Podcasts lesson plan

JOSEFINA MIRANDA RUIZ

PODCASTS 4 EFL TEACHERS

LESSON PLAN TITLE: CREATING A PODCAST *This lesson plan describes the activities assigned to students on the webquest Creating a series of podcasts about relationships at http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=244267

OBJECTIVES: Students will    

learn what podcasts are listen and analyze some of them create a 3-podcast series learn the use of some web resources

GRADES: 9-12 PROFICIENCY LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE PROCEDURE Students read the text Podcasts provided by the teacher.

Teacher leads a group discussion about podcasts. 2-3 podcasts will be heard in class, allowing students to identify what they are and how they are structured.

Students will get in teams of 3 students. They will study and listen to episodes from the website The Listening Project BBC Radio 4. As a team they will choose 9 episodes to work with. There are about 400 to choose from and they are about 3 minutes each.

Every student will listen to 3 episodes. He/she will write the main idea of each episode. Students hand in their notes to be checked.

Team discussion to choose only 3 podcasts out of the 9 they had chosen in the previous activity. Students will compare their notes. They will be asked to choose the podcasts based on their interests and on the information they can add about the issues described.

Place

Time

Classroom

2 hrs.

Computer Room

2 hrs.

Homework 1 hr.

Classroom

1 hr.

1

Each student will listen to one podcast assigned from the website The Listening Project 2-3 times. He/she will write a 50-80-word paragraph describing the situation, the people involved and their feelings. Personal opinions can be added. Students hand in summaries to be checked.

Students in teams will write the outline of their 3podcast series. They have to mention the topic of each podcast, the format (interview, report, debate, presentation, etc.), the speakers, 2-3 facts they will discuss in every episode. Students hand in their outlines to be checked.

Each student will write one episode script based on the previous outline. They have to include the teaser of the episode which is a friendly introduction of the speaker(s), the place, date, school, and a brief description of what the listeners are about to hear. The whole script has to be one-page long to be read in 23 minutes. Students hand in their scripts to be checked.

Also as homework, every student will create a slogan.

They can get ideas from using a slogan generator on line. Later in class, they will vote on the best slogan for their series.

Teacher provides a brief explanation of the options to record their podcasts. He/she will describe how to download, install and use the audio editor Audacity, though the webquest provides a tutorial. He/she can also explain how to use the Slogan Generator and other web resources mentioned in the webquest.

Teams record their podcasts. They add music and edit them. They export them from Audacity as an MP3 file.

Homework 2 hrs.

Teacher leads the students to get to know the podcast hosting sites. One student of every team will register at Audioboo or Podomatic.

Students upload their series of podcasts and share the link on facebook.

Language Lab

Podcasts previously selected by the teacher are heard in class. As a closing activity, students will describe what they learned from this activity and the difficulties they met.

Classroom

Classroom

1 hr.

Homework 2 hrs.

Homework 1 hr.

Language Lab

2 hrs.

Homework 2 hrs.

1 hr.

Homework 2 hrs.

2 hrs.

2

 TEXT TO BE READ IN CLASS:

PODCASTS The word podcast is formed from the words ipod and broadcast. It’s an audio file – usually an MP3 file- that can be downloaded and heard at any time. They can easily be found on the web, in many podcast hosting sites; people can subscribe to them for free and there is a great variety of topics to choose from. For English language learners, it is a great option for practicing their listening skills, as they are produced for different levels of proficiency, from beginners to advanced students.

Podcasts are posted on the web in series of episodes that are released periodically. They have different formats: a presentation of a topic, an interview, a debate, a report, a narration, a news segment, etc.

Some of the most popular podcasts are produced by the BBC, though there are many others, like ESL.pod. You can start looking for them at iTunes store or Google Play Apps https://play.google.com/store/search?q=english%20podcast&c=apps As mentioned before, you can subscribe to your favorite podcasts, and every new episode will be downloaded automatically in your computer, tablet or smartphone.

CREATING PODCASTS You can also practice your writing and speaking abilities by designing and creating podcasts.

These are the essential steps to create a podcast: 1. Choose a TOPIC. Take into account the amount of information you have about the topic and the possibility of finding enough and proper information. Keep also in mind your audience’s interest depending on who they are: your classmates, teachers, parents, all your friends you have on facebook, etc.

2. Write an OUTLINE. Include the format of the podcast, the number of speakers, who they are, the length of the podcast and the basic facts you will describe about the topic.

3. Do any necessary research you might need to make sure you have accurate information about the topic.

4. Write the SCRIPT . Write exactly what is going to be said on the recording.

5. Include a good SLOGAN and a TEASER to let your audience know what it will be about, and get ready to hear what you want to say.

6. Record your podcast. Be careful to choose a quiet place so background noise won’t interfere with your message.

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7. EDIT your podcast using the audio editor AUDACITY . It lets you add music and sound effects to make your podcast more interesting to listen to.

8. Export your podcast from Audacity as an MP3 file.

9. Finally, post it on a podcast hosting site like AUDIOBOO, PODOMATIC or YOUTUBE and share it on FACEBOOK , so that everyone you know can listen to it.

Producing a podcast can be a very challenging task, but it’s a great opportunity to show your creativity and use your writing and speaking skills.

ď‚œ WEB RESOURCES: Presentation Podcasts: Making a Project

https://magic.piktochart.com/output/1721835-podcasts-making-a-project#/piktoblock-0

The Listening Project from BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/the-listening-project

Audacity and Podomatic tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CVveZN58rU

Free Music hosting site

Slogan generator on line

http://freemusicarchive.org/

http://slogangenerator.co/

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https://audioboo.fm/

https://www.podomatic.com/login

ď‚œ PODCAST RUBRIC

Category

Introduction Welcomes the audience and identifies the speaker, place, date and the topic of the episode in a friendly way.

Content The structure of the podcast allows the audience to keep a track of what is being said, using correct grammar and vocabulary, and making appropriate transitions.

Delivery Pronunciation, rhythm, intonation and speaking pace in a conversational style allow listeners to understand the information.

Technical Recorded in a quiet Production place with proper voice volume and no background noise. Well edited using appropriate music. Meets the length required.

Well introduced though 1 or 2 data are missing.

Most relevant information is not mentioned.

Well-structured though some wrongly used transitions or vocabulary may mislead the listeners.

Grammar or transitions misuse causes confusion.

Well-delivered though the style is not natural enough.

Pronunciation prevents listeners from understanding what is being said.

Too short or too long. Background noise or low voice volume leads to a lack of understanding.

Well-recorded and edited though the volume or length could improve.

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BBC The Listening Project

iPod Orson Welles broadcasting The War of the Worlds

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