Yesterday, on the Free Technology for Teachers Facebook page I shared a post featuring some tools that students can use to create podcasts. There are other ways to use audio production tools instead of publishing full-fledged podcasts. Here are three ways that I frequently see teachers using audio recordings with students.

1. Recording dialogues and monologues to practice speaking a second language.
Students record themselves speaking so that they can play it back to identify mistakes. Often teachers will have students share their recordings with them so that they can provide students with feedback on things like pronunciations and verb conjugations.

2. Recording an interview with a family member. 
The StoryCorps Great Questions List can help students choose and or create questions to use in an interview. If your students have iOS or Android devices, the StoryCorps.me App has many interview questions and a script for students to follow as they conduct interviews. The app will record the interview.

3. Audio reflections on an event or series of events.
During election season there is no shortage of televised debates for students to watch. In a social studies class, I would ask students to record short reflections/ responses to what they saw and heard during a debate. Install the SpeakPipe widget on your blog and students can submit responses directly through the blog. If you don’t want to install a recording widget on your blog, consider using AudioBoom as a recording tool for students.