Job Discussion Forums

[mdk]

I am interested to know if anyone is making use of the ESL podcasts which are now available. I started picking them up last winter and they seemed like a good way to provide supplemental material to students. I used to encourage mine, who all had computer access, to take advantage of them in addition to class work.

Is anybody else using them, and if so, what do you think of them?

[Glenski]

mdk,
I know you are new to this field, so I will go easy. The answer is wholeheartedly YES, people DO use podcasts in their classes. Absolutely. If you join a professional organization like JALT (Japan Association of Language Teachers) or IATEFL, you will see that there are conferences for using technology (CALL) in the classroom. Big field. A little online searching will tell you a lot.

[mdk]

Well, it's interesting to learn that. None of the senior teachers at the great big language school where I was teaching seemed to have ever heard (or thought) of the subject.

So ESL podcasts are big in Japan? That wasn't the case in Moscow last winter. You wouldn't be pulling my leg would you, sonny?

[Glenski]

Cut the "sonny" crap, mdk. We aren't that different in age, plus I've taught about 10 times longer than you.

Disbeliever?
Read this itinerary for the presentations from the JALT CALL 2007 conference earlier this month.
http://jaltcall.org/conferences/call2007/mod/resource/view.php?id=148
You'll find a few things in there about podcasting.

Or how about this JALT event from March solely on podcasting?
http://wirelessready.nucba.ac.jp/

Or this one on podcasting in general for ESL?
http://iteslj.org/links/ESL/Listening/Podcasts/

Hey! A TEFL podcasting forum!
http://teflpodcasts.blogspot.com/

TOEFL podcasting, anyone?
http://www.eslpod.com/toefl/

Or go here for a ton of links including the ones above.
http://pod-efl.com/


As for podcasting in Russia, here are a couple of sites. One started in Feb. 2006, so your claim of winter last year having no podcasting there is inaccurate.
http://www.podcastingnews.com/archives/2006/02/podcasting_in_r.html
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/top_russian_web_apps.php
http://swik.net/Russia
http://podcasting.meetup.com/cities/ru/ (50 Russian cities with podcasting meetups)
http://rpod.ru/
http://cellular.co.za/news_2006/march/031206-podcasting_in_russia_goes_mobile.htm
Stop being such an arrogant old fogie with a chip on his shoulder and do some basic research. Otherwise, all you're going to end up doing is make a fool of yourself and try getting private lessons from housewives and retirees.

[mdk]

My Dear Sir,

In my California culture, "You wouldn't be pulling my leg sonny" is generally considered jocular badinage and not offensive. It's the sort of thing one would often read in Heinlein in that context, I believe. I therefore regret that you have taken offense where none was offered or intended.

[SueH]

Thanks for the links Glenski, I've been wondering myself.

BTW, I do rather think that you rose to a barbless hook, just there. Still - catch and release, no harm done.

[Glenski]

mdk,
To call anyone "sonny" on an anonymous forum in the way you did might seem natural and harmless to you, and even though I love Heinlein myself (or hadn't you noticed my signature?), words like that can easily be taken the wrong way. Where I come from in the USA, that sort of thing would be a mild pejorative until two people know each other. I'll let it pass now that you've explained yourself.

As for looking foolish, it is to your peers that you may very well appear that way. Keep in mind that you may not care for a few of the posters here, but since they are anonymous, you never know who you may bump into directly or indirectly in real life. Also, a little courtesy in these forums lubricates the discussion far more than verbose (and often snippy or snide) remarks.

[mdk]

[Sherri]

I am planning to use podcasts in our Fall semester for our ESL college students. I don't see too much of a difference between using a podcast and using an audio tape or a video except that the delivery of a podcast is more convenient. So how you use the material depends on so many things like who the students are, what material you choose, what your aims are.

You can for example, just have students download a podcast from BBC or CNN and use it just like you would if you had your students watch it on TV or on a video.

I think the delivery format lends itself well to self-study but you could certainly adapt it for whatever you think would help your students.

Best
Sherri

[mdk]

Thank you Sherri,


I think you are talking about something like VOA special english podcasts or something like that from, say, the BBC for example. Those are OK, but I am more interested in fairly discreet lessons on the podcast to reinforce what the class room session is. Or possibly to use as a point of departure for a lesson on the subject. This has the advantage that it can be repeated at will by the student as necessary.

Take a look at

http://www.eslpod.com/website/index.php

I looked over the lesson ( you can download the learning guide for the lesson on seeing a doctor for free ) and it seemed OK for use with intermediate (and perhaps pre-intermediate level with help ) students. The cost to get a password for 15 students seems quite reasonable. Most of my students in Russia or Spain would have been able to obtain an MP3 player to download the lesson.

Frankly, the lesson seems at least as well prepared as I would be able to do myself. It would be good enough out of the box and certainly better to use as a starting point for further work, I think.

So is anybody else doing anything along these same lines?

[Note to any lurking luddites: CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is always welcome, but please don't waste space on this thread with a rant against the concept.]

[Glenski]

[Sherri]

Yes, I have seen it (eslpod) and others like it--see http://www.podomatic.com/ for a list. It just depends on what you want for your students. I like the idea of having students make their own podcasts to share with other students or to have them record their commentary (griffin italk) on what they have listened or watched. That is what makes the technology exciting and the ease of delivery (you can do the same thing with a cassette recorder). The coolness of the ipod and being able to use computers make it attractive for students who might not respond to other materials. I also have a personal preference for using authentic materials than something that was created for ESL/EFL--but that is just me.

Otherwise, like I said, there is not much difference between giving them a cassette tape from a regular textbook and a worksheet and sending them home to complete it and a podcast with a worksheet. So if the material matches your needs and you like the material they developed for you--great!

I think the only way is to try--every situation is unique but I think it is a great way to engage students.

S

[mdk]

Dear Sherri,

[Sherri]

I work at an Intensive English Program at a community college in the US. I have been teaching EFL/ESL for almost 20 years in 4 different countries and in the vast majority of situations, my students did homework.

I am guessing that your students don't? Maybe they will if you try podcasts.
S

[Justin Trullinger]