Using podcasts to enhance students’ English skills

In today's world of advanced technology and constant information flow, podcasts have become an integral part of our daily lives. We listen to them on our way to work, during morning runs, or simply while relaxing at home. 

But have you ever considered that these engaging audio programmes could be a potent tool for learning English? 

Far beyond just improving auditory skills, podcasts open doors to new lexical horizons, enhance pronunciation, and even foster critical thinking. 

Imagine a lesson where, instead of dull textbooks and monotonous exercises, students engage deeply in the world of lively speech, authentic dialogues, and captivating stories. 

Ready to look at podcasts from a new perspective? Then keep reading!

Podcasts are more than just audio recordings to listen to on the go. 

They can become a crucial element in learning English, offering a wide array of opportunities to enhance various skills.

Developing communication skills

One of the greatest advantages of podcasts is their ability to improve communication skills. 

Most podcasts feature live conversations, interviews, and discussions that show how real people communicate in English. 

For example, podcasts with interviews allow the audience to hear how questions are asked, how responses are given, and how discussions evolve. 

This prepares learners for real-life conversations and enhances their interaction skills.  

Luke Thompson, a British comedian and English teacher, has crafted this podcast to aid language learners in enhancing their skills in an engaging and relaxed manner.

Luke possesses a remarkable sense of humour and storytelling prowess. 

In each episode, he shares amusing and insightful anecdotes from his life, discusses his travels, and recounts his comedy performances. 

Through these narratives, listeners can effortlessly grasp the intonations, rhythm, and natural pace of conversational speech, which is a crucial aspect for those aspiring to speak fluently and confidently.

The hosts dissect everyday dialogues, enabling listeners to learn to understand and use the language as native speakers do. 

Additionally, there are episodes dedicated to exploring specific grammatical structures and lexical items. 

For instance, there is an entire episode where the hosts elucidate the meanings of idioms and how to employ them in conversation.

Expanding vocabulary

Podcasts cover a vast range of topics — from news to scientific exploration, from stories to entertainment shows — providing an excellent chance to expand one's vocabulary. 

By listening to podcasts, learners encounter new words and phrases in context, which aids in better retention.

This not only helps in memorising new words but also teaches them how to utilise new vocabulary correctly.

For instance, one of the tasks could be writing a review. Students listen to the podcast and write down new words and expressions. 

Using the noted words, they need to write a review of the podcast, describing what they enjoyed, the topics covered, and what new insights they gained. 

Additionally, they can share their reviews with the group and discuss which words were new to each of them and how these words might be useful in the future. 

In the next task, students listen to a selected episode of the podcast and write down new words and expressions. Then, create 5-10 questions that might arise based on the episode's topic, using the new words. 

For example, if the podcast was about travel, their questions might include words like "itinerary," "destination," and "adventure." Next, they pair up with a partner and perform a dialogue where they ask each other the prepared questions. 

They can choose one of the following roles:

• Traveller and guide: One of the learners will be a traveller asking questions about the trip, while the other will be a guide answering questions and giving advice.
• Journalist and expert: One of the learners will be a journalist conducting an interview, and the other will be an expert on the podcast's topic.

This activity helps improve speaking skills, encourages the use of new vocabulary in context, and fosters collaborative learning.

Improving pronunciation

Repeated listening to audio programmes gives learners the chance to mimic the pronunciation of native speakers. 

By hearing how words are pronounced, what intonations and accents are used, learners can work on their own pronunciation and make it more natural.

How does it work? 

You choose a podcast with clear pronunciation, listen attentively, and immediately repeat after the host, striving to mimic each phrase as accurately as possible. 

Gradually increase the speed of repetition and aim to synchronise with the speaker. This technique develops natural intonation, and helps make one’s speech sound more confident.

Critical thinking and information analysis

Recordings often cover current and complex topics that require listeners to think and analyse.

After listening, ask your learners to discuss it with friends or classmates, share their thoughts, ask questions, and argue their points of view. 

This will not only help them comprehend the material better but also develop critical thinking skills.

Audio programmes have emerged as a potent tool in English language lessons, enlivening the learning process and making it more engaging and productive. To fully harness their potential, it's important to integrate podcasts effectively into your teaching. 

Audio recordings can be utilised at various stages of a lesson and for various age groups.

Podcasts for students could include news reviews, science programmes, or interviews. They not only develop listening abilities but also stimulate critical thinking and discussion.

Adult learners often have specific goals in learning English, whether professional or personal. For them, podcasts related to their preferences and needs are suitable.

These could encompass professional-themed podcasts, business-centric interviews, discussions of current events, or even literary analyses.

It’s important that the content is not only educational but also practically useful.

The focus of podcasts in lessons can be directed towards both listening and speaking. But how should a podcast be properly utilised for listening and speaking practice? 

During the listening phase, it is important to give students the opportunity to listen to the podcast either in its entirety or in small segments, depending on its length and complexity. 

After listening, the teacher provides tasks aimed at checking comprehension of the podcast's content. 

These tasks can include multiple-choice questions, statement completion, and other comprehension checks. 

At the end of the lesson, a discussion of the key aspects of the podcast can be organised, giving students the opportunity to share their impressions of what they listened to. 

For an interactive approach, role-playing can be used, where students assume the roles of characters from the podcast or create their own dialogues inspired by the material they have listened to. 

For example, students can embody the roles of podcast participants: they might play the part of the programme host and guests, ask questions, express viewpoints, and argue their positions. 

Additionally, in a speaking lesson, students can engage in debates based on the podcast's topic. 

They are divided into “for” and “against” teams and discuss various aspects of the issue, using facts and arguments presented in the podcast. 

This approach not only enhances their speaking skills but also encourages critical thinking and the ability to construct well-founded arguments.

When you play a podcast, students are immersed in a stream of sounds and ideas, striving to grasp every important word. 

The first round of listening goes by quickly — they write down what they remember, the words, phrases, and ideas that flashed through their mind. 

Then comes the second round: students slow down the pace, and note more details.

Next step, they are in pairs or in a small group; each person contributes to the collective text of the dictogloss. 

Together they build the correct structure, recreate the context, and accurately convey the meaning.

And now they are ready. Learners look at the piece they have created and feel a sense of accomplishment. 

Not only have they overcome the listening barrier, but they have also delved deeper into the nuances of the language, understood the grammar, and enriched their vocabulary. 

Dictogloss through podcasts is not just an exercise; it is a true immersion into the linguistic environment that inspires and broadens learners' language horizons.

Ask students to act out scenes from the podcast. This can be a dramatisation of a dialogue or creating new scenes based on what they heard. 

For example, in an English lesson, students listen to a podcast featuring an interview with a famous musician. 

After listening, they divide into groups and take on roles: journalists who ask questions to the musician, and the musician who answers them.

Assigning students to create their own podcast on a designated topic integrates multiple language skills such as writing, speaking, and listening. 

This activity not only fosters creativity and teamwork but also enhances their ability to articulate ideas clearly and effectively. 

How can this task be implemented in a lesson? Here is a brief guide:

In the digital era, where information is abundant and easily accessible, podcasts have emerged as indispensable aids for English language study. 

They provide unparalleled opportunities not only to boost listening abilities but also to develop essential language competencies. 

This tool not only develops key language skills but also sparks students' creativity, teaches them to work as a team, and helps them confidently express their thoughts in English.