Podcasts have grown in popularity in recent years. Podcasts on their own will not suffice, but they can provide you with one free resource-enough to allow you to learn the subjunctive or hear the latest news in the language you've decided to study while you're commuting or on the treadmill.

What are podcasts, you might ask? We will answer all your questions and help you learn the language of your choice through it.

Table Of Contents

Serial No.

Topics

1. What is Podcast?

2. How can Podcasts be helpful?

3. How to choose the right podcast?

4. Language Podcasts- Table

5. 5 Best Podcasts to learn languages from!

So, what is a Podcast?

It is interesting to note, however, that people tend to agree on the following points:

• It's free
• Upon request
• A specialized area
• It's like a talk radio

Here's what we thought the answer should be:

"Your favorite blogs, shows, and topics (some you didn't even know you liked!) combined into an easy to explore, download, and listen-at-your-own pace hub of recordings (Apple Podcasts). It doesn't matter where you are, in the car, at home, or working out. It's probably a podcast if you can Google it!"

The dictionary defines podcasts as:

"Audio files that may be downloaded to a computer or mobile device from the internet. These files are sometimes offered in series, and updates are sent automatically to subscribers."

The word podcast is a mash-up of the words iPod and broadcast.

Podcasts started as a medium for individuals to spread their messages, and they soon turned into a way to build connections with people who had similar interests.

Today, podcasts are available from:

• An individual
• A radio networks
• A network dedicated to podcasts
• A storyteller
• Comedy performers
• A television networks
• Businesses
• The list goes on...

There are no predetermined lengths, formats, styles, or production levels.

In the same way that TV shows have seasons, podcasts are either episodic or continuous.

In general, podcasts are released weekly, but they can be released daily, weekly, or with less frequency (or none at all) as the creator sees fit.

An episode is one of the building blocks of a podcast. A podcast hosting company may host the files for these episodes.

Getting notified when new episodes are released is another great benefit of podcasts since you can subscribe to them (using your favorite podcast app).

One of the exciting aspects of podcasting is how easy and inexpensive it is to make one. A growing number of people are listening to podcasts.

Recording and broadcasting are not dependent on radio stations, and you can voice any topic you like.

Reasons to create Podcast for your business?

An effective, convenient, and intimate podcast is the ideal means for delivering and producing content and building enduring relationships with clients, employees, and constituents.

Here are five of the top reasons to create podcasts for your business:

1. You can listen to podcasts conveniently and easily.

A podcast subscription automatically downloads new podcasts whenever they become available on the internet. They can be listened to whenever it is convenient for you.

2. This form of communication is time-efficient.

You may want to listen to a podcast during your commute, at work, or at home while you do other things. Podcasts replace some meeting types, helping to save time and increase productivity. Zen, a professor of French says, "Listening to podcasts is a good habit. Everyone should inculcate this in their everyday routine!"

3. On-demand technology is what podcasting is.

The audience decides when and what to listen to. This means you compete for their attention. The good news is that this means they are highly likely to get the information you are providing if they subscribe to your podcast.

4. Social networking can be done through podcasts.

Over time, you can leverage cross-selling and loyalty techniques to deepen your relationship with subscribers, who are the heart of your podcast community.

5. It is possible to take podcasts with you.

Podcasts can be played anywhere and whenever you want once they are downloaded and stored on your computer if it is mobile. Alternatively, you can transfer a podcast to your iPod so that it is available on your personal media player.

Podcasts can even help you pick up a new language fast! Podcasts can prove to be a holy grail. If you do it right, you can create a whole community of like-minded people from all over the world. People can talk about their days, life stories, culture, cuisine, and language!

The last point has paved the way to the main topic for this article- learning a new language through podcasts! Now, are you ready?

Essential things to consider while choosing a podcast?

Choosing a podcast that suits your needs can be tricky, especially for the more common languages. Consider these points carefully.

• The level of contentshould be your first concern. Students can listen to podcasts at different levels- beginners, intermediate, expert level. You can ensure that your podcast is set at the right level for you by selecting the correct level.
• Your next concern should be what topics are includedin the course. Some podcasts extensively discuss grammar rules, while others are more culturally oriented. Find out if the topics covered in podcasts are relevant to your goals by taking a look at the available ones.
• A podcast's frequency of postingshould be considered as well. You may want to make sure there are new podcasts posted recently if you're looking for content that replenishes frequently. It wouldn't be a problem if no new podcasts were posted for a while if you're just looking for a finite number of audio lessons.
• Choosing a podcast also means considering how long they last. You should choose a podcast that fits within the time you have available since episode lengths can range from a few minutes to about 30 minutes each. Take the time to listen to a short podcast every day if you have little time. Podcasts can fill up your commute if you have a long one, so try longer ones.
• A great way to locate the best podcast resources is to follow, read, and listen to critiques of podcastsby previous language learners.

Too much hassle? We have made it easy for you by listing some podcasts for you if you are looking to learn these new languages fast!

Podcasts to learn languages:

• Spanish
• Coffee Break Spanish
• No Hoy Tos
• Radio Ambulant/Lupa
• French
• Learn French by Podcast
• Journal en français facile
• French Voices
• German
• Deutsch – Warum Nicht?
• Langsam Gesprochene Nachrichten
• Sozusagen
• Arabic
• Arabic in 60 Steps/Duolingo
• BBC Extra
• Rumooz- Al Jazeera
• Mandarin
• Chinese Learn Online
• Popup's Chinese
• Popup's Chinese

Five podcasts to learn these languages:

Learn the most popular languages with these five podcasts!

Spanish

Beginners: In 2006, Radio Lingua Network launched Coffee Break Spanish, working its way up to the current network. There are five podcasts, each lasting about 15 minutes, that teach basic concepts of the language (for example, one lesson may be about describing likes and dislikes, while another addresses directions).

Intermediate: Students wanting to better understand conversational Spanish, especially Mexican Spanish, can listen to the No Hay Tos podcast, hosted by two Spanish teachers, Héctor Liberos and Roberto "Beto" Andrade, in which they discuss current events, recent trips, and Mexican sweets.

Expert: NPR's Radio Ambulant allows advanced students to enhance comprehension despite its lack of language-learning focus. A variety of episodes investigate topics from the heavy (Fujimori's fall) to the whimsical (the baffling street address system that San José, Costa Rica uses).

French

Beginners: The Learn French by Podcast is a podcast series is similar to Coffee Break episodes. It offers bite-sized lessons that range from 10 to 20 minutes in length. Annotated transcripts accompany the PDF files, highlighting vocabulary and grammatical concepts from the episodes.

Zen, a professor of French adds, "French is the sexiest language on earth. French people are sweet in their kind of way!"

Intermediate: Student podcasts can often be found on public radio networks, even for intermediate students. The Journal en français facile of Radio France International (RFI) is an example.

The podcasts cover an array of news from around the world as well as France during a ten-minute podcast. Websites of broadcasters provide free transcripts.

Expert: Understanding a foreign language spoken by an instructor whose accent is familiar and whose pronunciation is clearly understood can be challenging once you become able to distinguish between different speakers.

By interviewing speakers with different backgrounds, the French Voices podcast helps you overcome that barrier. Links to additional reading are provided, along with vocabulary highlights from each episode.

German

Beginners: The Deutsch – Warum Nicht? The podcast is decidedly uncool, having dated references and a dated feel (it was the first broadcast in 1991, so I guess you can roll with the mentions of cassette tapes). Episodes focus on Andreas, a journalist and doorman who meet different types of people every day.

Despite this fact, the lesson plans and other materials are free; it is one of the most attractive aspects of this course.

Intermediate:A daily podcast called Langsam Gesprochene Nachrichten is available from Deutsche Welle in slow German.

Deutsche Welle produces less than 10-minute episodes with a few top stories, both about Germany and about the world, and it provides transcripts on the website.

Expert: For learning German at the advanced level, Sozusagen delves deeper into idioms and etymologies of the language.

Arabic

Beginners: For a more structured course, see the same teacher's Arabic in 60 Steps website. The podcasts offer an introduction to both Arabic and Arabic culture.

Intermediate/Expert: Students who listen to BBC Xtra can improve their comprehension of headline stories by developing their listening skills in Arabic. Rumooz, from Al Jazeera, can also be a good option!

Mandarin

Beginners: There is myriad content available on Chinese Learn Online (from $20 a month), including flashcards, lesson plans, exercises, and other learning tools, in addition to the option of downloading its more than 400 podcasts for free from Apple Podcasts.

Intermediate/Expert: Listen to a podcast and read along with the transcripts to build your vocabulary list with Popup Chinese's rich library of podcasts. It is available for $100 annually. Transcripts, flashcards, and quizzes are all available!

About Author:

Jake Thomson is a contributing writer to LiveWebTutors. He is a podcaster, style coach and has been a blogger and a professional blogger writing about educational skills, personal development and motivation since 2010. He has her own blogging website and well-established blog. LiveWebTutors operate a team of experts and qualified professionals who will provide high-quality Assignment Help to Australia students.