Using Podcasting in the Classroom: Activities and Recommendations

There seems to be a podcast for everything and everyone. And a growing number of people are finding their audio niche: Edison Research's Infinite Dial 2026 found that 58% of Americans ages 12 and older listened to or watched a podcast in the past month, about 167 million people, in a January 2026 national survey of 2,050 people. Podcasts have also found a place in classrooms, as the activities below show.

Benefits of Podcasts in the Classroom

The shift from listening at home to using podcasts in the classroom is not without cause. Speaking and listening skills are a part of the Common Core standards, which ask students to integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats and to evaluate a speaker's reasoning, evidence and rhetoric.

Audio learning is valuable for a lot of students in a way that purely text-based learning is not. A transcript lets students read along as they listen, and the W3C's accessibility guidance explains that transcripts help people who are deaf or hard of hearing, people who have trouble processing auditory information and people who find text easier to process than audio.

Podcasts can also support students who are learning English. A 2025 review in Frontiers in Education of English-as-a-foreign-language listening research found that authentic audio, including podcasts, can raise motivation, but fast speech, varied accents and idioms can overwhelm learners at lower proficiency levels. The review suggests choosing content that suits learners' level and teaching key vocabulary before listening. Teachers of English learners can find more ideas in our guide to using technology in the ESL/TESOL classroom.

Additionally, because there is a podcast on nearly every subject, children can learn about things they are interested in and delve deeper into unique topics they might not otherwise have access to.

Preparing Students for Podcast Lessons

Before sending students home, educators should make sure students have access to all the resources they need to make the most of a podcast-based lesson plan and that selected content is appropriate.

Consider the following guidelines when assigning audio-oriented activities.

1. Provide access to supplies and devices. If a lesson requires listening to a podcast, every student will need access to a listening platform (such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts or SoundCloud), a device to listen on (i.e., phone or computer) and headphones. For recording, students can use the laptops, tablets or phones they already have, according to NEA Today. There is free editing software on some computers, and schools may have access to educational licenses. If budgets are tight, see our tips for making your classroom tech-friendly with limited resources.
2. Listen for yourself. If you are assigning a specific podcast, listen through the material just as you would a novel. Keep an ear out for content or language that might be inappropriate for your audience or that you will need to prepare students for. Take note of any warnings you want to share with administrators and guardians.
3. Let students have some decision-making power. When possible, allow students to choose podcasts they are interested in and focus on topics that energize them. You can set boundaries using minimum or maximum length requirements or subject matter restrictions. You may also consider imposing standards for the podcast source, or take the time to approve selections in advance.
4. Plan for accessibility. Offer a transcript for each episode you assign so every student can follow along.

5 Podcast Activity Ideas for the Classroom

There are plenty of ways educators can begin teaching podcasts in the classroom, regardless of subject area. Below are some lesson plan ideas for teachers who want to use podcasts as learning tools for their students.

Audio-Based Research

Podcasts can be an informative source for research, either through scripted, non-fiction series that delve into a specific topic or news briefs with interviews from experts and people affected by a story.

This lesson modification can work with almost any existing research project or essay — anything that requires cited sources. Instead of traditional text resources, ask students to cite at least three primary and three secondary sources that come directly from podcasts.

Start here: citing podcasts in MLA format

Rhetorical and Argument Analysis Through Sound

Rhetorical analysis breaks down nonfiction to explain how a piece works using ethos (authoritative), pathos (emotional) and logos (logical) appeals. Often, students analyze written work.

In this activity, students complete a rhetorical analysis of a nonfiction podcast.

1. Pair students up and have them each select a nonfiction podcast to analyze, such as an episode of This American Life.
2. Take annotations or notes as you listen, marking the timestamp for each observation. Pay special attention to appeals made by the host.
3. Discuss with your partner what makes this episode compelling. What does the host want you to believe?
4. Based on your notes and discussion, determine the appeals used in this piece and provide examples.

• Ethos appeals to character or credibility. Does the host demonstrate authority over the topic and respect for multiple viewpoints?
• Pathos appeals to emotions. How does the host use sound to make you feel about the topic?
• Logos appeals to logic. What facts does the host use to support their claim? Is the episode arranged logically?

Learning to Interview

Practicing interviews is a great way for students to learn how to ask incisive questions, listen actively and improvise. In this activity, ask students to conduct an interview with someone in their life and submit an edited audio version of the conversation.

1. Each student should select someone to interview. This could be a friend, family member or person in their community they find interesting.
2. Listen to podcast interviews in preparation. What kinds of questions do hosts ask? How do they use silence to compel the interviewee to speak?
3. Gather the information you already know about the interviewee and use it to inform the questions you want to ask.
4. Make a list of questions for the interview.
5. Conduct and record the interview in a quiet space.

For a classroom-friendly variation, NEA Today describes pairing two students on one device for a prepared question-and-answer conversation that they edit into a study guide.

Dramatization and Storytelling

Turn a typical reading into an audio drama. Instead of reading aloud required text in class, such as Macbeth or A Midsummer Night’s Dream, have students reproduce an audio-only version.

Assign parts just as you would with a regular reading, but give students time to prepare in advance. Ask them how else you can engage listeners in the text. What additional sound effects could you make? How could music enhance the experience?

This activity focuses on the different types of sound instead of producing a clean episode or reading. Record as a class in a single take.

Producing a Podcast

This long-term project idea could take place over the course of an entire term and teach students about the entire life cycle of a podcast and its production. Because it runs across a term, it also works well as project-based learning.

1. Divide students into groups and have them pitch a semester-long podcast they want to produce. Students should be able to describe what potential episodes would cover and come up with a plan to divide different responsibilities.
2. Write an outline for the first episode that includes any interview questions, prepared research and time checkpoints.
3. Record and edit your first episode.
4. Peer review another group’s first episode and provide feedback on the production, theme and execution of the idea.
5. Cycle through steps two through four for the rest of the term, at a predetermined cadence.

NEA Today also recommends writing show notes, which add written context, links and resources to each episode, and sharing finished projects with other classes, for example by having older students record read-alouds for younger ones.

Starter Projects for Beginners

Teachers new to classroom podcasting can start small. According to NEA Today, students do not need professional equipment, because laptops, tablets and phones can handle recording and editing. The article describes four starter projects, and notes that podcasting aligns with ISTE student standards for ownership of learning, digital citizenship and creative communication.

How Can Parents Use Podcasts?

Lesson plans are not the only way children can benefit from podcast listening. Families can build listening into routines they already have.

There are plenty of opportunities for parents to incorporate podcast listening into their daily lives and as shared media with children. For example:

• Replace screen time with podcast listening. Fictional stories and dramatizations can spark the same imagination and engagement while encouraging active listening.
• Switch up bedtime stories to audiobooks or episodes. Give your own voice a break and put on an audio story before bed. There are podcasts dedicated to telling kids bedtime stories. Stories Podcast is one example, and Apple Podcasts rates it clean.
• Listen together during daily life. Podcasts can be a shared soundtrack to the mundane, such as chores and running errands. They can also accompany you and your child on long trips or time spent cooking together.

Podcasts Suitable for Kids and Teens

Looking for a podcast suitable for the classroom, car rides or bedtime? Below are shows to consider for children and teenagers.

Podcasts for Children

Brains On!

Every week, host Molly Bloom is joined by a kid to answer scientific questions — from why we get songs stuck in our heads to how germs are spread.

But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids from Vermont Public

Experts answer questions that kid listeners send in on any topic. Parents can help their children record a question and submit it through the show's website.

Grandma for President from Audible

Eleven-year-old Bennet accidentally gets his grandma in the running for U.S. president. Follow along as Bennet learns about democracy and elections. The series was released in 2020.

The Past and the Curious from Mick Sullivan

A history podcast for kids and families. Host Mick Sullivan uses humor and songs to tell stories about the little-known details of famous people and events.

The Radio Adventures of Eleanor Amplified from WHYY

In this adventure series, radio-reporter Eleanor Amplified pursues the biggest story of her career and foils devious plots along the way. The original episodes are archived on WHYY's site.

Story Seeds from Literary Safari

For kids ages 6 to 12, each episode follows children as they brainstorm story ideas with well-known children's authors, who then write original stories based on them.

The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel from GZM Shows, part of Gen-Z Media

This scripted mystery follows 11-year-old Mars Patel and his friends as they investigate why students are disappearing from their middle school.

Podcasts for Teenagers

Some of the podcasts below may contain explicit language or mature themes. Please review specific content on your own when deciding whether it is appropriate for your audience.

Dear Hank and John from Hank and John Green

Brothers and authors Hank and John Green answer emails from listeners and provide advice in this comedy podcast that touches on the lighthearted and the emotional. Apple Podcasts lists the show as explicit.

The Mortified Podcast from Radiotopia

Adults get on stage and read aloud from the most embarrassing diary entries, love letters and songs they wrote as teenagers.

Song Exploder

Artists take apart their own songs and explain the decisions behind creating them. Recent episodes feature Allison Russell, Elvis Costello and Olivia Rodrigo.

Stuff You Should Know from iHeart Podcasts

Hosts Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant research and explain a new topic every episode.

This American Life from WBEZ Chicago and PRX

This American Life has been on the air since 1995, compiling stories around a certain theme every week for listeners.

Podcast Recommendations for Teachers

There are podcasts for almost every professional audience, and educators are no exception. Check out some of the podcasts below for professional development tips and storytelling for teachers.

10 Minute Teacher Podcast from Vicki Davis

Short episodes bring teachers about 10 minutes of professional development on classroom technology, motivation and teaching ideas.

The Creative Classroom Podcast from John Spencer

Host John Spencer explores creativity, innovation and practical strategies that teachers can use in any subject.

Cult of Pedagogy from Jennifer Gonzalez

Host Jennifer Gonzalez covers teaching strategies, classroom management and educational technology for K-12 and college educators.

Teaching Hard History from Learning for Justice

Host Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries covers slavery, Jim Crow and the Civil Rights era, sharing lessons many don’t learn in the classroom and advice for teachers who want to change that. The original four seasons ran from 2018 to 2022.