Podcasting is particularly suited for the foreign language classroom as it is primarily composed of recorded voice. Applications can range from assisting students with pronuniation practice, dialogue creation, audio homework assignments and listening to stories in the target language while reading them. As a Spanish teacher, I’ve used podcasts more as an instructional tool for pronunciation review. I’ve included podcasts to accompany vocabulary lists as well as to practice speaking in a more fluid manner.
Being that foreign language class is about hearing and reacting to what you are presented with, it’s important that students have a way to practice this both inside and outside of class. I came across a great example of how students can practice these abilities using a service called GabCast. While podcasts can be recorded the traditional way, GabCast also allows you to submit your audio by telephone! This is great for the student that does not have access to a computer at home. In the example, the teacher leaves a question in Spanish in the first podcast. Students are to leave their own podcast (at least a minute long) that answers the question in Spanish in as much detail as possible.
Here is the teacher’s question in Spanish…(What’s your most important possession and why?)
Gabcast! Español II - Cap. 7, 1st Assigment #1
Here is a sample of a student response to her question…