Blog #4

Langwitches

Podcasting With First Grade
The teacher tells how she had her students do a podcast as if they were interviewing the characters of a book they were reading. The students seemed to have really enjoyed doing it and it improved their reading, public speaking, and confidence. Since the podcast is over the internet people from all over can hear these children and respond back to them. This testimony shows how podcasting with young children can further their experience with technology, allow children to come out of their shell and improve their reading skills.

Flat Stanley Podcast
These first graders read the book "Flat Stanley" and were inspired by the other first grade class' podcast. The students decided to make a podcast about each of them being a flat stanley and each one of them were from different locations throughout the world. They rented books from the library on their selected locations to learn about what the place was like. From there they told on the podcast what their location looked like, the noises it had and what kind of smells it had.

Listening-Comprehension-Podcasting
These second graders made a podcast on another story they read. These second graders were the ones that had previously made a couple of podcasts in first grade, so they had plenty of experience with it. This time the purpose of the podcast was to help them use their comprehension, listening skills, speaking skills, critical and logical thinking skills, plus many more. Not only did these students use and empower those skills they also better their knowledge with the smartboard and other technology.
When I first began this class, I really had no knowledge on podcasts at all. It does surprise me a little bit to see this many teachers using all these different technology techniques to teach. I think it's wonderful and the children really seem to enjoy themselves. I wish when I was younger I could've gotten that headstart! I personally am all about creativeness and the arts and using these techniques really help bring out a student's creative side.