Class Four: Radio, Podcasts, Webcasts and Audio

Radio, Podcasts, Webcasts and other Audio files on the internet

Radio is not dead!! On the internet because you can listen to radio stations from around the world and for any topic. You can find very specific programs or very general programs with a world audience. Radio is certainly not just for music anymore!

Objectives: To introduce you to some very useful audio/radio resources on the WWW so that you can improve your listening comprehension. Use these sites to listen to different accents and learn a different point of view from news stories or audio documents from other cultures. Some radio sites also have learning sections with transcripts of programs and/or vocabulary and comprehension exercises to help you improve your English.

ATTENTION! If you cannot download these shows (server full, software stuck…), go on to the next question.

National Public Radio http://www.npr.org/ is America’s oldest and most respected public news radio. (20 minutes)
==> What are the top stories?
==> Listen to a few minutes of the 5 minute Hourly newscast. (Do you understand everything?)
==> At the bottom right of the homepage, find out what general topic of news comes with free transcripts.
(What does transcript mean? if you don’t know go to Google and write in define: transcripts). Listen to one of these stories and read the transcript simultaneously.
==> Find a news item about the immigration debate in the USA.
==> What is the Story Corps: America Talks? Listen to one of the stories.

BBC Radio: Go to the BBC Radio Homepage (20 minutes)

==> Listen to the World News Bulletin (use Windows Media Player)
==> Go to Radio 4 ==> The Today Programme. You can listen to today’s programs or the Listen Again archives. Listen to one of the news items.

==> Go back to the BBC Radio Homepage and click on World Service. At the bottom of the page on the right, click on the Learning English Section.

==> Also on the World Service homepage, choose a Podcast or Videocast to subscribe to or try the Download and Podcast Trial (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/downloadtrial/). Try one from Radio Ulster or Radio Wales for different accents.

Voice of America: http://www.voanews.com/english/portal.cfm (10 minutes)

==> Go to the VOA English section (in the menu bar at the top of the page) ==> American Life (in the left column menu) ==> Wordmaster: Analysis of American English (yellow icon at the bottom of the page) ==> Choose any report to listen to and read the transcript as you listen.

Another feature of American Life is Immigration in the Special Reports column (on the right of the screen). You can listen to stories told by New American Voices (icon at the bottom of the page) or read articles about the immigration debate.

==> Webcasts: in the left hand column, click on Webcasts. For the language choose English==> Special English TV. (or click on any program. Special English News is read slowly and is easy to understand)

MORE RADIO ON THE INTERNET If you have the time….

(These following sites are to give you an idea of the variety of radio on the internet)

College Radio is a tradition in the USA. Find out on the Wikipedia site what this is. Go to the bottom of the description and find some links to College Radio Stations or Indie radio stations.

What is Assistive Media? http://www.assistivemedia.org/current-features.html
- In your own words, explain the history and purpose of this site.
- Take a few minutes to listen to one of the documents. Is it easy to understand? As an LEA student, by the end of the second year, you should have no problems understanding these programs.

Studio 360 is another alternative Radio project. http://www.wnyc.org/studio360/about.html
- What is its main focus?
- Go to the American Icons section. What are the three items presented? Do you know them?
- In the first of the three, who are some of the artists who participated in the project?
- Listen to some of the music by Mme Anderson.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation: http://www.cbc.ca/programguide/radio// (you can also find videos on this site)

HOMEWORK: Think of 5 questions to put on a questionnaire for the Irish students about travelling to a foreign country, interesting cultural experiences abroad, favourite destinations and cultural differences… The questions should include two “yes-or-no” questions, two multiple choice questions, and one open ended question. Try to be creative.
Write these questions on a piece of paper that you will give to the instructor.

Extra information:

Alternative Media:
Alternative voices in the USA can be heard thanks to the internet: http://www.michaelmoore.com/
http://www.truthout.org/
Satirical voices : the Onion has "funny", sarcastic information. Can you understand why it is funny? (this is a real test of your language skills in English) http://www.theonion.com/content/index