Podcasting

Podcasting is a useful resource in the classroom for any audio assessment or audio recording project.  In my classroom I can see using podcasts for building fluency, creating audio books, as a prewriting strategy, and presenting information in an informative, explanatory, or persuasive manner.  

For fluency, my students can choose an on-level book to practice each week.  At the beginning of the week they can do their “draft” podcast.  By Friday they should rerecord their reading of the book so they can hear the improvement.  If improvement is not significant, it will be evident that the text is either too difficult, or they are truly not practicing.

So many students struggle to write because they can’t get their thoughts on paper.  Using a podcast for students to gather their thoughts or to get initial thoughts organized will a powerful tool for the students who get lost somewhere between their thoughts and the paper.

Audio books could be a great brainstorming activity.  Given journal topics, or story starters the students can create stories as a stress free way of expanding their imaginations.  Also, if the students made audio recordings of the books they create, they can be used for struggling or emergent readers in other settings.
Finally, podcasts can be a tool for assessment.  By allowing all children or students who struggle with writing to share their knowledge via audio recording teachers can get a clear idea of what his/her students really know. Students can also create persuasive arguments and informational presentations.

See my first podcast below.  These will give you an idea of what podcasts are like!  just click on the link.
How to teach your dog to play dead.