If you are not using a text book, what do the students use as study material? Have you developed your own materials for your classes? How do you integrate new materials into current program? Do you have goals for the students? I have heard your advocacy of TRP and TRP/S in the past. I would love to hear more about your approach to class room learning.

An idea that I shared on Ken’s Why Learn Chinese post may also fit into the classroom. If Cpod could hook up with the publishers of many Chinese course curriculum and bid on the production of accompanying podcasts many doors would be opened. School may then purchase subscriptions from Cpod for access and/or publisher would have to give cpod a percentage if subscription is included with course work. This would also further advertisement for cpod. Students who want to learn then may in addition purchase a personal subscription from Cpod.

I also think Cpod could work with publishers of children and maybe even adult books. As a teacher and parent, having children sit with a book and listen to it read to them can be outstanding. These type of podcasts could also take over the books on tape market. Audible.com has this idea for English books already. I have yet to find one for Chinese. Cpod could further the attractiveness if the teachers can come up with a way to further the learning coupled with the podcast reading of the book. Cpod could have a series stretching from pre-reading material to adult level books.

(classrooms should have computers making iPods in the classroom unnecessary IF they create a learning hindrance rather than a learning tool.)

Wish I had the means of realizing this idea myself.