A podcast is an audio file published on the Internet for others
to subscribe to, download or transfer on to mobile devices such as
mp3 players or mobile phones and listen to on the move. For
language learning, podcasts offer many opportunities for teachers
and students alike. Teachers can create personalised audio
materials for students to access outside of the classroom. Students
can record their own spoken work and publish it to a real
audience.
Podcasting opens up new possibilities for distance learning and
enables listening and speaking skills to be practised at home,
thereby allowing students to work at their own pace and level.
Podcasts made by a teacher can include audio vocabulary guides,
pronunciation practice, grammar explanations or revision for
speaking exams. Likewise, pupil-produced podcasts can feature
spoken work such as role-play practice, presentations, reports,
songs and descriptions of grammar points. If accompanied by
downloadable written support, students are given more choice on how
they learn and their various learning styles are better catered
for.
Learning how to podcast can be quite time-consuming in the first
instance. However, this is time well spent as the resulting
outcomes and effect on motivation should justify the initial
input.
Key Features
Podcasting has great
potential in the modern languages classroom for the following
reasons:
- Ease of use: it is easy to make and edit
digital audio recordings both in and out of the classroom
- Storage: recordings can be stored on a blog or
podcasting portal for free
- Versatility: audio recordings can support a
range of lesson activities such as role-plays and presentations and
aid revision practice
- Diversity: podcasts made by native speakers
can offer authentic listening opportunities on any number of
themes, cultural as well as linguistic
- Portability: digital audio is transferable to
handheld devices such as mp3 players and mobile phones
- Acessibility: podcasts can be downloaded
outside of the school day and offer distance learning opportunities
and revision practice