2 Podcasting
Speaking and listening has often (most teachers would say always) been a poor relation in the English classroom. In recent years there have been a number of efforts to give due attention to speaking and listening (or oracy, as it’s sometimes called). These include making assessment compulsory at GCSE and, most recently, requiring GCSE students to study spoken language as part of their courses.
This unit explores some approaches to producing sound recordings. In the process, students will be using a range of strategies, including formal writing for planning, scripts and note-taking, as well as plenty of unscripted discussion. The final podcast may be scripted, improvised or a mix of both. (Strictly, there is more to podcasting than just making an audio recording – we suggest later that students might like to investigate this for themselves.)
Modern computers are likely to have basic sound recording abilities. For easier recording and higher quality you can use a range of additional equipment, from cheap microphones and speakers (or headsets) to portable sound recorders – you can clip a small microphone to an iPod, for example. You do not need access to expensive equipment, though of course if your school or college has facilities such as a studio, you can achieve better results. This unit assumes only basic facilities and shows you where you can find free editing software that is perfectly adequate for classroom use.
Hard to teach topics
Read the following Hard to teach case studies on podcasting, which you can find on the NATE site, www.nate.org.uk/ htt [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] :
- Analysing the language of poetry through podcasts, Kate Murphy, http://www.nate.org.uk/cmsfiles/ict/h2t/15_Analysing_poetry.pdf
- Using podcasting to improve close analysis of language in poetry, Carrie McMillan, http://www.nate.org.uk/cmsfiles/ict/h2t/16_Podcasting_poetry.pdf
- ‘Explain yuself wha yu mean when yu say podcast’: GCSE poetry podcasts, Phillip Lloyd, http://www.nate.org.uk/cmsfiles/ict/h2t/17_GCSE_poetry_podcasts.pdf
You will find links on the same page to some additional resources, including where to download the Audacity sound recording software and some help sheets and a presentation on Audacity that both teachers and students should find useful. (Carrie McMillan’s students used Apple Mac hardware and software, as detailed in the appendix to her case study; however, her approach will be of interest whatever equipment you propose to use.)
Reflection
How does the requirement to produce a recording affect teaching and learning?
What topics would be particularly suitable for this approach?
What would you need to produce a podcast in your own classroom? Does your institution already possess recording equipment or facilities, for example in another department?
What framework would you give to the assignment you set for students?
Background reading