Podcasting

 A podcast can be taught, for example, to an intermediate-advanced level group.

You can teach them weather forecast: pre teach them vocabulary about weather and forecasting, talk about where you can hear a forecast, give Ss a listening task – while listening, take notes and solve a fill in or multiple choice exercise. Post-listening or follow up: let them create a forecast of their own (pair work) or a news report (so there can be more in a group), film it at home and create a podcast with it, after you*ve gone through the stages of making a podcast.

 The advantages are: more interactive and motivating for SS/ encourages learner autonomy/ another approach to listening/ develop speaking skills through acting.

 

 Project notebook – advantages:

 Because it is more informal, it allows Ss to freely write reflective notes about their learning process and progress. They can keep articles or any form of functional writing they*ve learned and practiced throughout a semester or a year. Theses writings may enclose notes written by the teacher, giving them feedback on their work. It is a good way of understanding mistakes and learning how not to them. Because it”s informal, Ss will feel more at ease writing as they can, accomplishing a writing task, thus the teacher knows exactly what has to be improved.

                                         -         disadvantages:

       It doesn*t focus on formal language, which is needed when learning formal letters, for instance. Students tend not to lose their work, during a semester or a year or don*t feel motivated enough to look through it, and check their writing-skills progress.

 

A response paper is a heartfelt letter to the author, a conversation, a dialogue with the work, a great idea, the man, the woman behind the artifact. It is a personal statement of one's epistemology, even of one's own spiritual experience. It is relaxed, clear, uncensored.

 It s an example of informal writing. It helps the Ss get in touch with their creative/imaginative side. Encourages creative writing and literary thinking.