Topic 1: Podcast4AEAL

According to ”Wikipedia, The Free Online Encyclopedia,” a podcast is a type of digital media -- a form of electronic media.

The word Podcast comes from two other words: iPod and broadcast.

Podcasts consist of several audio files -- on a topic of interest -- to which you can subscribe. You may listen to one of the files on a particular topic or all the files on that topic. This is similar to a newspaper to which you subscribe – the topics are chosen for you, but you are the one who will decide when to read and which articles to read on any given topic. In addition, like the newspaper, you may listen to a podcast over and over and you may also share it with your colleagues.

Each podcast has an audience. For example, the audience for “Learning English with CBC” is comprised of English language learners at an intermediate level. In Canada, the level would be Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5/6.

I will be publishing my first podcast this week, and my audience will be mainly learners of English at an intermediate level; however, since the topic may be of interest to others, “everyone” is invited to listen

Using the format of the CBC podcasts and lessons at CBC Manitoba | EAL http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/eal/lessons.html , I will include both a classroom version and self-study version to each of the podcast topics I publish. Like the CBC lessons, mine will also be available “online4everyone!”

The first few lessons and podcasts I publish will be based on the wonderful world of the Web and the powerful tools available for our classrooms – both as a leaner and as an educator.

Once you have had a chance to listen to my first podcast, I hope you will join me here to share ideas, participate in discussions and collaborate, so we can all become better learners.

Thank you!