ICRT (The International Community Radio Taipei) is Taiwan's English-language radio station.
It is a common channel for grownups to learn English. But now, we are lucky to see that it offers a good daily program for junior high school students and elementary school students to learn more about English reading and listening comprehension.

This article will only discuss about the details for elementary school students. It showsthe process of introducingthe reading during the class, practicing in the English classroom and homeroom, and learning by himself or herself at home. With the help of the teachers, homeroom teachers and parents, students can benefit a lot from this program.

Preparation (Before and during the class)-
First, we demonstrate how to surf the program on the Internet. Just key in ICRT, and you will see the words of “ICRT News Lunch box.” You can choose the date from September 2 up to now. You can see the whole context if you need. You can listen to the program and learn a lot of knowledge and language day by day.

Secondly, we need to spend about 5 minutes a day to listen to the program. During the first several times, we demonstrate how to listen to it in class. After listening to the program, we show them some comprehensive questions from the article or videosabout the topic.

For example, take “the Great Barrier Reef” as an example.In order to let them know about it, we show them a very short video to help them know the beauty of this place. And then let them listen to the program and know this place is in danger now. We also ask them to answer the easy questions from the article.

Teachers prepare ppt of some interesting topic to let students know more about the new channel.

We can make some easy questions and use ppt to have an interactive way to encourage students to answer the questions in English.

For example, the easy questions about the Great Barrier Reef are as the following.

1. Where is the Great Barrier Reef located? (In which continent?) (Australia)
2. What kind of activity can you do in Great Barrier Reef? (Scuba diving)
3. Besides fish, what can you see most in Great Barrier Reef? (Coral)
4. What happened to the colorful coral? (It isn’t colorful anymore. It has turned into white.)
5. How can we protect the Great Barrier Reef? (By fishing less, and leaving the land around it alone. )

Homeroom teacher’s support-
In Hsinchu city, students only have 2 English classes each week. But ICRT News Lunchbox is a daily program. We still need the help or support from the homeroom teachers. In Dongyuan elementary school, our principal reminds the grade six homeroom teachers to play this good program during the lunchtime. Some English helpers will take over this job during the lunch time. Thus, when you walk past some higher graders’ classrooms, you will hear the program during the lunchtime every day.

After Class or at home (Parents’ support)-
In order to guide students to learn and listen to the reading at home, we give students a listening record. There are two versions for this record. The first record has 50 blanks for them to listen to the program and they need to ask for the signature from the parents after they listen to it twice.

The second version has 100 blanks. They need to take down five new or meaningful words and they also need to ask for the signature from the parents.

In the communication book, we “command” students take down in English that they need to listen to ICRT news lunchbox, take notes of 3-5 words and ask for the signature from the parents to be a proof.
We tell them that with the accumulation of the learning and the note-taking, your English will improve a lot.

Each student will have one piece of the listening record!(the first version)

The record from one of the students(the first version)

The record from one of the students(the second version)

Worksheets-
To put more and more emphasis on this good program, we decide to give them some worksheets and
discuss with them about some good topics. Take “No more plastic” as an example, it’s an environmental issue and it’s really relative to their daily life. Besides strengthening their ideas of using fewer plastic straws and loving the earth more, we want them to write down or draw the suggestions. It can be in English or Chinese. For students, it’s a meaningful learning and a good chance to present their thoughts.

ICRT Worksheets for students

Students’ worksheets

Practice test or exam
In addition to PowerPoint slides questions, reading records for taking notes and collecting signature of parents, worksheets for advanced thinking, there is another “good” use of this program, that is “Reading Comprehension Part in the Midterm or Final exam.”

With the overall practice, students really obtain a lot from this good channel. They will feel the emphasis teachers have put on reading.

Reading comprehension in the practice exam and midterm

Conclusion-
Reading will help students to improve their understanding of the language and broaden their horizon.Reading comprehension ability plays a very important role in learning English. With more self-study material and more aspects of input, students can build their vocabulary easily. Students can improve their reading skills at their own speed, whenever it's convenient for them. Therefore, ICRT News Lunch Box is really a good channel for students.