ESLPod.com
The definition of Podcast on the Literacy Tent Wiki is: "Pod casting" is making audio files (most commonly in MP3 format) available online in a way that allows software to automatically download the files for listening at the user's convenience. Podcasts can be used to connect directly to learning activities or you can create your own.
Note from Nancy Faux: The ESLPod is a great way to obtain recorded dialogues to use in your class. In order to exploit them for classroom use, however, you will need to create a lesson plan around them. This lesson plan should, of course, include all the essential elements of a good ESOL lesson: review/warm-up, introduction, presentation, practice, extension and on-going evaluation activities. Remember to make your classes as interactive as possible allowing your students to practice using the language.
ESLPod.com is run by a volunteer team of experienced English as a Second Language professors with over 30 years of high school, adult, and university ESL teaching experience. Dr. Lucy Tse writes scripts and story ideas for all of the podcasts, and records many of the dialogs and stories. The host for the podcast is Dr. Jeff McQuillan, who helps read the scripts and provides explanations for them.
A new 15-minute podcast is prepared every day. Topics include: "Seeing a Specialist," "How to Work in the United States," "Giving Opinions in a Meeting," "Getting a Driver's License," "Getting a Man's Haircut," "Shopping for Shoes," and "Giving Birth in a Hospital.
The podcasts are free. All podcasts come with an 8-10 page Learning Guide, with complete transcripts and more vocabulary, explanations, cultural information, and much more for members, who are asked to pay $10 per month for the Learning Guides.
Teachers Guides are free for the teacher, but students are asked to pay a discounted price, depending on the number of students in a class.
The site currently offers 275 podcasts. More questions? Email: ESLpod@eslpod.com