Education World is pleased to present a special series of podcast roundups that cover every area of an academic subject. In this selection of best English/language arts podcasts for all grade levels, you’ll find some of the best video and audio that the Internet has to offer K-12 English/language arts educators. While some podcasts are popular and air nationally and internationally off of the Web, others are hidden gems we've uncovered.
Creative Writing
The Dead Robots’ Society: http://deadrobotssociety.com
Hosts Justin Macumber, Terry Mixon and Paul E. Cooley offer weekly insight, interviews and a variety of ways to support the art of writing. This fun podcast will help inspire your class of aspiring writers.
ELL
Podcasts in English: http://www.podcastsinenglish.com/pages/level1.shtml
This podcast is a very professional and extremely helpful aid for teaching English to non-native speakers. There’s even a teachers’ section featuring lesson plans. Paid members get access to worksheets, transcripts, webquests and more.
Fiction
New Yorker - Fiction: http://www.newyorker.com/online/2008/11/17/081117on_audio_homes
Once a month, this podcast offers a reading of a fiction story featured in past issues of The New Yorker. After each contributor reading, there’s a followup discussion with New Yorker fiction editor and host Deborah Treisman. Each episode brings the drama, passion, and spirit of the written word in fiction into full focus, making it the perfect aid for any high school English teacher.
Journalism
It’s All Journalism: http://itsalljournalism.com
Host Megan Cloherty and producers Anna Miars and Michael O’Connell tackle tough issues in journalism, mostly centered around its digital transition and the future of valuable journalistic traditions such as investigative writing. This weekly podcast typically features fantastic guests, some of which are industry legends.
Literature
Audio Literature Odyssey: http://nikolledoolin.com/alo/
Writer and voice actor Nikolle Doolin dives into classic literature with a sharp mind and a passionate heart, covering literary greats with readings that will bring an air of elegance into your classroom while letting students participate in smooth read-alongs. Each episode includes the full text, context about the work and author, and/or discussion starters.
Poetry
Classic Poetry Aloud: https://classicpoetryaloud.wordpress.com/
This podcast brings the best of classic poetry to life. Its expansive collection of episodes is categorized by theme and poet. Much like Audio Literature Odyssey, the readings sound professional and offer full texts, which can take some of the work out of planning lessons around certain poets.
Public Speaking
The Public Speaker by Quick and Dirty Tips: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/public-speaker
Every week, host Lisa B. Marshall offers great tips to help public speakers become better communicators. Marshall teaches listeners about being effectively engaging with great ease. Her expertise and practical approach can help students with speaking anxiety and other presentation issues in and outside of the classroom.
Reading/Books
Book Tour: https://www.npr.org/series/10448909/book-tour
Book Tour no longer regularly airs, but the show’s archives store a wealth of great content on works by top contemporary authors. Host Lynn Neary showcases live author readings followed by in-depth audience conversations. The production is trademark NPR, which may or may not connect with certain students, and the material is often dense for grade levels lower than high school.
Writing
National Writing Project: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/national-writing-project/id320563740?mt=2
The National Writing Project podcast supports K-12 English educators in teaching reading, writing, digital literacy and all things related. Listen live to participate in the chat room, where you can access additional resources. While the show’s focus is broad, its main mission is to help students become skilled writers with a better command of the English language.
Article by Jason Cunningham, EducationWorld Social Editor
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