Writing in the Information Age: Slam Poetry Meets Podcasting in the 21st Century Julie M. Warner Julie . [email_address] Kennesaw Mountain Writing Project Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, Georgia National Writing Project 2007 Urban Sites Network Conference April 20-21, 2007

What is slam poetry? Slam poetry refers to poetry that is written to be performed, usually in competition.

Slam poetry refers to poetry that is written to be performed, usually in competition.

Podcasting: Defined A podcast is simply an audio file hosted online and made available for download. Can be listened to on an MP3 player such as the Apple Ipod.

A podcast is simply an audio file hosted online and made available for download.

Can be listened to on an MP3 player such as the Apple Ipod.

Podcasting Meets Slam Podcasting can be used to record and broadcast poetic performances for an audience outside classroom walls .

Podcasting can be used to record and broadcast poetic performances for an audience outside classroom walls .

Theoretical Basis When students are given a real-world, specific purpose for writing and performance they "develop a deeper sense of the rhetorical nature of language and learn to use written language effectively" (Wyngaard, Gehrke 1996). Cohen and Riel assert: "the development of functional writing environments to contextualize students' work can lead to improvements in the quality of students' classroom writing".

When students are given a real-world, specific purpose for writing and performance they "develop a deeper sense of the rhetorical nature of language and learn to use written language effectively" (Wyngaard, Gehrke 1996). Cohen and Riel assert: "the development of functional writing environments to contextualize students' work can lead to improvements in the quality of students' classroom writing".

Why podcast? A student's notion of audience composition shapes a piece of writing and performance. Fostering audience awareness supports the academic and professional success of urban students, many of whom code-switch without cognizance of the phenomenon.

A student's notion of audience composition shapes a piece of writing and performance.

Fostering audience awareness supports the academic and professional success of urban students, many of whom code-switch without cognizance of the phenomenon.

Task 1 (10 minutes) 1. Choose a poem from your packet to rewrite/translate. 2. Rewrite/translate a poem written in one vernacular or dialect into the vernacular you are assigned. Keep in mind that the final product is for podcast performance for your assigned audience. How will this affect what you deliver?

1. Choose a poem from your packet to rewrite/translate.

2. Rewrite/translate a poem written in one vernacular or dialect into the vernacular you are assigned.

Keep in mind that the final product is for podcast performance for your assigned audience.

How will this affect what you deliver?

Task 2: Quick and Dirty Intro to Podcasting Step 1-Record your presentation. Materials: Microphone and audio editing program such as Audacity (free for download at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) Note: Audio podcasts can usually be saved as .mp3 files; video as .mov (Quicktime).

Step 1-Record your presentation.

Materials: Microphone and audio editing program such as Audacity (free for download at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/)

Note: Audio podcasts can usually be saved as .mp3 files; video as .mov (Quicktime).

Quick and Dirty Intro to Podcasting, Cont. Step 2: Decide where to host your podcast. For the purposes of this activity, this has been decided for you. Today we will actually host on our blog. A simple file transfer program lets you upload files to a server (such as our blog). The FTP system is built in to Windows, Macintosh, and Linux operating systems, so no additional software is needed.

Step 2: Decide where to host your podcast. For the purposes of this activity, this has been decided for you.

Today we will actually host on our blog.

A simple file transfer program lets you upload files to a server (such as our blog). The FTP system is built in to Windows, Macintosh, and Linux operating systems, so no additional software is needed.

Task 3: Metacognitive Endpiece In your packet, reflect on the language you employed in your poetry translation. How did a mindfulness of audience affect what you delivered? How did the podcast element affect your thinking and delivery?

In your packet, reflect on the language you employed in your poetry translation. How did a mindfulness of audience affect what you delivered?

How did the podcast element affect your thinking and delivery?

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