
Looking for engaging ways to enhance written assignments for students? Listenwise offers a unique solution by bringing podcasts and videos into the writing process. Our standards-aligned lessons help students develop writing skills while building listening comprehension and critical thinking.
Creating written assignments for students that incorporate different types of media can be challenging, especially when teaching English Language Learners (ELs) or striving to meet diverse learner needs. Listenwise provides a wide range of resources that make it easier to design meaningful writing tasks using audio and video content.
With Listenwise, students can access current, real-world content to support their written assignments. Our library features up-to-date podcasts and videos on a variety of subjects—from history and science to social studies and current events—making it easy to find sources that enhance student writing.
I always find relevant content to go along with my lessons as a supplement. The ease of use and the already identified standards make using Listenwise so easy!
Middle School Teacher, MO
Every Listenwise lesson comes with built-in resources to support written assignments for students, including:
Teachers can assign quizzes digitally or use the provided questions to guide students in writing summaries, opinion pieces, and analytical essays.
Listenwise is a beneficial addition to my curriculum. We listen and respond as a whole group to the lessons before students begin to work on individual writing assignments. I also like that students can work at their own pace.
ELD High School Teacher, PA
Listenwise podcasts and videos come from credible, well-known news outlets, making them strong sources for student writing assignments. Each story includes:
Students can use Listenwise stories as evidence in argumentative essays, research projects, or multimedia synthesis assignments that require diverse source types.
I use Listenwise stories when teaching the Bill of Rights to help connect current events to class content.
Middle School Teacher, MA
Listenwise is designed to support all learners—from advanced writers to English learners who need additional language scaffolding for their written assignments. Features include:
This ensures that every student, regardless of language proficiency, can complete their written assignments with confidence.
Here are some examples of how teachers use Listenwise to create engaging written assignments for students:
Ask students to synthesize information from a podcast (audio), a news article (written), and a video (visual) to explore how different media formats present similar information.
Younger students can listen to a short podcast and write a summary, using graphic organizers to capture the main idea and key details—perfect for building early writing skills.
Students can quote from Listenwise transcripts to strengthen their arguments in persuasive essays, research papers, or opinion writing.
I see Listenwise as a valuable resource for building engagement with students who increasingly gravitate to podcasts over written texts.
Supervisor of Humanities, NJ Tweet
By integrating Listenwise into your curriculum, you can create dynamic written assignments for students that meet academic standards while boosting engagement and comprehension. Help students build essential writing skills using real-world audio and video content today.
Listenwise provides engaging, standards-aligned audio and video lessons that serve as high-quality source material for written assignments for students. Each lesson includes comprehension questions, discussion prompts, and graphic organizers that help students organize their thoughts and develop stronger writing skills.
Yes! Listenwise podcasts come from reputable news and educational organizations, making them excellent primary or secondary sources for essays, research papers, and other written assignments. Full transcripts and citation-friendly information are included with each lesson.
Absolutely. Every Listenwise lesson includes discussion questions and quiz questions that teachers can easily adapt into writing prompts. These resources are ideal for jumpstarting written assignments for students, whether for short responses, summaries, or longer essays.
Listenwise offers ELD-specific lessons with additional language supports such as slowed audio, built-in vocabulary definitions, and transcripts with keyword highlights. These features help ELL students comprehend the material and confidently complete their written assignments in English.
Yes! Teachers use Listenwise to support a variety of written assignments for students, including:
Every Listenwise story comes with a Lexile level and adjustable audio speed, helping teachers choose content that matches student ability levels. With graphic organizers and scaffolded questions, teachers can modify written assignments for students to suit emerging writers, advanced students, and everyone in between.