LEARNING ENGLISH VIA PODCAST APP "CASTBOX"

LEARNING ENGLISH VIA PODCAST APP "CASTBOX"

Lyazzat Kadyr

student, Astana International University,

Kazakhstan, Astana

Kapanova Aizhan

Senior Lecturer at the Pedagogical Institute of Astana International University,

Kazakhstan, Astana

ABSTRACT

This study tests the learning method with podcasts and the possibility to reach a certain level of English using the podcasts of the "Castbox" application. The research is conducted using media technologies such as educational applications, podcasts. In this study readers can see the progress of students in learning with educational podcasts through the podcast application "Castbox". Study talks about the benefits of the learning method with a podcast and who it is more suitable for.

Keywords: Castbox, level of English, podcast, listening, vocabulary, skills.

Introduction:

These days, the use of media information technologies such as podcasts, radio programs, movies, games gives many advantages and makes the learning process interesting. Sometimes the traditional method to learn English is more difficult than the English itself. Learning English with media technology, for example, is like different educational podcasts and will immediately result in impatient people. This research will prove that learners can reach a certain level of English with the help of a podcast.

Aim:

The aim of this experiment is to test whether it is possible to learn a certain level of English through the podcast of the Castbox app.

Hypothesis:

It is predicted that learning English through the podcast app will give learners awareness of advancing from one level to another and will open up interest in learning the language.

Background:

In this article, researcher discuss the benefits of podcasts for students and opportunities for meaningful use of language for second language acquisition. According to the research, while listening to the podcast lessens the anxiety induced by real-time engagement, this kind of lesson is ideal for students who are less confident. You can lessen the cross-cultural language barrier with the help of podcasts since authentic podcasts employ informal, slangy terms that are commonly used in real life (Paul Man-Man SZE 2007).

Masudul Hasan and Tan Bee Hoon (2013) studied the impact of podcasts on students' language skills. Ashraf, Noroozi and Salami (2011) did an experiment affecting listening podcasts on listening skills on 2 course EFL students. Pre- and post-tests, interviews, and students' reflective diaries were used to collect data. The study's findings revealed that individuals in the experimental group who listened to podcasts outperformed those in the control group. Researchers discovered that podcasts improve academic performance, free time for studying, and listening to specific content provide students with high learning outcomes. After discovering such benefits, they concluded that podcasts could possibly be used to improve skills in areas other than listening , such as pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and oral speech in English as a foreign language learner.

Method and materials:

To verify the hypothesis is used the app with the collected podcasts "castbox". A 10 day collection of podcasts assembled with the transcript and used in the study. For the experiment  2 people participated who had a level elementary and pre - intermediate. Students should first listen to this podcast without a transcript then the transcript of the text was given to read and write the unfamiliar words and translate them. After working with vocabulary, the learner listened to the podcast again. This method helped learners see their progress. On each topic of the podcast the words noted by learners are given a homework assignment to learn them. After each second lesson there was a test game. The game helped to remember words faster and creatively approach learning. The first week was held a survey to find out what difficulties we have encountered and are trying to solve. After 3 weeks of individual lessons, a test was conducted to share progress in learning. The test was conducted with the application“Quizlet”.               

Result of the experiment:

For the lesson were selected podcasts from BBC radio called 6 minute English and easy stories in English by Ariel Goodbody & Glassbox media. For this exploration 2 people participated and how they mastered the podcast with the conducted learning method and the reasons are shown in the table (Appendix). The lesson was conducted in 4 stages: familiarization with new words, listening to the podcast, working with the transcript of the podcast and listening to the podcast for the second time. Every week two lessons were held to see progress at the end of each week a test was conducted. Students were given the same materials from the podcast app "castbox". In the first week, students mastered podcasts by 50% - 70%. There were problems with the vocabulary and details during listening (Appendix). In the weekly test, students collected 82%, 100% . The results of the first week show that the students work with their homework. In the second week, students quickly mastered the stages of the method, most of the cases worked on their own. The second week’s podcasts were assimilated by 50% to 90% (Appendix). Students in the second week of the test received 100% (Table 1), which is more than in the previous week. Third week lessons were held, after the third week, students made progress in the vocabulary and in the understanding of the general concept of the text. When students listen to a podcast, they have to try hard not to lose their concentration so they don't understand many of the words the first time, but when they read from the text, they realize by 70% - 90% of the text (Appendix). The weekly score was 93% of both students (Table 1). Tests were conducted and the data was collected with the application “Quizlet”.

 Table 1.

Results of the weekly test

Discussion:

The hypothesis of this study was that learning English through the podcast app will give learners awareness of advancing from one level to another. A three-week experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis and connection practices students engaged in with the "isolation" method. According to practice, the students had progress in the vocabulary and in listening to text podcasts. The first student did not have much progress, her small vocabulary hindered progress. Relations with results were made the conclusion; this method is suitable for a more intermediate or higher level of English. And the second student made noticeably significant progress in vocabulary and listening to podcasts. After this method, the student could understand the overall concept of the podcast and notice the details in the listening. Since the hypothesis and aim of this study was aimed at transitioning from the level to the level of English, the students did not advance from level to another level. This method has helped to develop only a few competences, but not to help in advancing another level. In terms of improving confidence through podcasts and reducing the language barrier results are not clear because students do not have a language circle of communication but with the help of podcasts students have learned a lot of formal and non-formal, slang terms that are applied in real life. The study of Masoudul Hassan and Tan B. Hun (2013) had many benefits in learning with podcasts as improving academic outcomes, free time for learning, and listening to specific content provide students with high learning results. They concluded that podcasts could be used to improve skills in other areas, which was proven in my experiment. Students  had improvements not only in listening and vocabulary, reading, pronunciation.

Conclusion:

The hypothesis and purpose of the study were aimed at transitioning from one level to another of English and reaching a certain level of English using the podcast application “Castbox” and level development with all aspects of English (speaking, reading, listening, writing, vocabulary). About the castbox app, it was possible to learn English using the app’s podcasts and was convenient for students to use. Based on the results of the experiment progress was noticed in students only in some competences, it was in the vocabulary and listening there was significant progress. The experiment's results did not meet the study's objectives.

Appendix:

Given subject podcasts during the experiment

References:

1. Fitria, U., Vianty, M., & Petrus, I. (2015). USING PODCAST TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ LISTENING AND SPEAKING ACHIEVEMENTS. The Journal of English Literacy Education: The Teaching and Learning of English as a Foreign Language, 2(1), 58-64.
2. Hasan, M. M., & Hoon, T. B. (2013). Podcast applications in language learning: A review of recent studies. English language teaching, 6(2), 130.
3. Sze, P. M. M. (2006). Developing students' listening and speaking skills through ELT podcasts. EDUCATION JOURNAL-HONG KONG-CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG-, 34(2), 119.
4. Ashraf, H., Noroozi, S., & Salami, M. (2011). E-listening: The promotion of EFL listening skill via educational podcasts. In Proceedings of the International Conference on e-Learning, 10-17.
5. Electronic resource: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2023/ep-230413
6. Electronic resource: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/6-minute-english_2023/ep-230316
7. Electronic resource: https://easystoriesinenglish.com/widow/
8. Electronic resource: https://castbox.fm/vb/567070551
9. Electronic resource: https://easystoriesinenglish.com/bloodred/
10. Electronic resource: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/6-minute-english_2023/ep-230427
11. Electronic resource: https://castbox.fm/vb/557038408
12. Electronic resource: https://castbox.fm/vb/591240220
13. Electronic resource: https://easystoriesinenglish.com/frog3/