Creating Podcasts in the Classroom: Q&A with Teen Podcaster Oscar Lewis

Storytelling comes in many formats: from television to TikTok to true crime novels. Multimedia literacy, then, is a critical skill for writers looking to reach wider audiences. Constructing multimodal narratives—considering how written words interact with, inform, and are influenced by audio, visuals, pacing, tone of voice, all help to hone critical thinking skills and writers’ awareness of their intended audience. 

Teaching podcasting in the classroom is one way to equip students with these real-world marketing and communication skills—and to fulfill U.S. Common Core State Standards for speaking, listening, and using technology. Below, teen podcaster Oscar Lewis, host of “The Potter Discussion,” a podcast that promotes literacy through the beat of Harry Potter, shares how educators can incorporate podcasting into their curricula, even if they aren’t especially comfortable with technology.

To get started, can you please share how and why you started podcasting? What inspired “The Potter Discussion”?

I started The Potter Discussion in September of 2020. This was in the beginning days of the pandemic, and I wanted to find something to do, just like millions of other people around the world. I had started listening to podcasts around that time, so the idea of starting a podcast of my own was top of mind.

However, the subject of the podcast was far more difficult to imagine. I began taking long walks that year, so I used that time to consider my options. I knew that I wanted to make a show around books and fiction, I just had to refine it.

Eventually, I connected the dots between my love of Harry Potter and my desire to start a podcast.

What are the benefits of podcasting for writers? Why is it important for other teens to explore multimedia storytelling?

Different mediums occupy different spaces in the process of crafting a story. A script for a film is different from the film itself, just as that film is different from the book that inspired it. A script, film, book, podcast, and article can say the same things, but they never tell the same story. 

Podcasts are a very natural way of consuming content because of their conversational aspects. Podcasters are in the business of creating spoken word from thought; podcast listeners experience thought from spoken word. This relationship can spark some fascinating conversations and ideas that writers might consider for their own work. 

Teens should understand that, when it comes to storytelling, there is nothing more powerful than the human voice. You might be surprised how different a book and podcast can sound, even if they embark on the same adventure. Translating a story into a podcast forces us to think of that story in many new ways, and more deeply relate to and understand the characters and plot.

How might English Language Arts teachers who are new to podcasting help their students get started, even if they don’t feel confident with the required technology?

Technology is the worst! Believe me, I get it. The amazing thing is that podcast companies understand that also, so it is easier than ever to start a podcast. 

However, technology should be the first and last thing you think about when podcasting. Have you ever gravitated toward a podcast because it sounded great or was uploaded really well? Perhaps, but what is more important is what the podcast actually says. Listeners will accept somewhat poor audio quality for a fantastic show, just as sports fans will accept mediocre stadium seats to watch their favorite team. 

If you want to teach the noble art of the podcast, never start with a breakdown of microphones and digital audio workstations. Instead, begin with a discussion of what a podcast is and how students might go about making one. This might look like brainstorming topics, mentioning format and structure, and going over real life examples of up-and-running podcasts.

What apps, programs, or resources might teachers share with their students to support their first forays into podcasting?

The Buzzsprout ‘How to Start a Podcast’ resources are some of the best on the internet. There, you will find a ton of information around recording, editing, and publishing your podcast.

It’s easy for podcasting to become overwhelming, so if you don’t want to think about editing and uploading, just focus on recording your first episodes.

It’s also important to note that your first recording probably won’t end up as your first episode. Getting even a small amount of technique down before recording published content is important. “The Potter Discussion” is hosted on Buzzsprout, meaning that is where I upload my audio file from my computer to populate podcast apps.

Podcasting involves important communication skills. How can teachers—and teen writers—think intentionally about techniques like inflection, tone of voice, pacing, etc.? What other craft elements do you think about most as a podcaster?

The most important thing to remember is: this is a conversation. Podcasters don’t spend hours practicing enunciation and inflection like a singer would. If you podcast with other people, just have a conversation with them. That’s it. The best podcasts are the ones that are easy to listen to, and there is nothing easier to listen to than a conversation among friends. 

As a solo podcaster, it is harder to be as natural because there is no springboard for conversation; however, this presents a perfect opportunity to ask yourself questions and create your own conversation.

The structure of your podcast is also important to consider. Will you have an introduction and outro? Will you have segments surrounding lists, questions, games? Will you have no cuts or segments, and instead just see where the story takes you? These are all questions that are vital to keep in mind. 

Once you have a podcast, that’s only the beginning; how have you approached marketing and community building to reach your intended audience? How might other teens do the same?

For “The Potter Discussion,” marketing and spreading the word about the show really isn’t on the list of priorities. Quality and consistency of content is most important, as it should be for the majority of podcasters. I have focused more on building a dedicated base of fans that enjoy an episode every week. From there, word of mouth is how the show grows. 

At the end of an episode, I’ll ask listeners to share the episode with someone who might enjoy it. This is an extremely passive strategy, which is why I like it so much.

If you want to be more proactive, however, the best thing to do is to find where your listeners would be. If you have a book podcast, give bookmarks with your podcast information to your school or local library. If you have a storytelling podcast, find local D&D or theater groups, and grow your audience through them. Marketing snowballs once you grow the initial base of listeners; you just have to get the ball rolling.

What have you learned from podcasting? What are some of your “takeaways” from all of the amazing work you’ve done?

I have learned too much to write in just a few sentences, but a few things stand out. One is that practice makes perfect. The cliché really does hold up with podcasting. My first episodes were absolutely terrible. Everything from the audio to the pacing was horrific, and I shudder to think of it. 

Now, I have years of podcasting experience, and that gives me enough perspective to improve my craft and perfect each episode. Using Logic Pro to edit my episodes has never been easier, and the technical skills I’ve learned are invaluable. 

Secondly, I’ve learned how to play the devil’s advocate and think like someone else. The ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes comes in handy more often than you might think. Because I am the only host, I have to spin the conflict within the episode myself. In addition to my own thoughts, I have to think like another host might. This gives me added perspective on each episode and a better understanding of the story as a whole.

About Oscar Lewis & “The Potter Discussion”: Oscar is a fan of Harry Potter and host of “The Potter Discussion,” the ultimate Harry Potter podcast, in which he discusses Harry Potter, fantastic beasts, and the wizarding world fandom. In weekly episodes, he breaks down characters, holds quizzes, and picks through the inner workings of the plot and relationships. It’s your one stop shop for all things Wizarding World! Learn more and listen in at: https://thepotterdiscussion.com/