Podcasts in the Elementary Classroom



Podcasts are a great way to share experiences with a target audience. Podcasts are a very diverse resource. There are podcasts that cover all topic areas, such as motivational, funny, educational, and more. As mentioned by Godsey, “ featuring diverse subject matter keeps the class exciting and gives them access to a whole world of knowledge and wisdom.” (2018).  Podcasts are a great way for teachers to introduce students to different topics and different communication styles. Podcasts are also a great resource for ELL students because they are able to follow along with the dialogue and hear how to properly pronounce words.  Godsey mentions, “Pronunciation and prosody — the patterns of stress and intonation used when people are speaking — aid in understanding, especially for English-language learners.”  (2018).  Podcasts are often easily accessible on most devices as well. There is usually no cost attached to the podcast, so it is a great resource to implement into the classroom. 


When it comes to potential roadblocks for podcasts, it would be important that the teacher and students utilize the podcasts in an appropriate way. Podcasts do not serve as replacements for instruction, but rather a supplement to a lesson to extend understanding.  Many argue that podcasts do not provide much academic gain for students.  It is important as educators to explore and choose podcasts that will help your students and keep them engaged in their learning. Below, I will be providing links to some great podcast resources that can be used specifically in the elementary classroom.  As I mentioned above, podcasts would be used as supplemental tools for the students. This is how I would personally use them in my classroom.  For example, if the topic for the week is animals, the instruction for the week would be books, assignments, and exploring animals. Finding a podcast that relates to this topic would help students make connections between what they are learning and what the podcast is about. 


Great Podcasts for Elementary Education: 


Little Stories For Tiny People - This podcast features a vast amount of stories that students can listen to and enjoy! It is organized by theme and featured stories. The website is easy to navigate and would be a great resource for grades Pre-k through 2nd grade. 


But Why? Podcast for Curious Kids - This podcast answers the best questions that kids are definitely curious about! Students can listen to the episodes using Google Podcasts, Apple Music, and Spotify. The podcast would be a great resource for Kindergarten through 5th grade. 


Tumble - Tumble is a science podcast for kids. The podcast features stories of scientific discoveries and features real scientists as guests. It can be listened to using Apple, Google, and Spotify. 



Sources: 


Godsey, M. (2018, July 6). The Benefits of Using Podcasts in the Classroom. Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/article/benefits-using-podcasts-classroom


Goldman, T. (2018). Scholar Commons The Impact of Podcasts in Education. https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1029&context=engl_176

Comments

  1. Wes EstockNovember 9, 2022 at 4:04 PM

    Hi Amanda,

    I enjoy reading blogs and posts from a different perspective then my own. I have taught MS and HS my whole career. Reading from the Elementary perspective helps me understand the versatility of the tools we discuss in class. I spoke about Podcasts in my own blog. I thought that older students may benefit from them more, but you made it seem easy to use them in your classroom! I do think that if we have students create their own, especially ELs, it may be more beneficial than actually listening to them.

    - Wes

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  2. Jenna BennettNovember 12, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    Hi Amanda,

    Thank you very much for sharing how you use podcasts in your classroom. I agree with your point that podcasts should not replace instruction, but that they are a great resource for supplementing or enriching the lesson. I am going to search through the links that you provided (thanks again!) and try to use a podcast or two this coming week similarly to how you described. Also, I have a very curious 5-year-old daughter, and some of the choices you shared may also be a great fit for at home. Thank you for not only posting but also for sharing resources.

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