Podcast in, podcast out

     

        When I know podcast from the video, I find out quite surprisingly that I've been using podcast from many years. There is Chinese English learning website called putclub.com, which it repost podcasts from foreign podcast websites and many Chinese English learners are downloading these podcasts and fill in their portables gadgets. I was one of them. When I was preparing the TOEFL test, I learned that there was a very effective way to improve English, that is to listen a lot extensively, and listen (do dictation) intensively. I carried on using this method for several months, it really worked! I improved my TOEFL quite significantly. That's my experience with podcast. Also, there is a website called 51voa provides voice of America podcasts and news and sometimes have Chinese translations.

         I find the website is eslpod.com is a wonderful site for English learners. I tried English Café episode 448, which talks about the famous song Que Sera, Sera, in a very slow and clear voice and with illustrations to difficult words.

        If let me use podcasts in future classrooms, I would use them for two purposes. First is to increase students' fluency. This goal is done by doing extensive listenings. This way can make students learn with interest. Second is to increase students' accuracy. This goal is done by doing  intensive listenings. For example, they write down a short podcast, a short piece of slowed down news and then correct with real transcripts and in this way accuracy can be improved.

       Apart from in class use of podcasts. I will assign students listen to one podcast (whatever the theme they are interested). Then in class, they should do a class report. In this way, students can learn how to summarize and organize their speaking. Also, it is very possible that the students may create their own podcast one day!

Comic Strip Generators: Picture-to-Text Exchanges

GoAnimate is a great site. I created one dialogue in a living room situation but I cannot save it. It seems that I used some features that needs to be purchased. So I tried again it works finally. 

Here is my video Don't Worry About Your Lessons. I used text-to-voice to make it sound and saves me lots of trouble. 

Comic strip generators are ideal tool for students watch and do some quizzes or answer some questions after watching it. It is good for listening practice. Also, it is good for students to process language from the listening to understanding. It is also good idea to give students this assignment. By giving them dialogue texts, teacher can let students do one animation by themselves. This two-way practice can help students greatly and give them more chance to practice their language abilities. 

Comic strips are both good for practicing listening and writing skills. Also, it can help check students' understanding of certain texts and situations.