This site provides a series of podcasts for users who wish to learn essential phrases before travelling to the country where the language is spoken. Podcasts are available in a variety of languages including many that are less-commonly taught.
Type of Material:
Podcasts
Recommended Uses:
These podcasts may be used independently or in group work in a classroom setting.
Technical Requirements:
Podcasts may be played on computer or a portable player.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
User will learn useful phrases and cultural information appropriate for tourists and beginning students.
Target Student Population:
All levels of language learners can profit from the podcasts, but the level is novice.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
None
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The dialogs are creative and informal. They do not sound like the average language learning audio material, but have the lively presentation style that is typical of the podcast genre. The cultural information is particularly useful to the traveler and the discourse level is appropriate.
Concerns:
None
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
These are excellent listening practice materials with engaging topics.Students can use these podcasts independently on their favorite listening devices, increasing their time on task. In the classroom, they can pratice their own dialogues using situations like those in the podcasts. They can even try their hand at authoring their own podcasts.(Search MERLOT for a tutorial on how to make podcasts.) Faculty who are going abroad with students may want to use the podcasts prior to travel. Another interesting project would be to use these podcasts for intercultural comparison. How are the podcasts different in French, Italian or Thai? There are many interesting possibilities for area studies activities.
Concerns:
None
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The podcasts are easy to access. Sound quality is excellent and background audio is appropriate and engaging. There are written support materials on the site including dialogue transcripts, graphics and external links.
Concerns:
None
Other Issues and Comments:
None
Creative Commons:
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