Chapter 8 on Podcasting

I am actually excited about podcasting, which is the main focus in Chapter 8. It's a way to get students engaged in the classroom. There are ways to incorporate podcasting in any subject. In history, students can have political discussions or give oral reports. In science, students can verbally share their results of an experience or explain a process. For any teacher, podcasting is a great way to keep parents involved and up to date, and to share what was missed for students that didn't attend that class. As a special education teacher, I feel that podcasting can bring in a new element to learning. For the students with a learning disability, podcasting might be an easier way to learn about something. For example, if they are struggling with reading, creating a podcast will help them practice speech and fluency, and then listening back to it is another way to "study" or review the story again, and can be saved for a later time, too. For students with behavioral or emotional problems, this is a way to keep them engaged in school. It adds the "fun" component to school! For students in the English Language Learners program (ELL), this is a way for them to practice speaking English and listening to English.
As a teacher, I will definitely add the technology component, especially podcasting, after I practice it more on my own, of course! Kids today are growing up practically with technology in their bones. It is important for them to learn as much about technology that they can, since most employers will want those fluent with technology. As a special education teacher, I feel that adding technology to the classroom will give my students an even greater opportunity to succeed in life! What is really great about the podcasting is that students are able to do it without having to purchase extremely expensive technology. They can do it simply with an iTunes account or off of a school computer. This can make sure that those students that are lower socioeconomically can always participate with technology, even if technology isn't available at home.