This is Mexico! The podcast

This is México!

The podcast

Presentation 

Name of task: This is Mexico! The Podcast

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Date: August 2018

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Time: 8-10 hours

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Target students: High school teenagers (15-17 years old)

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Level: Beginners, A1 of CEFR

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Number of students: 24

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Motivation: High

Presentation 

Program: English II, Units 1-3 Describing food and personal objects. Describing and locating places in the community.

Sharing everyday activities.

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Relevant Previous Knowledge: Ss know how to use simple present with to be and other verbs, Ss use adjectives to describe objects, people and places.

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Main Objectives: Ss will be able to talk about places, describe activities, food, make recommendations for travelling. Ss will record a three series podcast and will simulate participating in a podcast contest sponsored by a prestigious newspaper.

Pre-task 

T-writes on the Bb “Travelling in Mexico”. T elicits from Ss what they know about them and writes some key words on Bb to guide the discussion (e.g. places, food, culture, activities, features, landmarks, weather, etc.)

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T projects with data projector the following collage and asks Ss to look at the pictures of this place (Oaxaca). T asks Ss to mention what they know about it:

Pre-task ď ľ

T asks Ss to make teams of four students.

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T asks Ss to solve this webquest in teams: (click on the images to go to the resources)

Pre-task ď ľ

T plays additional podcasts and shows videos

Pre-task ď ľ

Ss make notes on places, food, culture, activities, features, landmarks, weather, etc, and things they hear that may be useful for their podcast.

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Ss use a spiderweb for each place they selected. The, they have to decide the number of sections in their podcast. Each place goes at the center of a spiderweb and the branches are the features they will talk about. T asks them to add vocabulary they got from the videos and podcasts which is related to the features of their places.

Task ď ľ

In the school Language Laboratory, T shows students and together, they go through the contest instructions:

Task ď ľ

T shows Ss the tutorial: Podcasting para principiantes so that Ss get a better picture of what Podcasting is all about.

Task ď ľ

Then T shows Ss the Tutorial Audacity & Podomatic Tutorials so that they learn how to use the tool to make podcasts and the website to publish the three episodes of their series.

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It is advisable that Audacity is already installed in the language laboratory since Administrator permissions are usually necessary to download and install software. If Ss will work on their own at home, remind them to install the LAME codec (it is in the same page and just below the link you download Audacity from).

They will need this codec to manipulate MP3 files.

Task ď ľ

T shows Ss page to download free royalty sounds for their Podcasts:

Task ď ľ

T provides Ss with link of the Podcast contest rubric. It can also be used to evaluate the podcast series.

Task ď ľ

T provides Ss with link of podcast worksheet to create each episode.

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Ss may need help in the writing section, so T should give them the opportunity to send drafts to be checked

Task ď ľ

T should emphasize the need to practice the script, check for pronunciation and intonation.

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Ss may practice recording in the language laboratory, but it may be advisable if they find a quiet place to make their final recording using their cellphones or computer.

Task ď ľ

Ss produce their three-episode series and publish them in Podomatic.

Post-task 

T asks Ss to follow other teams’ podcasts and listen to the series of at least two other teams.

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T asks Ss to provide feedback on their partners work. The content, the style, the music and any sound effects using Podomatic’s comments tool.

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T ask Ss to self asses and co-evaluate the different Series.

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Ss make a vote, following the rubric’s criteria, on whose podcast could win the New York Times podcasting contest.

Have fun podcasting!