Sunday, May 1, 2011

Unlimited Podcasting in Class

Sennheiser HD555 Headphones
Sennheiser HD555 Headphones by gcg2009 on Flickr
682-Minor Medical Injuries is educational podcast  by ESL POD I could use in my ESL classroom.  You can listen to this podcast and subscribe through iTunes. The way I could use this podcast or other similar podcasts through ESL POD is through incorporating listening sections into classwork or homework. I was not overly familiar with podcasts before, but I look forward to utilizing this electronic medium.

Often times, there is little opportunity for students to hear native speakers of a language they are learning, and this would be the case for my English class since I intend to teach English abroad. Sometimes textbooks include listening components on CD or through a licensed online code, but these texts are incredibly expensive! (sometimes close to $200 per text!) By using this podcast and other podcasts, my students can listen to a dialogue by native English speakers that supports a unit we are studying--this podcast would complement a unit on injury vocabulary.

The podcast is very thorough in that students listen to the dialogue; then the dialogue is explained line by line. Also, my students and I can download a transcript of each podcast dialogue, which would be particularly useful for students who need extra support as they improve their listening skills.

How I would use this podcast in my class as homework:
I would use this podcast specifically during a unit on health/injuries. I would also use this podcast as a follow up on lessons discussing American idioms. I would have the class structured so that each lesson in class was accompanied by a listening section which would be due the following class. I would assign this podcast as a listening assignment after a section on injuries or idioms. Students would have access to this podcast through itunes either through university computers or personal laptops. Each podcast dialogue would be accompanied by some comprehension assignment--perhaps questions about the discussion or creating a similar dialogue scenario.

2 comments:

Maryanne said...

Katie,
Your ideas for using podcasts sound right on target, but you need to explain how you would use this particular podcast with your students.
Dr. Burgos

Katie LAI 590 said...

I've edited my blog post to state how I would use this podcast with my students.