Every language teacher knows the value of using authentic material in the classroom. Spanish-language podcasts are powerful tools teachers can use to hone students’ listening skills. Here are six listening recommendations to enjoy this summer so you can decide what you’d like to use this fall.
- The Language Imperative Podcast – In our very own Vista podcast series, The Language Imperative, gives insightful conversations with award-winning language educators—from the intimacy of hands-on workshops to the development of powerful systems at the state and local levels—all with an eye towards national transformation and empowerment. This podcast may just be what you’ve been looking for!
- Duolingo Spanish Podcast – Duolingo is a popular language-learning app, but they also produce podcasts with intermediate content about a wide variety of topics. The people interviewed are all native, but there’s also a narrator who adds details in English to facilitate comprehension. Additionally, you can find transcripts on their website to create combined reading and listening practices.
- News in Slow Spanish –These are excellent podcasts for beginners learning Spanish because, while they tackle current events and news, the speakers deliberately use a slower pace and clear pronunciation. There’s also a listening section that deals with grammar and expressions where simple explanations assist students in understanding topics, such as nouns and adjectives, regular verbs, prepositions, etc.
- Tres Cuentos – This bilingual podcast focuses on stories from Latin America—authentic folktales, myths, and legends, all told by a captivating storyteller. For each episode, there is one in Spanish and one in English, with transcripts available. You could have students check their understanding after they hear the Spanish version, or you could prep students for the content by playing the English version first.
- Radio Ambulante – Incentivize your students to grow in their proficiency with real and fascinating stories brought to you by NPR. With more than 200 episodes already produced, this award-winning podcast features collaborations with media outlets such as The New York Times, Radiolab, ESPN, Latino USA, and many more!
- Life 100 Podcast – Considered one of the best learning podcasts for non-native speakers, Life 100 features bilingual tips for life, as well as stories and guests. This podcast is about living la vida at 100% by celebrating diversity and the rich cultural history of the Latinx community all over the world.
By Kelli Drummer-Avendano
Also read:
Summer Language Learning Challenge: Boosting Proficiency in Your Language Journey as a Teacher
