How Podcasting in the Classroom Boosts Communication Skills   

Podcasting can provide students with a platform to further develop their oral communication skills, collaborate creatively with their peers, improve their digital literacy, and become stronger storytellers and critical thinkers. At Beaumonde Heights Junior Middle School, teachers Chey Cheney and Pawan “Pav” Wander have made podcasting an essential tool to support and amplify student voices and nurture their multicultural school community. Cheney and Wander developed an eight-step cheat sheet for teaching podcasting in the classroom based on their years of experience working on podcasts with students.

When introducing the unit, keeping things simple and starting with purpose is key. Teachers can facilitate a conversation on why podcasting is a useful tool—to share learnings across subject matters, tell stories, or interview experts. Discussing the value of podcasting with students helps them understand what skills they are honing through the process, including writing, literacy, oral communication, and creative collaboration.

Selecting a podcast style is an essential next step. Options include interviews, conversational discussions, solo reflections, narrative fiction, or research-based informative formats. Having several style options gives students the agency to explore a variety of storytelling methods. It’s helpful to share examples in class, whether popular professional podcasts or previously produced student work.

Planning the episode is a critical step that supports students to refine their structure and storytelling skills. One simple and effective podcasting format that helps keep the recordings organized is to start with an introduction, move to the main content, and end with a wrap-up. Students can brainstorm topics, prepare questions, or conduct research to flesh out the three main areas of their story arc. Short episodes of five to 15 minutes are ideal for beginners.

When students are ready to record, finding a quiet space is critical. This can be an empty classroom, corner of the library, or office. Simple gear works well for recording—laptops, tablets, or phones with microphones. If teachers have more space and budget available to them, creating a recording studio with the students is an exciting opportunity to design a creative environment where they will be able to practice their skills. Cheney and Wander were able to use their school’s technology funds to set up a small studio in an unused room on their campus.

Recording tools like GarageBand and Soundtrap are free and accessible for classrooms. Students should take turns, speak clearly, and rerecord short sections as needed, as opposed to rerecording entire segments. Editing focuses on trimming mistakes, balancing sound, and adding simple intros or outros as well as royalty-free music or sound effects. Tools like Audacity and WeVideo make editing manageable.

Sharing the finished podcasts is where the magic happens. Students can create cover art for their podcasts using Canva. Podcasts can stay within the school community and be published on Google Classroom, shared during assemblies or school events, or posted on the school website or newsletter before expanding to broader audiences like social media, if appropriate. Students can also share their work with their families and communities and enjoy celebrating their progress and growth.

Podcasting in the classroom isn’t about perfection or professional equipment—it’s more about growth, creativity, and connection. For teachers looking for a way to empower students and make learning more authentic, podcasting is a great place to start. To learn more about how making podcasts can work as a project-based learning unit, read James Fester’s article for Edutopia, “4 Benefits of Using Podcasting as a PBL Project.”