Podcasting for teaching English.

There are a number of podcast programs for language learning. Unlike TV or radio, podcast has more benefits to use regardless of time and money. In language teaching, teachers can use podcast for students to learn accurate pronunciation of the words and intonation from native speakers which may be the hardest part to learn in any level of students. Besides, students can feel more interested and motivated in learning through podcast since they can listen many times and practice outside of classroom as well. They can save the files to their mp3 devices and listen to it as they listen to music.

To use podcast in my EFL classroom, I explored ESL Pod which has a lot of English language sources from words to American culture. Among them, I chose ESL Podcast 732- Preferring Different work styles. Since it is very short to listen, I do not need to use it as main lesson. After teaching the main lesson about job, I will use this podcast for students to listen and talk about different work style in pairs or in groups. First of all, I would explain some difficult expressions and then, I would ask students to do role-play using the script. Finally, I would ask them to discuss preferring different work styles so that they could express their opinions. In ESL classroom, we can compare work styles in different countries so that students also could broaden cultural views.  




 

Why technology in the L2 curriculum?

Mastering language cannot be completed in a short time. Second language learners need to put a lot of effort and time to speak the language fluently.

Especially, in EFL classroom, just a few hour lesson a day can never enough to learn and practice language in each student. Commins(1998) mentions that formal L2 teaching often unsuccessful because learners receive impoverished or insufficient input in the target language.

According to Robert J. Blake's Brave New Digital Classroom: Technology and Foreign Language Learning, he asserts that "technology could play a major role in enhancing L2 learners' contact with the target language, especially in the absense of study abroad."  I totally agree with it since i saw many people who try to learn languages through technology without going abroad and get a high score in TOEFL or another official English speaking test. EFL students hardly have a chance to talk with foreigners, so it is difficult for them to practice target language outside of the classroom.

Thus, teachers have to use technology to supply more lessons such as providing reading materials or having discussion in the classroom blogs. Besides, teachers have to help students to practice target language continuously using the internet tools by themselves.

Blake, Robert J.  & Dorothy M. Chun.  (2008)  Brave New Digital Classroom: Technology and Foreign Language Learning.  Washington, D.C. :Georgetown University Press