Blog Entry #4: Digital Audio Tools in the Classroom

This week's module really got me thinking about the ways I want to use digital audio tools in my classroom this upcoming school year. I already use audio books quite often for the various novels my high school kids read throughout the year as a class. It's usually a great way for me to get reluctant readers engaged in the text prior to assigning the rest of the chapter for them to read as homework. My sophomores especially love the audio recording of Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, as it is read by the director and actor (of the 1992 version), Gary Sinise, who just does an amazing job of additionally reading all of the characters' voices (especially Lennie's voice!) in the audio version. I am also a frequent YouTube user in the classroom. I often have my students watch short informative videos to teach/reinforce a variety of content. I know it is helpful, as so many students are visual learners, as well. With that said, I especially love having my students watch John Green's CrashCourse Youtube videos to build background knowledge on a particular period in history (especially with my senior British Literature class) before diving into a difficult text.

Next year, though, I want to take this much further. I have already mentioned that I am excited to replace student responses from the physical notebook format to the online blog format, as this class has inspired me to give them a more authentic audience:  their classmates. Additionally, I am excited about having them incorporate podcasts into their blogs, as well. I think it will be a great way to have my students publish their work and assess their learning, as mentioned in the Podcasting PowerPoint. Again, this will make the assessments much more authentic, which is one of my goals for this school year, in particular. I also like the idea of distributing school assignments in the podcast format. Using the I, We, You method is still stuck in my head after reading Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov years ago. So, if I create a podcast to use to give out an assignment and then create one with my class, they should be ready to do one on their own after that. Lastly, I thought it was an interesting idea to create an archive of class lectures using podcasts. I can especially see myself doing this with the mini-lesson lectures I do to teach literary devices/techniques throughout the school year. It just seems like they need refreshers on a lot of them and often, and sometimes physical notes are just not sufficient reminders.

I liked how creating podcasts was compared to the writing cycle. As an English teacher, this just spoke to me. So accurate, too. It got me thinking, actually. Maybe I could have my students read parts of their formal essays in the podcast format, in order to get feedback from their peers during the rough draft process. Again, they could add this to their blogs, in addition to writing about how the writing process went, what they thought they did well/could improve upon, etc. Plus, I am always telling them that reading their essays out loud is one of the best ways to catch grammatical and mechanical errors, so this would push them to do it. The only part I am concerned about is my students finding quiet areas to record in the busy classroom environment. This was also mentioned in the PowerPoint. I will have to brainstorm some ideas to solve that issue. Next, I was excited to learn that there are easier options out there for students to use like Edublogs or Podbean to host their podcasts (in addition to posting on their blog) for other purposes, as I do not want this to turn off any students. Most of the classrooms in my private school building are quite traditional and change is particularly difficult for all. On that same note, after watching the Audacity video, I am confident that my students would find it rather easy to work with, as far as producing the audio goes. I chose to use Anchor, though, for my podcast, which you can access here:  https://anchor.fm/s/e217b0  

It was surprisingly easy to use. So, that will give my students a second option that I am now familiar with.

It was so great to learn about some of the different podcasts available for students. I was over the moon when I learned that Grammar Girl:  Quick and Dirty Tips has podcasts. I had no idea. This may be life-changing. I teach grammar and mechanics every other week to my freshman and sophomores. We focus on one or two skills for the week. However, some of the skills are hard for a lot of my students to grasp, which is why I allow retakes on the quiz they take at the end of the week until it clicks for them. These podcasts would be great resources for me to direct my students to, in order for them to prepare adequately for the retake quiz. I could even show some of them in class after I teach the skill and they take notes or maybe even instead of. Lots of possibilities, here! I listened to one podcast on her list about how/when to use commas and semi-colons with transition words when writing that was so well done. Although, she never disappoints, so I should have expected that.

I also really liked the Book Club for Kids podcasts where kids talk about books they have read. This gave me yet another idea about how to incorporate podcasts in the classroom. I thought this could be a great assessment for my sophomores, as one of their major assignments in my class is to read a book of their choice each month and book talk with me twice a month about it. However, each year, I am stumped to find a way (and time) for them to share their books with their peers in class. This solves my problem. I can have them make a podcast about one of the books they read that they liked a lot and explain why (without giving away any spoilers, of course). Again, I could have them link it to their blog where they can go into more detail. That way, they can hear about what everyone else is reading and get ideas for what to read in the upcoming months that doesn't take away precious time in the classroom.  In addition, this podcast site is simply a great resources for students to use for browsing purposes, in order to get ideas about what they may like to read next.

To end, the podcasts available for teachers were equally impressive. While I do not have a long drive to work (about 15 minutes), I really want to find time to listen to some of these podcast channels. I love reading professional development books, but have a hard time finding the time to complete them during the school year. This would be a great way to stay updated on the latest and greatest teaching practices, resources, etc. in a more efficient manner. I liked the sound of Talks with Teachers because it was specifically created for English teachers by a teacher from Long Island. She offers inspiring ideas from the best teachers around the world and wants to help all teachers improve their practices. I already subscribed to her channel and can't wait to continue listening. Others that sounded interesting to me were the following:  The Bedley Brothers and 2 Coffee Teachers. Both are committed to helping teachers stay up-to-date and encouraged to do their best. After all, we can't do this alone, as I always like to say.