I recently received the following email:

Lynda wrote:
Hi Alice! I just read your blog about podcasting with ELD students. I didn’t quite understand how you used the powerpoint slide and how they picked the stories.Could you please elaborate for me? I have 3rd grade ELDs and would love to try it! thanks, Lynda

Lynda is referring to this post:

Podcasting for ELD | Reflections on Teaching

I thought I’d put the answer here in case it was unclear to others, and to revisit this post and the idea of podcasting with students.

I used Power Point for the script of the show. You don’t have to use that, BUT since the fonts are big and readable in Power Point automatically, I just used that instead of Word, or some other word processing program. It makes it easier to read. The important part is that they write a script either on computer or a piece of paper, before they speak. If you are working with students of different literacy abilities, have the good writing at the start, and other reading, or editing (eventually, all of them should be writing).

I had a group from fourth to sixth grade level (9-12 yo). I had them suggest topics on day one through blog post, but you could have a “production meeting” to decide that. I would sometimes require a story about upcoming events (like parent conferences) but the majority of story topics were given by students. You might have to oral prompt them at first, but have them make the choice.

Here is a basic outline for a 30 minute ELD block:

Day 1: Have students write suggestions for topics

Day 2: Select the topics as a class or have a committee

Day 3: Create a script with the topics. You may need provide an outline or dates and times for events especially with lower-level third graders.

Day 4: Edit the script (great opportunity for sentence lifting)

Day 5: Record the show and edit (I use Audacity, some Mac users favor Garage Band). Save as an MP3, then post on a syndication service, or blog (I just used a blog).