venerdì 16 novembre 2007

Podcast

Hi guys!
My impressions on the e-tivity of this week are good again… Podcasts are another very useful tool on the Web and another new thing for me! I had never heard of them before but while surfing the Net, exploring and searching for them on Google and del.icio.us I understood what they are used for and how they can help us learn English. The extraordinary thing is that podcasts can be downloaded onto personal computers and mp3 players (I've already filled my IPod with podcasts in English!) so that we can listen to or watch the podcast whenever and wherever we want to.
I spent a lot of time listening to conversations, English lessons online, interviews and in the end… I was done in! But I really enjoyed myself learning new words and expressions… Through this kind of technology we can improve our skills and have fun at the same time… Cool!

These are the podcasts I chose… hope you’ll enjoy them!

  • http://www.betteratenglish.com/
This website is really well done! It consists of different podcasts levels: intermediate, upper intermediate and advanced. In the first two you can listen to two guys speaking about funny and easy topics such as food habits, television, superstition… The third one is more difficult because it especially focuses on specific subjects like English business.
Of course you can also download the transcripts of the conversations… So you can’t get lost!

  • http://www.oculture.com/
I had already chosen this website in a previous e-tivity because it’s very useful and you can find everything you are interested in! On the right side of the main page there is a section called Podcast Library… There are many and many texts and different topics to listen to: audiobooks, news, music, science… It's fantastic! Go have a look!

  • http://www.englishthroughstories.com/scripts/scripts.html
This website is for learners of English who are looking for fun or a relaxing way to improve their listening skills. Each weekly podcast is an episode of a drama or "soap opera" with romance, mistery and sometimes... murder! Join the fun today and improve your English at the same time!

That's all for now!
C u!

5 commenti:

Serena Santi ha detto...

Hi Laura!
I visited the openculture web site and in the podcast library list I found interesting audiobooks that I can download on my mp3 player.I think in this way I can optimize my time. I can improve my listening skills and at the same time learning more about English literature. In this period I have no time to read English books apart those of our literature courses. Openculture gives me the possibility to improve my knowledge by listening the books instead of reading them. Thanks!

Claudia Trivellato ha detto...

Hi Laura!
I visited the last site you suggested, "english through stories": I think it allows you to improve your listening skills in a original way!! It is pleasant listening to it!!

alessandrasq ha detto...

Hi Laura...
I've just finished to what a very interesting video about spelling and spell checker, taken from the first site that you recommended us... It's really great...
In little time this video give me a huge number of information about the importance of spelling, its role in a blog conversation and also in every day's speaking. This is only an example, but I've noticed that there are other very interesting videos about different topic... about food or sport. I hope to find time to go on watching them as soon as possible. On overall, while visiting my peers' sites, I was impressed by the easiness and the rapidity to come in contact with the English language. Up to now I've undervalued the importance of Internet in studying a foreign language, but I must to change my mind about it

Alberto ha detto...

Hi Laura!
I've just listened to the final episode of the "audio-story"...I strongly believe that a person who studies a foreign language, sometimes also need to relax a bit. That's the reason why I really appreciate ideas like this: people can improve their listening skills and in the meanwhile they don't risk to feel under stress.
In addition, the transcripts of the episodes make the listening easier...
That's what I could call "intelligent relax"!

See you!

Claudia ha detto...

Hi Laura,
I visited the first link yousuggested, and I found a lot of useful stuff, and what I like most (as you could guess having read my post) is that is divided for different levels!

very good job!

I read that you enjoy doing all this e-tivity, and that helps a lot, you know, to spend hours in front of a computer!

Given what our peers said about the other two links I think I'll go and see...

see you on Monday!
Claudia