Step 6. Working with Podcasts and Films

WORKING WITH PODCASTS

A podcast is a series of digital media files (either audio or video) which are released episodically and downloaded through web syndication. These videos can be listened and viewed from students' mobile devices such as, iPod or iPhone; as consequence, students will take their classes everywhere in a more interactive and funny manner.

They can also take these classes from their personal computers through the programme iTune. Students who have Windows as Operative System must download the programme iTune here  http://appldnld.apple.com/iTunes10/061-9992.20110127.WdzxP/iTunesSetup.exe to gain access to these podcasts.

Once students have at their disposal this programme, they will have to work with the following podcasts which will have to do with American issues, and complete their wiki with the information they had extracted from the videos proposed. If they want to be allowed to see the videos, students must subscribe to this podcast clicking here: http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/finding-america-hd-720p-video/id257308378. On this website, students will find a series of videos related to North-American states. They will have to select the most interesting videos for them and share their conclusions and opinions with their mates, through the correspondant section of the wiki depending on the information that they had chosen from these videos (Lifestyle, touristic attractions, curiosities,etc). Thus, students will work with the topics which called most their attention about North-America by using new technologies, which are indispensable nowadays. 

*To sum up:    

1. Download the programme iTune.

2. Subscribe to the podcast.

3. Extract information from the videos proposed.

 - Note: In addition, students may just click in the following link if they want to listen the latest pieces of news from the podcasts of The New York Times: http://itunes.apple.com/es/artist/the-new-york-times/id121664449

WORKING WITH FILMS

In this case, a series of trailers from films occurring in North-American cities will be proposed to students in order to make them familiarize with many aspects about the lifestyle and traditions of USA, at the same time that they work with their L2 since they will see the original version of these films. Accordingly,  it will not be regarded as a theoretical learning of American customs but a direct exposure to audiovisual resources  which will reflect it perfectly; in other words, they will take into account a task-based approach to learn. In addition, students will have to put their comments on this entry about films where they will propose more movies related to North-American history or lifestyle, their opinions about the films, they will have to specify what aspects of the way of life of USA they extracted from the films, and in what fragments of the movies  these aspects can be seen.

1. Phone Booth

2. Don't say a word

3. Chicago

4. The Hangover

 

5. Autumn in New York

6. Spiderman

7. Fantastic Four I

8. The Devil wears Prada

9. Independence Day

10. P.S. I love You

-Note: if students like most TV series, they may also see American Dad, a satirical American cartoon series about the everyday life of an American family composed of very peculiar characters. CSI New York  or CSI Miami, two American police procedural television series which follow the investigations of a team of NYPD forensic scientists and police officers working with mysterious and unusual deaths, as well as other crimes. More American series are Friends, which revolves around a group of friends in the borough of Manhattan; and Sex in the City, an American series which focuses on four white American women who had multiple continuing storylines and tackled socially relevant issues such as sexually transmitted diseases, safe sex, and promiscuity.