Use of Podcasts in Spanish class

[Jimmy]

Ben and Marina,

The fantastic work that you guys do has been an instant winner with friends and other people in my spanish class. Every now and then we play a podcast at the end of class if we have spare time. (We are basically studying at night school for two hours once a week.)

Please - we don't want to breach any copyright here. Please let us know your thoughts on this. Basically we are asking your permission to play the odd podcast (and the even ones too ;D ) on an irregular basis. We wil conform to whatever your decision is.

Many thanks,

Jim.

[Ben]

Of course you can play the podcasts in your class, that would be great :)

In theory the transcripts would have to be purchased individually by the people in the class, but we are working on a discount scheme so that schools and colleges can obtain these and then photocopy them for classes, hopefully it will be worked out by the end of June.

[richardksa]

Ben, Marina,

Do you ever get the feeling you have created a monster??http://qsmile.com/qsimages/283.gif

But what a wonderful one!!http://qsmile.com/qsimages/281.gif

[Ben]

It's alive and growing that's for sure !
We are constantly delighted, suprised and somewhat amazed ;)

[gary]

It's alive and growing that's for sure !
We are constantly delighted, suprised and somewhat amazed ;)
I am amazed that no one has jumped on the concept to apply it to other languages, it seems to me to be exactly the thing that foreign language teachers are screaming for..contemporary, interesting, high quality.

Perhaps you should copyright and franchise the idea before someone else does - or hold out for a megabucks sale to google, every other good web idea seems to have gone that way...!!

[ValenciaSon]

I agree but I also understand that there isn't yet one patent that applies to the EU and so one has to apply for a patent in each country where protection is desired. That could be pretty expensive.

[Ben]

I am amazed that no one has jumped on the concept to apply it to other languages, it seems to me to be exactly the thing that foreign language teachers are screaming for..contemporary, interesting, high quality.

No no, there are others out there - see www.chinesepod.com for example...

[Jimmy]

Many thanks Mate,

We've only played a few casual Podcasts when we can squeeze it into the syllabis so far - no transcripts are being used - La maestra madrileña que tenemos has been able to understand and explain all the modismos so far.

Gracias otra vez,

;D ;) :D

[cubix]

I am amazed that no one has jumped on the concept to apply it to other languages, it seems to me to be exactly the thing that foreign language teachers are screaming for..contemporary, interesting, high quality.

Perhaps you should copyright and franchise the idea before someone else does - or hold out for a megabucks sale to google, every other good web idea seems to have gone that way...!!

I've already patented the idea in the US. My ip lawyers will be happy to work out a licensing agreement...;D God I hate lawyers....

[gary]

I've already patented the idea in the US. My ip lawyers will be happy to work out a licensing agreement...;D God I hate lawyers....

The Eagles said it in their song Get Over It

"Billy was right,
Lets kill all the lawyers,
Kill em tonight..."

Who was Billy? - William Shakespeare of course - the sentiment seems to have been around a long long time.

[neskadebilbao]

¿Está bien escribir en castellano aunque los demás escriben en inglés? Espero que sí.

Quería comentar que mi amiga me habló de vuestros padcasts y es así cómo encontré esta "tierra." Estuve en Bilbao hace un semestre y echo de menos la lengua. Aunque hablo diariamente no es lo mismo. Me encanta escuchar vuestro español.

Ben no sé cómo aprendiste acentuar los c y z como en gracias pero lo haces muy bien. Siempre temaba intentar hablar como un español porque creo que me hace aparecer aun más extranjera. La gente me dice que hablo como una de America Latina. Tal vez eso podría ser un episodio. Marina podría enseñarnos cómo pronunciar esas palabras.

Por fin estoy aquí y agradezco el hecho de que hacéis todo esto. Es fenomenal. Gracias y agur!

[Marina]

Ben and Marina,

The fantastic work that you guys do has been an instant winner with friends and other people in my spanish class. Every now and then we play a podcast at the end of class if we have spare time. (We are basically studying at night school for two hours once a week.)



Makes me very happy to hear that you are making the most of the podcasts and learning from them.

Cheers,
Marina