Welcome to review of technology! We cannot deny that we all crave for news or at least something that interests us. But how much time are we willing to spend on watching TV news in our busy days? The answer seems obvious—we don't watch; we listen and read no our digital devices, i.e. cellphones, iPads, laptops ....
This week's topic is a popular multimedia news organization – NPR News. NPR is not a new star; it was incorporated in 1970. There are many aspects to talk about news websites and applications, but here I want to focus more on how it helps with acquiring English based on my personal experience.
Language acquiring, unlike learning, should be exposure to authentic use of the language. That is, reading or listening to something that has real meaning of communication in any contexts, rather than something that deals with the language itself such as language textbooks. And I found news to be one of the best ways to fill that gap between learning and acquiring a language.
NRP news can be accessed from its websites, app, and radio station. With a variety of topics to choose from, readers/listeners can easily pick something of their interests at a quick glance.
Despite broad topics NPR covers, what stands out to me as an English learner is that most of (not all) its news contains a corresponded audio file, which is downloadable for people who prefer off-line listening or attempt to use it for educational purpose. On occasion, we find
reading exhausting especially on a shaky train or after a whole day's work, and for those moments listening surely becomes a more enjoyable option.
By listening to the news, I come to know more in depth about appropriate words to use in a certain context, and what's more, there is always an interview recording researchers, citizens, politicians, authorities concerned, etc., which provides numerous examples of different types communication for English learners.
Although it is a great platform to practice English skills, from my experience, NPR could be challenging for learners from beginning to intermediate levels as the use of English is variable across different topics and journalists. Even so, I think NPR is still recommendable for English learners, teachers, or anyone who simply finds pleasure in reading or listening to news.
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