CNN Student News

What is this?
This is a news website that contains news videos, transcripts, discussions, newsquiz and daily podcast. All the videoes and relevant PDF files can be downloaded and be regularly updated. It is really a good learning source that can be widely used in language learning context.
Why is the content good for language learning?

• It provides latest news and reports as authentic listening materials.
• The news topics are diverse and have a strong association with learners' daily life and concerned issues.
• The speakers in the videoes from different parts of the world and speak different accents which provides learners a 'pure' English  world.
• The news are categorised by topics, some by areas. Learners can choose what they are interested in easily.
• The transcript can help students understand the news much better.
• The newsquiz allows learners to review what they watched and understood by doing some relevant quizzes. It can be also used as a homework or post-task to do, which will probably foster learners' autonomy.
• Podcast can be downloaded into personal itune or iphone. Learners can get the updated news without accessing computer.

How might you use it in a language teaching context?
 
For example,

•  Firstly, teacher may ask students to search and choose a piece of latest news related to a same topic , say Janpan earthquake.
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• Then watch the news video individually, and then retell the news or describe the main meaning of the news to their parterner.
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• If students hardly understand the news, they are allowed to refer to the transcript.
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• Based on the same topic news:  1.Teacher can arrange a group discuss , for example, ask students to make suggestion about how to help the people in Japan, how to donate money, goods and materials, what will you say to the people in earthquake area. 2.Students can comment on the video and give their feedback. 3.Teacher can ask students to write a reflection passage about earthquake or natural disaster.4.Teacher can ask students to recall what they did and thoughts when Sichuan province suffered earthquake. 5.Teacher can divide students into different groups and ask them to prepare a short news and report it in class. 6.Teacher can ask students to brainstorm how to protect yourself during earthquake.
• Finally, students can do the newsquiz to review the news and relevant topic.

Limitation

• The transcripts are too long and  key words or topic-related words are not highlighted.
• Some videoes are lacking of transcript.
• No subtitle in the video. Only suitable for advanced learners.

Audioboo Creat your podcast

What is this?

This is an useful online tool which can be used to record sound, as well as a fabulous website that  allows users to post and share sound files. It is a great way to creat and share one's podcast on Internet.

Why is the content good for language learning?

For students:

• The sound files or recordings in this website is a collection of all aspects of our life and society from all over the world. From economy, science,culture and education to sport, entertainment, travel and daily life, students can choose various topics in which they are interested to listen.
• All the recordings are authentic listening materials and listening input, which enables students to get in touch with a real English world and practice listening ability.
• Free to sign up an account,  listen to other's podcast, make and post students' own recording will motivate students to learn both on class and after class and increase their autonomy.
• Be consuming for language learning. Students can use this tool to do group discussion or presentation.
• Be producing for language production. When students record their own sound, they may find their speaking problem and self-correct.
• Comparing their own recordings of different periods, they may find the improvement in speaking and be encouraged.
• From teacher's podcast, students may have another chance to learn what they missed or unknown on class.
• This website enables students to pur forward any question and express the idea what they want to say withour worrying about some restricted factors of class.

For teacher:

• A good tool to post teacher's lecture and instruction and share with students.
• Teacher can download or record some listening materials as a warm-up activities or a preview material for students before class, or a homework and after-class activities.
• Giving more opportunities for teacher to interact with students.
• A good resouce for teacher to apply some listening materials on class and after class.
• Teacher can check students' homework, speaking proficiency, specific pronunciation and improvement, etc. through their recording.
• Easy to be embeded in teacher's blog.

 How might you use it in a language teaching context?

For example,

1. Teacher embeds a podcast (can be self-recorded or online materials) in her blog, and asks students to listen to it and complete the task (might be a integrative listening and speaking task based on a specific topic) before next class.
2. The way students to do this task is to record what they think and talk on audioboo, then post their recordings and share with their classmates.
3. Teacher check students' homework and their speaking accuracy and fluency according to their recordings. Then give comments, suggestion, and feedback to students, also by sending teacher's recording.

Limitations

• A huge workload for teacher to respond to every student by recording one by one.
• Might be difficult to search a suitable listening material due to different levels of students.
• A rich resources of podcasts might distract students.