Using Podcasts in the Elementary Classroom

Portable radio in a straw hat, made by an American inventor. 1931

There are a variety of applications for podcasts in the classroom both as a resource made by other people and as something teachers and students can create themselves.  From communicating with students to parents to other teachers, podcasting can be a medium for teachers to enhance the way they present information with a few resources that all teachers in the Juneau School District already have access to (Kenuam, 2010).

There is also a wealth of free podcasts available for teachers to use that already exists.  With the click of a mouse, teachers can bring experts into their classrooms, have stories read to their students, or give students a peak into the lives of the authors whose works they are reading.

Scientific American publishes a series of podcasts called 60 Second Science which are short news-clip style audio-only podcasts on a variety of science topics.  While some of the podcasts are too advanced for most elementary school classrooms, some of the podcasts are on such high interest topics that they would be great for a brain break or mini lesson.  For example, this episode on piranhas would capture the attention of my 4th and 5th grade class while communicating to them some interesting facts and exposing them to the scientific process in action.

Another application of podcasts in the classroom is as a read aloud.  Sites such as Storynory, The Story Home, and Activated Stories allow students to listen to a variety of stories for free.  I could see this being of use at a listening center particularly in a primary classroom although many of these stories would be interesting to students of any age.  What is nice about some of these sites is that the text for the stories is either provided or easily accessible as most of the stories are in the public domain, so students could read along as they listen.

Finally, Reading Rocket's Meet the Author podcast is a video podcast of interviews with famous authors of children's books.  This podcast would be a great way to introduce a new book for a read aloud or literature study and would also be a way to get kids thinking about why people write.

The podcasts I have named are just a few of the many free podcasts available for teachers to use in their class.

Resources

Activated Stories. (2007). Activated Stories. Retrieved November 8, 2011, from http://activated.libsyn.com/

Education Videos & Podcasts | Reading Rockets. (2011). Reading Comprehension & Language Arts Teaching Strategies for Kids | Reading Rockets. Retrieved November 9, 2011, from http://www.readingrockets.org/podcasts/ 

Gostwick, N., & Hugh, F. (2005). Latest Stories. Storynory, Free Audio Stories for Kids. Retrieved November 8, 2011, from http://storynory.com/

Kenuam, A. (2010). Podcasts in Education Made Simple. Slide Share. Retrieved November 8, 2011, from http://www.slideshare.net/akenuam/podcasts-in-education-made-simple

Scientific American: 60-Second Science. (2011). Scientific American. Retrieved November 8, 2011, from http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/podcasts.cfm?type=60-second-science

Purple Button Media LLC. (2007). The Story Home™ Children's Audio Stories . The Story Home™ Children's Audio Stories. Retrieved November 8, 2011, from http://thestoryhome.com/