Customized Podcasts with NotebookLM

Introduction

Have you ever wished you could customize listening materials that perfectly match your students’ needs, interests, and levels? 

As teachers, we often rely on pre-made podcasts or listening exercises that, while effective, don’t always capture our students’ curiosity or connect to their experiences. 

Imagine, instead, having the power to create personalized, dynamic listening activities that cater directly to your students’ lives—activities that make learning more engaging and directly relevant to their goals.

Google’s NotebookLM is helping me do exactly that in my university English Communication classes. 

I used to rely on popular resources like BBC 6 Minute English, which was great but felt generic for my students. 

Now, I can create my own customized English learning podcasts that connect directly to their interests—from topics like their part-time jobs to discussions about their future careers. 

With the Audio Overview feature, I’m creating lessons that aren’t just exercises—they’re conversations that matter to my students.

In this post, I’ll share how I’m using NotebookLM’s Audio Overview to craft different types of listening activities, taking our traditional approach and transforming it into something more interactive, adaptive, and deeply connected to what matters most to my students.

Structure of Customized Podcasts

If you’re interested in learning more about how to use Google NotebookLM, make sure to check out my previous post where I cover the basics of setting it up for your classroom.

The customized podcasts I create follow a structure inspired by BBC 6 Minute English, but with added personalization to make the content more relatable for my students. Here’s the structure I use:

1. Quick Introduction to the Topic: I start with a brief introduction to set the context and spark interest in the topic. This helps students know what to expect and gives them a moment to connect personally to the topic.
2. Fun Question of the Week: Before diving in, I pose a light, engaging question related to the topic. This question helps students warm up and think about the theme in a way that’s personal and approachable.
3. Discussion About the Topic: This is the core segment of the podcast. I discuss the topic in a conversational style, incorporating key vocabulary as it naturally comes up. Each term is explained briefly as it appears, which helps reinforce understanding in real-time.
4. Guest Speakers (Advanced Feature): For a more advanced listening experience, I plan to add guest speakers using AI-generated voices. By editing transcripts with AI and recording them, I can include diverse perspectives on the topic, making the listening activity richer and more engaging. (I will talk more about this in a later section)
5. Simple Discussion and Comprehension Questions: To wrap up, I provide a few comprehension questions based on the discussion. These questions are designed to be used in small groups or pairs, helping students process what they’ve heard and practice discussing the topic with their peers.

AI Prompt for Creating Customized Podcasts

Google has recently updated NotebookLM’s Audio Overview feature, allowing users to customize content more precisely.

Though the feature currently limits prompts to 500 characters, with a well-crafted prompt, you can create a highly engaging and educational podcast around 5-6 minutes in length for your students.

To fully harness the customization features, I recommend using a concise AI prompt like the one below in NotebookLM.

Keep in mind that this is just a starting point—experimenting with different ideas will help you find the best fit for your audience.

Sample AI Prompt for NotebookLM:

“Create a 5-6 minute podcast script for university students on [Insert Topic Here].

Begin with a short introduction to the topic. Include a ‘question of the week’ that one host has to guess, without revealing the answer until the end.

Use vocabulary from the provided sources and explain each term after using it. Conclude the podcast with 3-5 discussion questions to encourage further reflection.

Keep it engaging, educational, and student-focused.”

Encouragement to Experiment:

The great thing about this prompt is its flexibility. Try adjusting the structure to suit different types of lessons. For instance, replace the ‘question of the week’ with a surprising fact or an anecdote.

NotebookLM allows you to get creative—use this opportunity to fine-tune the output to fit your students’ needs and interests, making each podcast uniquely impactful.

Tailoring Content to Students’ Majors and Interests

One of the greatest strengths of using NotebookLM is the ability to tailor content specifically to my students’ interests and career goals. 

My classes often consist of students from similar majors, and this allows me to customize podcasts on topics that are directly relevant to their field of study.

For instance, when covering topics like “ In the Workplace,” I create podcasts that discuss part-time jobs, workplace culture, or future career paths that align with the students’ majors. 

If I have a class full of engineering students, I may talk about challenges and opportunities in engineering workplaces. 

If the class is composed of business students, I can create content around entrepreneurship or marketing trends.

The flexibility of NotebookLM allows me to create separate versions of the same podcast for different classes, ensuring that each group receives listening material that is relevant to their own academic and career interests. 

This level of customization not only boosts engagement but also makes the lessons feel more meaningful to the students.

In addition, I can easily draw from authentic sources that resonate with students—like articles they have read, topics from their textbooks, or even discussions we’ve had in class. 

Adding these materials into NotebookLM allows me to build podcasts that present familiar content in a new, dynamic listening format, enhancing students’ understanding and keeping them actively engaged.

With NotebookLM’s Audio Overview feature, I’m not just delivering listening practice—I’m offering my students content that speaks directly to their present and future lives, making every lesson more practical and directly applicable.

Using Active Listening Worksheets

To make the most of the customized podcasts, I also provide active listening worksheets that guide my students through each episode. 

These worksheets are a crucial element in ensuring that students are engaged throughout the listening process and that they retain the information presented.

The worksheets include different types of activities, such as:

1. Multiple Choice Questions: These questions focus on key details from the podcast, helping students develop skills in identifying important information and reinforcing their comprehension of the topic.
2. Fill-in-the-Blank Exercises: I use these exercises to emphasize key vocabulary introduced during the podcast. Students fill in sentences that relate to the podcast content, which helps reinforce new terms and ensures they can use them accurately in context.
3. Matching Vocabulary to Definitions: This activity focuses on vocabulary retention. By matching terms from the podcast to their definitions, students solidify their understanding of new words and phrases, which is especially helpful for long-term retention.
4. Discussion Questions for Small Groups: To encourage deeper engagement, I include open-ended questions related to the podcast topic. These questions are designed to be discussed in small groups during class, allowing students to practice speaking and sharing their ideas while reinforcing the material they listened to.

The worksheets can be adjusted for different levels of proficiency. 

For instance, I may create beginner, intermediate, and advanced versions of the same worksheet, providing scaffolding as needed. 

Additionally, students can listen to the podcasts at different speeds, which is especially helpful for those who need more time to process spoken English.

Initially, I conduct these listening activities in class to ensure that students are comfortable with the format and expectations. 

Once they are more familiar, I assign these activities as homework, with in-class time dedicated to follow-up discussions. 

This approach allows students to engage with the content independently while using classroom time for interactive activities that reinforce their learning.

Combining customized podcasts with active listening worksheets helps create a comprehensive listening experience that supports vocabulary acquisition, comprehension, and real-life application—all essential elements for improving English communication skills.

Adapting to a Diverse Group of Learners

Most of the students I teach in my English Communication classes are freshmen. 

They come from a wide range of backgrounds—some have been learning English since kindergarten, while others have very little experience beyond grammar classes in high school. 

This diversity means that their needs and starting points are vastly different, and it’s important to adapt my materials to meet them where they are.

Using NotebookLM has made this adaptation process much more manageable. 

For students who have been learning English for years, I create more challenging versions of the podcast content that include nuanced vocabulary and advanced comprehension questions. 

For students who are less experienced, I simplify the podcasts and include additional scaffolding, like vocabulary previews and simpler comprehension exercises.

The ability to create multiple versions of the same podcast at varying levels of complexity means that no student feels left behind or overwhelmed. 

More advanced students can listen to a version of the podcast that pushes their understanding and introduces new challenges, while beginners receive content that builds confidence and lays a strong foundation for future growth.

In addition, I encourage students to adjust the playback speed of the podcasts to suit their comfort level. 

Those who need more time can slow it down, while others may prefer a faster pace. 

This kind of personalized listening experience ensures that every student can engage with the material effectively, regardless of their prior experience with English.

The diversity in my classes is also reflected in the topics we choose. 

Drawing on students’ diverse experiences—whether from part-time jobs, travel, or extracurricular activities—enables me to create podcasts that reflect their unique backgrounds and interests.

This helps every student find something relatable in the material, fostering a sense of connection and motivation to participate.

Using NotebookLM to create differentiated content that caters to the diverse backgrounds of my students has helped me make sure everyone feels included, engaged, and challenged at just the right level.

Monitoring and Assessing Effectiveness

Observing how students interact with the customized listening activities is crucial to understanding their effectiveness. 

Given that my classes are small—typically around 20 students—I have the opportunity to provide personalized feedback during discussions, helping me identify areas where individual students might need more support or further challenges.

To take the assessment of these activities a step further, I plan to create a document that tracks students’ progress and evaluates the overall effectiveness of the listening activities and discussions. 

This assessment document will focus on several key areas:

1. Comprehension: Evaluating whether students are accurately grasping the main ideas and details of the podcast content. This could be tracked through comprehension questions and student responses during discussions.
2. Vocabulary Usage: Monitoring whether students are effectively using the vocabulary introduced in the podcasts, both in their oral responses and written assignments. It helps ensure that the new terms are not just understood but are also becoming part of their active vocabulary.
3. Participation: Observing students’ level of participation during group discussions. This can provide insight into their comfort with the material and their willingness to engage in English-speaking activities.
4. Listening Skills Development: Tracking students’ ability to follow along with the podcasts over time—such as improvements in following more complex discussions, reduced reliance on scaffolding, or the ability to handle faster playback speeds.

This structured assessment will help me refine the content and adjust the levels as needed, making the learning experience as effective as possible. 

Additionally, reflecting on student progress and gathering feedback from the students themselves can provide insights into what is working well and what could be improved.

The goal is not just to provide listening practice but to use these listening activities as a tool for ongoing growth, encouraging students to reflect on their learning process and gain confidence in their ability to communicate effectively in English. 

The combination of observation, structured assessment, and personalized feedback will help ensure that each student can progress at their own pace while meeting the objectives of the course.

Structuring Small Group Discussions

Starting with simple, open-ended discussions is key to helping students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts in English. 

Initially, I keep the discussions informal to encourage participation without pressure. This helps build confidence as students get used to speaking up in a group setting.

Once students are more comfortable, I introduce more structure to enhance the quality of their interactions and ensure everyone is participating. Here are some of the strategies I use to structure these discussions:

1. Discussion Questions: I provide a set of open-ended questions to guide the discussion. These questions ensure that students stay on topic and help prompt deeper thought and engagement. For example, after listening to a podcast, I might ask, “How would you handle a situation like the one described?” or “What are your thoughts on the speaker’s point of view?”
2. Assigning Roles: To ensure balanced participation, I assign roles within each small group. Roles include a facilitator who guides the discussion, a timekeeper to make sure everyone has a chance to speak, and a notetaker to summarize the group’s main points. Assigning roles helps maintain order and encourages students who may be more hesitant to get involved.
3. Feedback and Reflection: After each discussion, I ask students to reflect on their experience. This could involve sharing what they found challenging, what they learned from their peers, or how they could contribute more effectively in the future. This reflection process helps students take ownership of their learning and supports their growth in both language skills and confidence.

Adding these layers of structure progressively has been instrumental in fostering more meaningful conversations. 

It helps students transition from passive listeners to active contributors, which is crucial for their language development and for building a supportive classroom environment.

Conclusion

Customizing listening activities using NotebookLM has truly transformed the way my students engage with English.

Creating content that speaks directly to their experiences, interests, and goals has allowed me to foster a more meaningful connection to the language and boost their confidence in using it.

Customized podcasts, worksheets, and discussions tailored to individual needs make the material feel relevant and accessible, ultimately making language learning more effective and enjoyable.

I encourage other educators to explore AI tools like NotebookLM to craft personalized, adaptive learning experiences for their students.

The possibilities for customization are vast, and the impact on student engagement and progress is clear.

With tools like NotebookLM, we can move beyond generic resources and build learning environments where every student feels seen, challenged, and supported on their language journey.