Podcasts in the classroom help improve listening and speaking skills...
Our AZ College and Career Readiness Standards state that classrooms should "employ technology thoughtfully to enhance [student's] reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language use." Some useful tools I have found to help bolster students' listening skills are podcasts. Podcasts are audio tracks streamed over the internet. They can include music but most often they resemble something of a talk show. Vodcasts (video podcasts) also exist. Podcasts offer the opportunity for students to listen and discuss on topics of history, literature, current events, art, and more. Serial podcast, a spin-off of This American Life , hit the internet in fall of 2014 and created a classroom listening lesson sensation. Season One consists of 12 episodes, each revealing the facts in the case of Adnan Syed, high school senior accused of murdering his ex girlfriend. This true life tale leaves students hanging on to every word, searching for clues, and arguing the evidence. Teache...