Open your ears!

Tumble Science Podcast for Kids

It is an educational podcast created to spark curiosity in young EFL students. Each episode contains real science stories that explain biology, nature, animals behaviours... in a funny and engaging way. 

The hosts use clear pronunciation and simple vocabulary. The way the presenters run the program is very interesting because they begin with a question that children often ask and then invite an expert on the topic to discuss about it.

You can navigate through their blog. Each podcast provides you a transcript, information about the experts who appear, and useful resources to learn more about the theme with your students.

🔗 Link to the blog: https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/listen-now

My recommendation

In this entry I recommend listening to the episode "What Sounds Do Fish Make?". The episode talks about how different fish make sounds and why they communicate in several ways under the water.

🎧 Access to the episode: https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/what-sounds-do-fish-make-tumble-episode

Educational value

• Improves listening comprehension with authentic spoken English. 
• Introduces curious facts about aquatic life.
• Sparks curiosity and class discussion.

How can we practice with podcasts in classroom?

⚠️ It is important to focus on the pre-listening, during listening, and post-listening to make conscious that students have understood the general meaning of the podcast.

1. Pre-listening: teach only the key vocabulary with flashcards or another type of visual / realia. For example: underwater.

2. During listening: ask learners about specific facts to see that they are paying attention to. For example: which fish made a loud sound?.

3. Post-listening: make a group discussion or a drawing activity about the animals they heard. This will promote speaking and writing skills by simple oral or written responses.