Learning English with Podcasts
EnglishPod has been going for about 2 months and the results so far have been very encouraging. We have gradually built up a loyal audience of English learners from around the world. And the feedback we have received from our listening audience has help greatly improve the product. Actually, we view EnglishPod as a community where students and teachers can come together and explore a common interest - learning English.
We are using social media like podcasts, blogs and wiki’s to interact with our audience, and provide places where our audience can interact with each other. Sometimes the conversations on our website stay close to the topics presented in our lessons, and other times they go in completely different directions. Regardless, people are discussing, people are communicating, people are learning English, and that is truly something very exciting.
Podcasts and social media will revolutionize the way people learn languages, a notion that has already seen some traction in cyberspace. Search Google or iTunes for “English Podcasts” and you will find a growing list of podcasts to help you learn the language. A few worth mentioning are New York English, English Feed and ELTpodcast. And for those of you interested in learning Mandarin Chinese you can check out ChinesePod
Language training podcasts like EnglishPod are important but they are certainly not the only podcast resources available to English learners. Virtually every major media outlet in the English speaking world has started offering podcasts. You can listen to the news, interviews, documentaries and much, much more. I will blog about some of my favourite podcasts in the next day or two. What English language podcasts do you listen to regularly? How are you using podcasts to improve your English communication skills?
Matt Park / Team EnglishPod
I’m very glad of your site. Accually I listen to eslpod with nice dr Jeff, and another pod with idioms and slang. You are right. There are many pods in the Internet, it’s been becoming very popular recently. You guys talk a little bit too fast to me, but I love your guessts, especially from New York and Canada.
Best wishes
Jola
Comment by jola — April 20, 2006 @ 6:51 am
Hi Jola,
Actually we are in the middle of re-tooling Englishpod. What I mean is we are changing the format (and speed) of the lessons. There will probably be five levels - so we’ll have very slow basic lessons, much faster stuff for advanced learners, and everything inbetween. But don’t worry, we’ll keep the great hosts and guests, and add some more interesting personalities.
By the middle of May we hope to have this completed and running smoothly to help you learn as best you can. In the meantime, we will keep podcasting and experimenting with new stuff. Tell us what you think! (What do you like, and what don’t you like?)
Comment by Kris Fedorak — April 21, 2006 @ 1:58 am
Hi Matt Park
I quite agree with your point of view on the functions of Englishpod, that is to view it as a community where students and teachers can come together and explore a common interest - learning English. It is generally a good media offered to our english learners. From this program we can:
1. improve our listning comprehension oral ability
2. know how english is spoken by native speakers about topics on culture, politics and economy.
3. make friends with english team and other listeners.
Comment by LLQ — July 13, 2006 @ 6:43 pm
Thanks for the hard work of the English pod’s staffs. You are supposed to be the best men in the English-learning world. Actually , i am looking forward to finding a nice wedsite which i can learn some practical commercial English , and now , i have found it thougth whe intruoduction on Chinadaily . I can’t help listening to it in my daily life now due to itss funtional dialogue.
best regards!
Comment by ken — October 23, 2006 @ 1:32 am
Hi Ken,
Actually we’re now called On Demand English… but you can still call us EnglishPod if you want ; )
I think it’s great that you found us through an English language newspaper in China. If you can read a newspaper, that says a great deal about your English level. The vocabulary and subject matter in newspapers make them extremely difficult to read if it’s your second or third language. If you’re looking to improve your vocabulary, reading is a great way. Just be careful because most people don’t speak the way they write.
Comment by Kris — October 25, 2006 @ 7:24 pm
Thinking of joining? How much is it to join? How many members do you have? They are from which country most? What age too?
Will I be able to speak with them on your site?
Sorry for many questions.
Tarn
Comment by Tarn — January 30, 2007 @ 3:10 am
I would like to learn english
Comment by Ravi R Hakari — May 17, 2007 @ 11:18 pm