4. Technology Enhanced ELT: Using Podcasts

Objectives:

• To achieve awareness and insight into educational podcasting.

• To acquire familiarity and understanding about how to create, publish and subscribe to podcasts.

• To investigate ways of using podcasts as a curriculum resource and personalized learning.

Using Podcasts:

A podcast resembles a radio show. However, in preference to broadcast live, a podcast is recorded and after that distributed over the internet, so that learners can pay attention to it whenever they please. There are thousands of podcasts on hand, ranging from all-purpose interest entertainment shows to those which focus on definite topics (e.g. computers / music / education). As discussed by Richard Berry (2006), podcasting is a congregate - medium bringing together audio, the web and handy media player, and technology that have caused some in the radio business to reconsider some well-known practices and preconceptions about audiences, utilization, fabrication and circulation. This idea of disruptive behavior is basically because no one individual owns the technology; it is open to take note and generate content, which heads off from the conventional model of 'gate-kept' media and production tools. The podcasts will aid the students to step forward in their English vocabulary and pronunciation and their LSRW skills in turn. Through dynamic dialogue and teacher regulation it is promising that students will disembark at a foremost proposal alike to that reflected in solid podcast - title. More importantly, dialogue among the learners is likely to stimulate them who are eager for meaningful ways to be engaged with the English language.

These podcasts can be used in English classroom or computer lab to supplement course book. The conversations are more authentic and so the language is more natural. They therefore provide a refreshing alternative to content.

In addition,

• The worksheets take in pre-listening activities that students can do individually or in pairs / groups.

• There is an array of listening tasks and listening skills together with pronunciation.

• There is a choice of accents with conversations between native and non-native speakers of English.

• There is a range of topics that can be linked to course book units.

• There are vocabulary worksheets which merge the language in the podcasts, ideal for homework or follow on lessons.

• There are webquests for CALL application.

• There are further vocabulary worksheets that are linked to the vicinity of the podcast, these are the best for homework or to introduce a podcast.

Background

Since 2005, there have been rapid progress in podcasting; a new technology for broadcasting audio programs on the Internet is handy. Podcasting was formerly for fly-by-night information and relaxation. But presently educators saw the gigantic dormant sway it has for training and erudition. In the United States, the Office of Information Technology (2006) of the University of Minnesota contended that podcasting involves a shift from e-learning to mobile learning, as podcasting is a time shifting technology. The workplace has projected add up to competent uses of podcasting in instruction, such as ‘News updates, Guest lectures, Student-produced podcasts, and Language lessons’ that help the students to develop LSRW skills. Indeed, many writers have pointed out the benefits that podcasting can offer language education, especially with regard to developing learners’ LSRW skills.

Types of Podcasts

Podcasts presented on the web fall largely into two types which can facilitate students for enhancing their LSRW skills.

• Radio podcasts

• Independent podcasts

Radio podcasts are open radio programs turned into podcasts, such as those produced by BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) and RTHK (Radio Television Hong Kong). Independent Podcasts are Web-based podcasts produced by individuals and organizations. Second type is which has gigantic potential for ELT because these can be tailor-made to ensemble the needs of assorted learners. They can be created by learners themselves with tremendous effortlessness, with the instigation of mp3 sound file set-up, sound recording and editing such as audacity etc…

ELT Podcasts: Where to Find Them

ELT educators have started using the ELT podcasts and there has been an increase in the number of ELT podcasts on the Web. Teachers have three ways to look for appropriate ELT podcasts for their students. Firstly, they can set up with general podcast directories. A podcast directory is a searchable database which is linked to sites that house podcasts. Teachers can type in a search term like ‘English/ELT/ESL/TESOL’ and they will be given a list of ELT podcasts. An example of a general podcast directory is http://www.podcastalley.com/. Secondly, to narrow down their search, teachers may embark straight to directories of educational podcasts. One well-known educational podcast directory is the Education Podcast Network: http://epnweb.org/. A recent new directory is http://recap.ltd.uk/podcasting/, which claims to be the first U.K. directory of educational podcasts.

Thirdly, they may make use of a plethora of ELT podcasts on the Web that podcast directories specializing in ELT are also offered. These are directories which cover ELT podcasts only. One example is ttp://iteslj.org/links/ESL/Listening/Podcasts/ maintained by the Internet TESL Journal. ELT podcasts swathe a spacious array of focus. A pithy survey of ELT podcasts reveals the following content types:

Comprehensive (e.g., http://www.englishteacherjohn.com/podcast): These are podcasts that cover a wide range of content types, such as traditional comprehension activities, interviews, and vocabulary.

Whole lessons (e.g., http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/): These are whole lessons based on a podcast, which makes use of a news story in each episode. The text of the news story is provided, and is accompanied by the audio file. There is then a lesson plan with accompanying worksheet materials. In effect, these are ready-made lessons based on podcasts which teachers can use in the classroom directly.

Vocabulary, idioms, etc. (e.g., http://englishteacherjohn.com/): This is a popular type of podcast, through which that, the host chooses some vocabulary items and explains their usage. The example presents a few idioms in each episode.

Conversations with script (e.g., http://www.e-poche.net/ conversations/): These podcasts contain conversations between native speakers. To help less proficient learners, each episode is accompanied by the script, for learners to refer to while listening to the conversation.

Jokes (e.g., http://www.manythings.org/jokes/): These are podcasts containing jokes on language. They demanded careful listening by the learner.

Songs (e.g., http://englishpodsong.blogspot.com/): These podcasts contain either traditional children’s songs or authentic popular songs for teenager’s songs for ESL learners which are accompanied by the text of the lyrics.

Phonetics, pronunciation (e.g., http://phoneticpodcast.com/): Podcasts are obviously highly suited for teaching phonetics and pronunciation. These podcasts are focusing on specific phonemes and pronunciation problems in English.

Stories (e.g., http://www.englishthroughstories.com/): These are usually story read-aloud and may or may not be followed by listening comprehension questions.

Listening comprehension (e.g., http://mylcpodcasts.blogspot.com): These podcasts provide conventional listening comprehension practice.

Teachers can also fashion their own podcasts or direct their students to create their own. These are podcasts produced by teachers for their students. They allow teachers to reach out their students ahead of the precincts of the classroom. They can also complement the teacher’s classes for singular purposes. One example of a teacher podcast is http://samantha.podomatic.com.

It gives students who were in the classroom the chance to listen again to what the teacher said on a topic, to re-check those notes and make sure, as well as to make it easier for non- native speakers to re-listen to a lesson without the distractions that may make immediate translation difficult the first time around. An upright podcast can also mean that teacher can wrap the nitty-gritty without slaying classroom time. The plain delivery of the details of a lesson in a podcast frees up the lesson itself for more detailed work — or, equally, can endow with the extra detail that takes some students off into other directions that a plain lesson can’t hold back.

When podcasts are produced by students, many teachers have found this an incredibly encouraging activity. Because of advances in cyber and information technology, it is at this instant simple for students to raise their personal podcasts. Teachers can track the uncomplicated modus operandi to aid their students bring into being their podcasts:

Ø Start a blog that also hosts podcasts for the class (e.g., http://wordpress.com/); or

Ø Create an account for the whole class with a free podcasting site (e.g., http://podomatic.com/);

Ø Have class contribute to the same username and password;

Ø Students upload their MP3 files to class podcast on their own;

Ø Design activities that persuade students to take action.

Benefits of Student Podcasts

Producing podcasts is a stirring approach for students to get better LSRW skills.

i) Motivation

Podcasts, formerly placed on the Web, can be accessed by anyone around the world. This means that for students producing their own podcasts, there is a real audience out there. This is a huge motivating factor. In this podcast, students give short talks on topics assigned by their teachers. As can be seen at the website (http://www.fdfz.cn/), the students have responded enthusiastically to the task.

ii) Perfection through Practice and Rehearsal

Students who generate a podcast will by and large have to practise or rehearse their “show” first. In other words, they will be undergoing ample practice which, though possibly recurring, is welcomed by the students themselves. Through repetition, they will be able to progress in pronunciation.

iii) Collaboration through Group Podcasts

Collaboration skills have become a key standard skill in the engineering level. Students can be invited to construct podcasts in groups. Through the progression, they learn to team up with each other.

iv) Attention to Accuracy

A podcast is a lasting documentation of an oral performance. Being aware of that, students producing a podcast will pay more awareness to their pronunciation accuracy.

v) Mixed-ability Teaching

Diverse tasks can be assigned for varied students according to their ability level. Producing podcasts, therefore, offer every student with the chance to make something which matches their ability level.

vi) Large-class Teaching

It is usually difficult to instruct dialogue in a large class. With podcasts, however, students can be asked to construct programs in groups; or they can be asked to make their own programs individually at home. The teacher and their classmates can listen afterwards.

vii) Less confident Students

Speaking as a rule involves face-to-face interaction. Less confident learners may feel threatened when called upon to speak to an audience, even if the audience is a small one. These students will benefit from producing a podcast since it involves performing “behind the scenes.”