The Community of Readers Project

One of the most successful podcast assignments I've worked with so far has been the Community of Readers Project, which my English II students created for "Teen Read Week" back in the fall. Students first interviewed teachers about a book or other literary work that had an impact on them when they were young. Then the students read that work, or a portion of it if it was longer than a story or poem. Next, students wrote an analysis of that work or portion. Using this deeper understanding of the work, students then composed podcast scripts to present the work to the school. Sometimes the students discovered a work they might not have otherwise encountered; sometimes they connected to their teachers in new ways.