In the News

In the News-Increasing Fluency through Podcasting

Over the past month, I have been exposed to a multitude of new, exciting technologies, all with wonderful implications for both my students and myself. But where do I start? It is impossible, not to mention irresponsible, to implement all of these new teaching strategies at the same time. So, I had to make a decision. Before I made a choice though, I started to research everything…blogs, wikis, podcasts, and ended up finding a great article on podcasts in the classroom. I was convinced. Podcasts would be the start of my Web 2.0 journey.

Podcasts, according to Will Richardson, are “basically the creation and distribution of amateur radio (112).” What distinguishes a podcast from a simple recording is the distribution. One of the most powerful aspects of a podcast is that distribution, and in my mind, the ability to involve parents.

What really made me want to use podcasts in my classroom was an idea I found in an article posted on the website of the National Education Association. Podcast Powerhouse speaks to the effects of podcasts on reading fluency. The podcasts that Nancy Beebe produces with her students use reader’s theater texts at different levels. These podcasts give an authentic purpose for reading and allow students to continually practice. What Beebe found was that weaker readers weren’t embarrassed to practice and ask for help.

One part of the article that really hit me was the story of a reluctant reader, and the influence podcasting had on both him and his mother. The student was so proud of himself, and couldn’t wait until his mother listened to his podcast. The mother commented that podcasting “completely changed her son’s attitude about trying to become a better reader (Bafile).”
I also found a wonderful YouTube video from Techorati on fluency podcasts. This video talked about the time it saves teachers. Teachers don’t have to sit by the students every week as they read. It is also a great way to assess. The teacher can compare more than just a score-they can listen to podcasts from different parts of the school year to see how students are progressing.

Internet Miner-
I will start off by having my students listen to podcasts made by students. I love Radio Willow Web. Dr. Fritz introduced this site to me, and I think it is a great example of what even first grade students can accomplish. My students will create their podcasts through Audacity. This free program offers easy audio recording. It will require some practice and modeling for students to learn. The program will be downloaded onto each computer in my classroom and be available on the desktop. I will also download the LAME driver so that the podcasts can be converted to an .mp3 format. I also created an archive.org as a platform for the student podcasts, on a suggestion from Vicky Davis in her wonderful step-by-step guide to podcasting.

Integrator-
This will enhance my teaching, as well as my student’s learning, in a variety of ways. As stated in the article, I hope that it will increase my student’s reading fluency. Fluency is proven to have an impact on comprehension, which is so important.

Policy Advisor-
In order to make podcasts work in my classroom, I will need the support of both the parents and my principal. It is important to show both groups positive example of student podcasts to demonstrate their educational worth. Also, the use of podcasts will change the way I use the Internet in my classroom, as well as the way my students and parents use the internet at home. At the moment, I use the Internet in a very traditional sense. This will allow the online collaboration that is at the heart of the Web 2.0 movement. My parents and students will also use the Web 2.0 at home, which is wonderful.

Producer-
To facilitate the use of podcasts in my classroom, I need to follow a few steps with my students
Give student examples of podcasts made by students, like those at Radio Willow Web.
Introduce and teach students how to use Audacity and the audio recording software.
Select appropriate Reader’s Theater text for my students and create heterogeneous groups.
Give the students a Podcast rubric so that they are aware of the expectations of the product.
Guide the students during the first few podcast recordings until they able to record independently.
Help parents set up an RSS feed so that they can access their students’ podcast.

As my students create their podcasts, I hope that there is a difference in their reading and in their attitudes towards reading. I don’t want to use podcasts for the sake of using them. I want them to have a positive effect on my traditional classroom curriculum. There is such a push in the primary grades to increase reading fluency, and I feel that this will be a great way to do just that.


Richardson, Will. Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Thousand Oaks: Corwin P, 2006.

Bafile, Cara. (2008). Podcast Powerhouse: In Front of the Class. Retrieved 6-9-2008 from http://www.nea.org/teachexperience/ifc080603.html