Podcasting Using Vocaroo

Thinking of conducting new, interactive and technology-based listening and speaking activity? How about using Vocaroo to resolve your problem. Vocaroo is an online voice recorder that allows people to record short messages, share it via email or embed it to various websites and social networks site like Facebook and Twitter. Although its usefulness in language classroom seems vague,  but if teacher knows how to manipulate it, this tool could be a convenient help for students language development.

Website URL: http://vocaroo.com/

How it operates?

There is nothing to worry. The steps are all easy.

• Make sure that you have your microphone connected to your computer or turn on your internal microphone. Once you browse the website, just click 'Click to Record' button in the green box and you can start recording your voice messages.

• When you have finished recording, you can listen to the message. If you are not satisfied with it, just click 'Retry' and you can record it all over again.

• If you are satisfied with your work, you could save your voice message and embed it onto your blog or any internet tools. The embed code will be given at the page. Not only that, you can also email your recording to anyone and share it to any social networking site like Facebook and Twitter.

How can teacher use it?

As it is a podcast-based device, it is portable and convenient. Teacher could record voice messages and share it with students through class blog, social networking site or even email. Due to that, some language activities could be conducted using Vocaroo.


Record an Ending of Story

Teacher could do 'continuing a story' activity by recording an unfinished narration using Vocaroo. This record would then be posted to class blog where students could have access on it at any time. Students then need to end the story by recording their voices to Vocaroo and posted it on the blog or email it to the teacher. Here, students could practice their listening and speaking skills at the same time.

Assess Pronunciation

Vocaroo could also be used as a medium to assess students pronunciation. Assign students to read aloud a short text into Vocaroo, post it to teacher's email and teacher then would listen to it and point out any mispronunciations or incorrect stress of words. The feedback on the correct pronunciation or at least nearly correct one, should be given afterwards and it depends on the teacher whether to give it individually or collectively. depending on students' condition.  

Writing Short Journal

By assigning students to record a short journal of their daily or weekly activity, students's fluency of language  could be improved. Students are free to express themselves in any way and I believe there would be many conversation language be used in the recording. As this tool could be regularly used, teacher can check students' progression and gather overall information on what aspects of language should be further improved.   


What do I say about this website?

Thumbs up points  :)

1) Vocaroo is portable and easy to use device; a convenient tool for language teaching.
2) It is free with no complicated step!
3) You can share and embed the recording to various mediums; emails, Facebook, Twitter, and Blogspot.

Thumbs down points :(

1) Recording is limited only up to 5 minute-sadly it is really short.

I hope you use it and ENJOY!