Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Classroom Audio Podcasting

I'd like to reflect on this article by Wes Fryer. The links he gives are great. I personally would not have guessed how inexpensive podcasting is to set up in the classroom. Basically just the expense of a microphone to add to your computer set-up. He gives links to free software out there.

Wes Fryer mentions what a motivator podcasting can be for children to write, since they can become podcasting storytellers, and the thrill to present their own stories in that format will inspire them to compose.

I agree with this and also believe that it would be an excellent tool for their reading skills too. It may help students to learn to subvocalize while they read silently. To hear their own voice in their head as they read is an important step for reading fluency and comprehension. I think it is great that they could hear themselves reading after practising reading a story or passage fluently, to hear it in a performeed podcast should not only promote their print processing skills, but also their silent reading. I would think podcasts would be an excellent tool for any reading teacher. Often, you need your students to repeat a passage orally until it is fluent, what a wonderful motivator for that!







4 comments:

Carol Palmer said...

You are right about using this as a way to let students hear themselves speak. This is great not only for the teacher to use, but I would think that parents might want to use this as a way to have their young learners read aloud -- podcast privately to relatives near and far.

The Lorax said...

I, also, was shocked as to how cheap podcasting can be! Now I just need to give it a go and see how simple it is to incorporate into the classroom...

I agree that podcasting is a tool that will motivate students to compose. I think it would be beneficial to a high school or college course that studies Tom Wolfe and other authors who rely heavily on onomatopoeia. Students could write their own eccentric scripts and present them via podcasting.

I am stoked to use podcasting with my remedial reading class during
3rd quarter. I think it would be beneficial for them to listen to themselves reading and pick up on their trends. Also, the more they present reading materials in podcast form, the more likely they will hear voices (subvocalize) while reading. This not only enhances fluency and comprehension, but it also increases enjoyment.

Pat Ruffing said...

Ellen, I agree that it is a wonderful thing for education that podcasting is so inexpensive. Just want to pass on that my experience has been that even though the microphones or headsets do not need to be expensive, it is good if they are all the same type in a particular recording project. I have had issues when one student used one headset and another student used a different set. The sound quality is not the same and then you are stuck with more editing issues or a re-do. I plan to keep that in mind when I do digital storytelling projects this year as well.

Cindy said...

The idea of podcasting for struggling readers is great. I think the ease-of-producting these podcast will help them to become a part of many classrooms. Helping teachers to post them (on a blog or website) may just be a matter of promotting a site and then provide support as teachers embrace this.

I like "Gcast" for the simplicity of creating and posting. I hope to try this with several groups of teachers.