After reading the articles, experimenting making a podcast, viewing some podcasts, and reading some other postings, I now realize that podcasts can become a vital resource within the classroom.
In my previous posting, technology lesson, I now must retract and add podcasting as one of the projects students can create. While doing the 5th grade technology science lesson on food webs, students would use my podcast as a model for the type of podcast they can create. Students would have to not only explain the key vocabulary words associated with the lesson, but add pictures and sounds for their podcast. For example, where I explained about the bird eating the mouse, students would have to find a bird sound and add it to the podcast during that explanation.
Another component to the podcast students would have to complete is, having each member of the group explain a particular portion of the lesson. One student could talk about and define the key vocabulary words, a second team member could talk about the problems associated with what will happen if a particular organism is depleted from a certain ecosystem, etc... By getting all of the team members involved not only ensures that team work is happening, but their participation ensures that each student has ownership of the project.
Furthermore, students would have to incorporate visuals (pictures) their project. After reading the article, I now understand how important podcasts can be in assisting ELLs, and adding the visual aspect will enhance the learning of not only ELLs, but to all of the students within the classroom. Using visuals is an important part of my teaching because, I see the "AHA moments" after I explain a particular concept and then reinforce it with the visual aspect.
Lastly, I believe that the podcast would be fun for the students to do. I notice that when we use the computers to research information, or to find pictures for a certain assignment, the students get really involved with the assignment. I think that podcasts would elevate the quality of the assignment the students produce because, they will want to ensure that they put their best foot forward. I know that I like to have fun while teaching, so why shouldn't the students have assignments that are fun to complete.
I agree that podcasts will make it easier and fun for students who are learning english. I used to 'tape record' my students and they enjoyed hearing themselves.
ReplyDelete