How I'm Using Brisk AI's New Podcast Tool to Boost Listening Skills in IB French B

As an IB French B teacher, one of the biggest challenges I face is helping students build strong listening skills. While reading and writing resources are abundant, it's often difficult to find authentic, level-appropriate audio content that reflects the themes, pace, and linguistic complexity of the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP). According to the IB Language B Guide, listening comprehension is a core component of Paper 2, making this skill essential for student success.

That's why I was so excited to discover the new Podcast feature from Brisk Teaching—a tool that allows teachers to turn any written content into an audio recording. And let me tell you: it works beautifully. This innovation addresses a critical gap in language learning resources, particularly for IB French B students preparing for their assessments.

Why Listening Practice Matters in IB French B

Listening is one of the core competencies assessed in the IB French B programme. Students are expected to interpret spoken texts that are culturally relevant and linguistically rich, and the listening component of Paper 2 can often be intimidating. Research by Vandergrift (2007) emphasizes that listening comprehension is foundational for language acquisition, yet it's often the most challenging skill for learners to develop.

Having access to relevant, up-to-date, and well-paced audio content is essential to build student confidence and comprehension. Unfortunately, many existing audio resources are either outdated, too difficult, or disconnected from the curriculum. The IB curriculum requires students to engage with authentic materials that reflect the five prescribed themes, making it crucial to have audio content that aligns with these requirements.

Enter Brisk Teaching's Podcast Tool

Brisk Teaching recently launched a feature that allows you to generate a podcast from any article, text, or lesson content—and it's a total game-changer for language teachers. This tool addresses the challenge of finding appropriate listening materials while ensuring content relevance and curriculum alignment.

I tested it with an article on laïcité in France and Quebec, a topic we explore in our "Identité" unit. Within seconds, I had a clear, natural-sounding French recording of the article. The pronunciation was impressively accurate, the pace was appropriate, and the tone felt authentic—not robotic. This level of quality is essential for students preparing for IB French B Paper 2 listening assessments.

Students engaging with authentic French audio content generated by Brisk AI's podcast tool for IB French B listening practice.

Student Response: Engagement + Comprehension

When I played the podcast for my students, their reaction was overwhelmingly positive. They listened attentively, engaged with the content, and even asked to replay certain parts to catch nuances they missed the first time. This active engagement is crucial for developing listening comprehension skills, as noted in Swain's (2005) output hypothesis, which emphasizes the importance of meaningful interaction in language learning.

We followed up with a structured class discussion and a few comprehension questions aligned with the IBDP Paper 2 listening criteria. Not only were students more focused, but they also appreciated how the activity mirrored the type of listening they'll encounter in their final exam. This alignment with IB assessment criteria is essential for effective exam preparation.

Why This Tool Matters for IB Teachers

Here's what makes the Brisk Podcast tool so powerful for IBDP language educators:

• It saves time: No more hunting for the perfect recording—just generate your own! This efficiency allows teachers to focus on instruction rather than resource hunting.
• It's adaptable: You can tailor the content to fit any IB theme or unit, ensuring perfect curriculum alignment.
• It increases student exposure: More listening practice leads to better comprehension and confidence, which is essential for IB French B success.
• It promotes cultural literacy: Use current articles to tackle real-world issues through a linguistic lens, supporting the IB's emphasis on intercultural understanding.

Curriculum Alignment Benefits

One of the most significant advantages of this tool is its ability to create content that directly aligns with IB French B themes and assessment criteria. According to Kramsch (2014), authentic cultural materials are essential for developing both linguistic and intercultural competence. Whether you're working on:

• Identités (Identities): Generate podcasts about cultural diversity, migration, or linguistic identity
• Expériences (Experiences): Create audio content about educational systems, travel, or life transitions
• Ingéniosité humaine (Human Ingenuity): Develop listening materials on innovation, sustainability, or technological advancement
• Organisation sociale (Social Organization): Produce content about governance, community structures, or social issues
• Partage de la planète (Sharing the Planet): Generate audio materials on environmental challenges and global cooperation

Practical Implementation Tips

Based on my experience using the Brisk podcast tool in my IB French B classroom, here are some practical tips for implementation:

Content Selection Strategy

• Choose articles that are 300-800 words for optimal listening session length
• Select texts with appropriate vocabulary density for your students' proficiency level
• Prioritize current events and cultural topics that connect to IB themes
• Include diverse Francophone perspectives beyond metropolitan France (Quebec, Belgium, African francophone countries)
• Ensure content reflects authentic cultural contexts relevant to the five prescribed themes

Assessment Integration

The generated podcasts work excellently for formative and summative assessment preparation:

• Create comprehension questions that mirror IB Paper 2 format
• Use the audio for note-taking practice and summary exercises
• Incorporate vocabulary expansion activities based on the content
• Develop discussion prompts that encourage critical thinking and cultural analysis
• Practice with different accents and registers to prepare students for exam variety

What's Next?

I plan to build a small library of custom podcasts for my IB French students, covering themes like migration, education systems, media and technology, and more. With this tool, I can ensure that every audio activity we do is relevant, accessible, and aligned with the IB assessment framework. This systematic approach to listening practice supports student success across all components of the IB French B assessment.

If you're a language teacher looking to modernize your approach to listening comprehension, I highly recommend trying out Brisk's Podcast tool. The combination of curriculum alignment, time efficiency, and student engagement makes it an invaluable resource for IB language educators.

Supporting Student Success Beyond the Classroom

At Bespoke Learning, we understand that authentic listening practice is crucial for IB French B success. Our experienced tutors incorporate similar innovative tools and methodologies to help students develop the listening comprehension skills needed for exam success and real-world communication. We combine AI-enhanced tools like Brisk AI with personalized one-on-one French tutoring to provide comprehensive language support.