download the later listening, which is referred to as cousecasting. I can direct my learners to podcasts already available on the Internet, for self-study purposes, or use them for listening in class.


2. How to set up a podcast project with learner

step1- setting up a podcast page
Using a podcast site, the teacher sets up a podcast page for the project before the class. It's very easy to use podcast sites and there's no specialist technical knowledge needed.

step2- creating learner podcasts
Learners prepare and rehearse a short text about themselves or specific information such as history, cooking, technology, etc. It's important for students to have time to rehearse their texts a few times so that they feel confident about being recorded.

step3- Listening to learner podcasts
Learners listen to all of their classmates' podcasts in the class or out of the class. They note down briefly what they listened and have a conversation about them.

step4- Follow up
As learners are getting familiar with the podcasting site and how to use it, they can start to produce regular podcasts on the topics which are covered in class. Their podcastings are going to be more natural and also learners will get more confidence and be able to carry them out more quickly.