Using WWW broadcasts in conversation course

[Edythe C. Haber]

Dear SEELANGers:

        I am scheduled to teach a reconceived version of our Conversation and
Composition course next semester, entitled "Communicating in Russian."  The
idea behind the revision is to place more emphasis on listening
comprehension and somewhat less on composition.  The course will be devoted
in part into the usual everyday conversational topics that have
traditionally been covered in such courses, and in part to communicating on
current events and other issues of interest to Russians and to our students.
        The development of greater proficiency in listening comprehension is
intended not only for face-to-face conversations, but also for the
potentially practical skill of monitoring broadcasts and other oral
communications. I would like therefore to integrate Russian broadcast
material from the World Wide Web in the course, but being a neophyte in
such matters, I need advice as to how to go about it.  Can anyone who has
had experience and has developed materials using broadcasts share their
wisdom with me -- and with others interested in the question?  I don't
simply want to know how to connect to broadcasts, but also how to integrate
them into the course, with related reading material that can serve as a
basis for for vocabulary building, grammar review, and, finally, for
classroom conversation.
        Any help will be much appreciated!  Thanks in advance.
                        Edythe Haber
                        Modern Languages Dept.
                        University of Massachusetts Boston