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Here - EnglishAgenda - British Council

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mobile phones via Bluetooth from my laptop and provide the transcripts as hardcopy.The set-up and materials allow for this flexibility so that they can be used in low-techand high-tech situations.When recording the introduction of each episode, the small talk and the actualdialogues, it is good to pause between the sections so that later on, when reusingthem for future courses, the sections can easily be cut and reassembled as needed.Keeping the podcast episodes short makes it easier for the learners to listen tothem even when they only have short breaks. It is also less intimidating for beginnerlearners and can give them a sense of achievement when they finish an episode andunderstand it. The risk of ‘getting lost’ in the recording is lower too.Finally, one mistake that many podcast creators make is that the language used toexplain the episode, language or grammar is often more complicated than the actuallanguage or grammar point explained, which makes it difficult for the learners tounderstand. In this course, I wanted to avoid this trap but I also wanted to includean additional challenge. Therefore, I chose a middle way and did include some morecomplicated or unknown language in the introduction or ‘small talk’ part. Weakerstudents were helped by the transcript, they could ask me or at least learn to copewith situations in which they did not understand everything that was said in English(a common situation at work), and stronger students had some additional languageto take away from the episodes.ReferencesAbdous, M, Camarena, MM and Facer, BR (2009) MALL Technology: Use of AcademicPodcasting in the Foreign Language Classroom. ReCALL 21: 76 – 95.Alonso, F, López, G, Manrique, D and Viñes, JM (2005) An instructional model for webbasede-learning education with a blended learning process approach. <strong>British</strong> Journalof Educational Technology 36/2: 217–235.Bax, S (2003) CALL– past, present and future. System 31: 13 – 28.Chinnery, GM (2006) Emerging technologies – Going to the MALL: Mobile AssistedLanguage Learning. Language Learning & Technology 10/1: 9 –16.Collis, B and Moonen, J (2002) Flexible learning in a digital world. Open Learning:The Journal of Open and Distance Learning 17/3: 217 – 230.Edirisingha, P, Salmon, G and Fothergill, J (2007) ‘Profcasting – a pilot study andguidance for integrating podcasts in a blended learning environment’, in Bernath,U and Sangrà, A (eds) Research on Competence Development in Online DistanceEducation and E-learning. Oldenburg: BIS-Verlag, 127–137.Evans, C (2008) The effectiveness of m-learning in the form of podcast revisionlectures in higher education. Computers & Education 50: 491– 498.Garrison, D and Kanuka, H (2004) Blended Learning: Uncovering its transformativepotential in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education 7: 95 –105.138 | Blended learning: podcasts for taxi drivers

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