VerbCast

Feedback time

It's the end of the first quarter of the VERBcast. In the original launch of the programme the VERBcast was only on weekdays so this in a sense is the end of the first week of four. We're obviously squeezing things in a bit tighter this time round because of the exams which are fast approaching.

However we need your feedback. What do you think so far? How is it going? We obviously really hope you're still enjoying the experience, and we'd like you to post some comments on this post.

VERBcast: episode 5

If you've got to this episode then you're doing well - you're a quarter of the way through the whole course! If you're signed up for the enhanced VERBcast then you should have been receiving the text messages each day too. These will hopefully help to keep your mind on verbs when you're not listening to the VERbcast!

On today's show
Four more verbs today, this time it's the turn of dire, écrire, dormir and prendre. There is also a wee bonus in this episode - you get 5 for the price of 4 because comprendre works exactly like prendre!

Downloads:
VERBcast 05 High quality (broaband users)
VERBcast 05 Low quality (dialup users)

We're always keen to have your feedback. How do you feel at the end of the first quarter of the series? Are you finding the programmes useful? What about the relaxation technique side of things? Do you feel you're learning something? Can you close your eyes and imagine your cerebral screen? Feedback by clicking on the Comments link below.

Confusion!

This is my own doing! Last time round when we launched the VERBcast I was recording the programmes each day, so they weren't published until late in the evening. This meant that the natural time to send the sms exercises etc. was the following day. However, this time round since all the recordings are already done, it's proving really confusing to send sms messages the following day, especially when in most cases the episodes for that day are already published. And the really confusing thing for me is that I'm working two or three days in advance because all the VERBcast episodes and text messages are preprogrammed so that they are published automatically (and I don't actually need to get up at 6am to publish them!)

Anyway, what I've decided to do from tomorrow is send out sms messages relating to the episode released on the same day. This means that I'll send an extra sms tonight, and as from tomorrow, the verbs being tested in the sms will be those released in tomorrow's episode. Hope this makes sense and that it helps to solve lots of confusion, 99% of which has been cause by me!

VERBcast: episode 4

More irregular verbs today. Hopefully you're finding the VERBcast very useful. We're certainly delighted with the response both in the comments and in emails.

On today's show
In today's show you'll learn three more irregular verbs in the present tense, all of which are formed in a very similar way. The verbs are pouvoir, savoir and vouloir. Like all the irregular verbs covered in the VERBcast they're important verbs and you really need to know them.

Downloads:
VERBcast 04 High quality (broaband users)
VERBcast 04 Low quality (dialup users)

Please remember to add your comments by clicking on the Comments link below.

VERBcast: episode 3

Follow the links below to access the mp3 files. They can be downloaded and copied to your mp3 player, burned to CD, or listened to on your computer, but we would suggest that for best results you listen to each episode on headphones.

On today's show
This episode of the VERBcast introduces the concept of irregular verbs, and you'll come across four verbs which are among the most commonly used verbs in the French language: avoir, être, faire and aller. You need to know these verbs, so let the VERBcast teach you them!

Downloads:
VERBcast 03 High quality (broaband users)
VERBcast 03 Low quality (dialup users)

Please remember to add your comments by clicking on the Comments link below.

Update

Thought you'd be interested in another wee update on how things are going. There have now been about 112 downloads of the VERBcast so far, not to mention 317 hits on the VERBcast website in a little over 24 hours. Since the first launch of the VERBcast last year episodes 1 and 2 have been downloaded a total of 6265 times! So you're in good company!

There are now 29 of you signed up for the enhanced version with text messages, and we've contacted most of the schools involved in the PiE project so hopefully more of you will sign up over the next couple of days. By the way, if you don't post your comments on the site, we'll assume you no longer want to be part of the enhanced project and we'll cancel your texts. This isn't meant to be some kind of big threat, but the texts are expensive so we have to ensure that you're using the system as it's intended. Hope that's ok. More soon!

VERBcast: episode 2

3000 verbs yesterday - no bother! Today we'll add another thousand or so verbs to the list by covering regular -ir and -re verbs, using finir and vendre as the examples. Follow the links below to access the mp3 files. They can be downloaded and copied to your mp3 player, burned to CD, or listened to on your computer, but we would suggest that for best results you listen to each episode on headphones.

Downloads:
VERBcast 02 High quality (broaband users)
VERBcast 02 Low quality (dialup users)

Please remember to add your comments by clicking on the Comments link below.

VERBcast: day 1 update

The VERBcast was launched about 6 hours ago and I thought I'd just report back on our first day's events. In the first few hours of the programme being available, the first episode has been downloaded directly from this site around 45 times. The page itself has been accessed over 100 times and I've had about 20 students sign up for the enhanced version. Tomorrow we should see a few more join the project as teachers in the schools who have asked to be involved in the VERBcast speak to their classes. We look forward to having you on board!

Those of you signed up for the enhanced version should be receiving your first messages on Thursday morning, by which time programme 2 will be available for download!

VERBcast: episode 1

Here's the first episode! Follow the links below to access the mp3 files. They can be downloaded and copied to your mp3 player, burned to CD, or listened to on your computer, but we would suggest that for best results you listen to each episode on headphones.

On today's show
This programme introduces you to the relaxation techniques you're going to be using in the series, and explains what verbs are. Regular -er verbs in the present tense are covered, using parler as an example.

Downloads:
VERBcast 01 High quality (broaband users: 11.4mb)
VERBcast 01 Low quality (dialup users: 0.9mb)

Please remember to add your comments by clicking on the Comments link below.

The VERBcast story

The VERBcast started out as a project we developed last summer. It was tested throughout the month of September with a small group of students who had signed up for a "secret assignment" on the LanguageZone website. Over four weeks they followed each programme and throughout the four weeks they completed tests on the website.

The VERBcast was the first full course in Europe delivered entirely by podcasting, and at the end of the four week trial period the programmes were released to the public via the iTunes Music Store. Since then the episodes have been downloaded over 35,000 times across the world!

The VERBcast has been covered in a number of press articles and has been among the top education podcasts on the iTunes Music Store several times. There has also been interested from Apple Computers and we're looking forward to announcing an exciting project with Apple in a few months.

By taking part in the VERBcast you're joining thousands of people all across the world who have dared to try to learn a bit differently! Enjoy it, as we count down from 10 to 1 ...