π️ Podcasting in Our Classroom
What is Podcasting?
Podcasting in our classroom is more than just recording voices, it’s a way for learners to share ideas, build conversations, and make their thinking visible.
At its simplest, a podcast is a recorded conversation. In our literacy programme, students work together to create episodes where they:
- discuss a shared text
- share opinions and interpretations
- ask questions
- agree, disagree, and build on each other’s ideas
It turns reading from something you do quietly on your own into something that is collaborative, active, and engaging.
Why Do We Use Podcasting?
We use podcasting because it creates the conditions for better thinking and better talk.
In the past, many students:
- found it hard to contribute to discussions
- gave short or surface-level answers
- lacked confidence in sharing their ideas
Podcasting helps shift this by giving students:
π― A real purpose
Students know their discussion is being recorded and shared, which encourages them to speak clearly, explain their thinking, and stay engaged.
π A reason to listen
To respond in a podcast, you have to actually listen. This builds stronger conversations where students react to each other’s ideas, not just the teacher’s questions.
π¬ Opportunities for deeper discussion
Instead of one-off answers, students are encouraged to:
- explain their thinking
- provide evidence from the text
- build on others’ ideas
π§ Stronger thinking skills
Podcasting supports key comprehension skills like:
- inferencing
- evaluating
- making connections
π Increased confidence
Over time, even quieter students begin to contribute more, especially when the task feels authentic and purposeful.
How Do We Use Podcasting?
Podcasting is built into our literacy programme as part of a structured cycle.
π Our Learning Cycle
π Two-Week Deep Dive
- Students read multiple texts linked to a wider topic
- They complete follow-up tasks to build understanding
- They take part in structured discussions
- They record a podcast episode to share their thinking
During podcasts, students:
- make predictions
- share opinions
- explain ideas
- respectfully agree or disagree
π One-Week Focus
- Vocabulary development
- Teacher-led discussions
- Targeted reading tasks
- Practising key comprehension skills
This helps strengthen the foundations needed for richer discussions.
π️ What a Podcast Looks Like
Students typically work in small groups where they:
- take on roles (e.g., host, speaker, questioner)
- prepare ideas based on their reading
- record their conversation
As they grow in confidence, we move from:
➡️ more structured and scripted discussions
➡️ to more natural, ad-lib conversations
π️ How We Create Podcasts Using Google Vids
Podcasting in our classroom follows a clear process that helps students move from ideas → discussion → polished final product. We use Google Vids to record and edit our podcasts, making the whole process simple and accessible for learners.
✍️ Step 1: Writing the Script
Before recording, students plan what they want to say.
This includes:
- Key ideas from the text
- Opinions and interpretations
- Questions to ask each other
- Evidence to support their thinking
We aim for a script with a chance for small additions of ad-lib throughout the podcast.
π£️ Step 2: Practising the Script
Practice is a really important part of the process.
Students rehearse their discussions by:
- reading through their ideas
- practising responses to each other
- developing fluency and confidence
This stage helps students refine their thinking and feel more prepared before recording.
π₯ Step 3: Recording on Google Vids
Once ready, students record their podcast using Google Vids using the script feature.
During recording, they focus on:
- speaking clearly
- listening and responding to others
- staying on topic
- building a natural conversation flow
Because the discussion is being recorded, students are motivated to explain their thinking clearly and use evidence from the text.
✂️ Step 4: Editing on Google Vids
After recording, students use Google Vids to edit their podcast.
They may:
- trim mistakes or pauses
- improve flow and structure
- add simple titles or finishing touches
- add gentle music to go over the podcast
This step helps students reflect on their learning and improve the quality of their final product.
π Step 5: Publishing on Pitomata
Once the podcast is complete, students publish their final video on our class blogging platform, Pitomata.
This is an important step because it gives students a real audience. Their work is no longer just for the classroom, it is shared with:
- classmates
- teachers
- whΔnau
Publishing encourages students to take pride in their work and see themselves as real content creators. It also allows others to watch, listen, and respond to their ideas.
π Bringing It All Together
Our podcasting process follows a clear cycle:
Plan/Write → Practise → Record → Edit → Publish
Using Google Vids helps students manage the creation process, while Pitomata gives their learning a real audience and purpose.
π Final Thought
Podcasting is more than just recording, it’s a process of thinking, collaborating, refining, and sharing ideas with the world.
𧩠What We Teach Along the Way
To support successful podcasting, we explicitly teach:
- how to ask good questions
- how to build on someone else’s idea
- how to respectfully disagree
- how to use evidence from the text
Final Thoughts
If you want to use any of my scripts I've created, they are linked on previous blog posts.
Podcasting has helped transform the way we approach reading. It’s no longer just about understanding a text, it’s about talking about it, questioning it, and making meaning together.
Most importantly, it has helped our learners become more confident, thoughtful, and engaged communicators.
And the best part...
It’s fun.
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