Riding the Podcast wave, Learning Chinese with Podcasts explores how podcasts can enrich TCSL. Based on a paper presented at the 2020 Taiwan TCSL Conference, this post recommends 7 teaching-related podcasts for TCSL teachers.
In the previous post, Learning Chinese with Podcasts (3): 7 Theme-Based Mandarin Podcast Categories for Learners, we explored podcasts suited for more advanced Mandarin learners — shows that give them a window into what native speakers are actually talking about day to day.
The earlier posts in this series mostly focused on the learner’s perspective. This one shifts to the teacher’s side: here are some podcasts worth listening to as a Teaching Chinese as a Second Language (TCSL) professional. They’re naturally centered on language education and linguistics — but if you come across anything good that I’ve missed, please share it with us!
Since there are so many platforms, I’m primarily linking to Spotify; you can also search for any of these shows by name on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and elsewhere. :) The order is completely arbitrary — just whatever I happened to come across. XD
Hosted by two Taiwan-based Mandarin teachers, this show covers real experiences in TCSL — classroom management, taking on private students, teaching theory, and more. Highly recommended for anyone working in the field.
The “Language Playground” segment is hosted by yours truly. It takes a linguistics-based approach to various topics, covering language theory, language and culture, and more — all of which can inform your teaching practice.
An English-language show covering key topics in linguistics. Great for TCSL teachers who want to brush up on the theoretical side of the field.
An English-language podcast about language and linguistics — each episode covers an interesting topic and makes for enjoyable, casual learning.
An English-language show that discusses challenges and topics in language teaching. Unfortunately it hasn’t been updated recently.
An English-language podcast hosted by a polyglot, sharing personal experiences and strategies for learning multiple languages — useful perspective for anyone in the language teaching world.
Only two episodes so far, but they feature teachers sharing first-hand accounts of teaching Mandarin in the UK — a valuable look at what’s happening on the front lines internationally.
Those are my picks for podcasts that TCSL teachers will find genuinely useful — all focused on education and linguistics. Of course, the travel and culture shows and current affairs podcasts mentioned in Learning Chinese with Podcasts (3) are equally worthwhile: they give you ready-made conversation topics to connect with students from all over the world.
Thanks for following this series. If you want to go deeper, feel free to read the original academic paper: Not Just for Learners: New-Generation Podcasts and Their Diverse Applications for Mandarin Language Learners and Teachers. XD
Other posts in this series:
Learning Chinese with Podcasts (1): 3 Reasons Every TCSL Teacher Should Know About Podcasts Learning Chinese with Podcasts (2): 10 Mandarin Learning Podcasts for Learners Learning Chinese with Podcasts (3): 7 Theme-Based Mandarin Podcast Categories for Learners
Questions or recommendations? Jump in below — happy to discuss! <3
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A walkthrough of how I use the free audio editor Audacity to do initial processing on podcast audio files — including creating a podcast template to save editing time and setting up a macro chain for quick audio cleanup.
Riding the podcast wave, using podcasts for learning Chinese offers tremendous benefits for TCSL. This post is based on a paper presented at the 2020 Taiwan TCSL Conference — 'More Than Just Learners: The Diverse Applications of the New Generation of Podcasts for Chinese Learners and Teachers' — and covers why Teaching Chinese as a Second Language teachers should pay attention to podcasts.
Riding the podcast wave, using podcasts for learning Chinese offers tremendous benefits for TCSL. This post is based on a paper presented at the 2020 Taiwan TCSL Conference and introduces ten Chinese-language learning podcasts, including their formats, structures, and languages used.
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