The Benefits of Podcasting 5 into a new world where exciting new opportunities are available. Teaching New Skills I have witnessed my students learn several new skills when it comes to their podcasting experience. First, ­they’ve learned teamwork skills by working together to create a schedule as to who interviews who when, who operates the equipment, and who creates the interview questions. ­They’ve also learned to be diplomatic when it comes to interviewing guests who are popu­lar, which could potentially create ten- sion when more than one student is interested in sitting in on the interview. Luckily, we have a very mature group of students, and this ­ hasn’t been an issue, and it’s something I’m very proud of as I’ve watched them grow as a team. The speaking skills on the part of the teens have greatly increased. By listening back to their recordings, they are able to reflect on their tone and clarity. They can then go back and try to improve on this the next time they rec­ord. I ­ will dis- cuss interviewing and podcasting skills in Chapter 4, but by learning through trial and error, students have been able to correct any repetitive ­ mistakes they may have made and in turn become more confident and clearer speakers. I would describe more than one member of our podcast team as an introvert, teens who may not necessarily enjoy being in the spotlight or standing up in front of a group of ­ people and speaking about a certain topic. Podcasting allows teens to express themselves, talk openly about issues that are impor­ tant to them and ask serious, engaging questions without the pressure of being in front of an audience. It is an amaz- ing transitional tool that builds their confidence in public speaking incrementally. The teens’ confidence has grown tremendously over the past year. I’ve seen them go from shy, introverted (at least some of them) to out­going and expressive teens. Being put on the spot with an author or guest and asking them questions can be intimidating for a teen, but over time I’ve noticed that their nerves have gradually melted away. This kind of
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