Teaching
with Podcasts Whole Group
So you have
decided to give teaching with podcasts a try. Good for you! There are many
benefits to using this awesome technology.
What is a
podcast? A podcast is audio content through the use of an RSS feed that pushes
the content out continuously to subscribers, so they don’t have to go looking
for it every time. It’s kind of like subscribing to a channel on YouTube. This
teaching style is great for students who are auditory learners.
Here are
some things to consider when starting up the use of podcasts with your whole
class in one big group:
1. Make
sure you have the necessary equipment.
a. You will need a computer with speakers and a
connection to the Internet.
2. Find
podcasts that work for you.
The Internet is a fountain of resources. Here are a few places to find great
podcasts:
b. Book chat podcasts: http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/podcast-episodes/chapter-book-series-worth-30260.html
c. Topical podcasts used by homeschoolers: http://www.homeschooling-ideas.com/free-educational-podcasts.html
d. Astronomy podcasts:
http://www.astronomyforkids.com.au
3. Teach
students podcast listening behavior expectations.
a. Students respond to audio content
differently than direct teacher instruction.
b. Because this is strictly audio input, there
is nothing for students to look at to focus their attention. If they are
looking around the room or doodling/ taking notes, they can still be actively
listening at the same time. This will require much instruction and
clarification since we don’t want students to do those things while we are
teaching. Creating comparison charts or Venn diagrams of what listening looks
like while teaching versus what listening looks like during a podcast would be
very beneficial.
c. It is very important that all students be
seated and ready before the podcast begins, since you can’t go back once you
have started without interrupting the flow of the lesson for the whole class.
d. When you are first starting teaching with
podcasts, it might be a good idea to give your students something to focus
their attention while listening, like a graphic organizer or a note catcher.
That way they have something to look at while they are processing the auditory
information.
4. Plan
activities or lessons you
are going to do with your class after they have listened to the podcast.
a. You can’t just have students listen to a
podcast and then move on to something else. This is a teaching tool. Now what
are you going to do with it?
b. Study up on what other teachers are already
doing. No need to re-invent the wheel! http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/teaching-with-podcasts-30109.html
Here are some more great resources on teaching with
podcasts:
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