When I bought my first iPod I remember going into iTunes and quickly passing over the podcast section thinking (don't know don't care). Knowing what I know now about podcasts I am literally kicking myself for not listening to podcasts sooner. After researching some of the topics I am interested in I found an endless source of podcasts on all of the things I love (healthy eating, education, technology and fashion).
As I starting listening to the podcasts I started realizing all of the ways I could make this work in my classroom. Podcasts offer learning opportunities that reach into every subject taught in school. Before getting my students involved in podcasts it would be a great idea to have them listen to some podcasts written for kids by kids so they know what they are getting into. Through podcasts my students can become better writers, especially because they are writing for a larger audience instead of each other. Podcasts offer a way to really refine my students oral language skills as they practice speaking and listening to themselves and others. You can really learn a lot about the way others see and hear you by listening to and watching yourself on video. This is especially powerful for my english language learners who need as many good role models as they can get. My students could narrate what they are working on in school, make podcasts in response to other students' podcasts, or even make podcasts for their parents.
I can't wait to get started on podcasts in my classroom. Here are a few great podcasts for teachers and kids:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/10-podcasts-teachers-and-kids
Stacy I enjoyed reading your post about podcasts. I have had a similar experience with this piece of the program. I skipped over the podcast section on iTunes and never looked back. I had no idea how interesting they actually could be. Now after the work we have done I am excited to bring it into my classroom. The students would really have fun with it. I like what you pointed out about your english language learners benefiting from this type of activity. I do not have any in my class this year. I do have many sped students who are all at different levels and this would be a great activity that would allow them to be an active participant, instead of leaving them feeling intimated.
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