In Their Own Words: Teaching Spanish Through Storytelling with Jiveworld

By Astrid Lorena Ochoa Campo, University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse

DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.69732/LLLA1698

In recent years, my search for authentic, dynamic, culturally rich, and pedagogically sound language teaching resources has expanded beyond textbooks and traditional media to increase relevance in my Spanish courses. Among the emerging technologies addressing this need is Jiveworld, a digital language learning application designed to improve Spanish listening comprehension through engaging, authentic podcast stories. After using Jiveworld for three semesters and in different teaching modalities, I have found it to be an effective and adaptable tool for enhancing students’ aural proficiency in Spanish. In this review, I share practical insights into how the app works, its pricing, features, pros and cons, and how it compares with other tools on the market.

Jiveworld Overview

Name of tool	Jiveworld
URL	jiveworld.com
Primary Purpose/Use	Learn Spanish through real stories and improve listening skills
Cost	Monthly: $15.95 Yearly: $119 It is cheaper for a whole class, depending on the number of students. With classes of 21 students, each student paid $8 monthly for three months.
Ease of Use	Very easy – my students found it easy to use on their phones, tablets, and computers.

Jiveworld offers a flexible pricing structure. Teachers can use a selection of stories for free, which helps pilot the platform or ease limited budgets. As for paid subscriptions, they unlock Jiveworld’s whole library of stories and additional features, including a script with translations and key vocabulary. Currently, a standard three-month student subscription costs $24 (or $8 per month). Institutions may negotiate custom pricing directly with Jiveworld.

Jiveworld offers curated audio stories primarily sourced from Radio Ambulante, a podcast known for telling human-centered stories from across Latin America and the Latinx diaspora. Students interact with each story in segmented audio chunks, controlling playback speed and following along with an interactive transcript. 

My Classroom Experience in an Undergraduate Intermediate Level Spanish Course

Over the past three semesters, I used Jiveworld in different modalities:

• Summer (Online): I purchased a one-month subscription for 15 students for $120 total. During this four-week asynchronous course, I used eight stories with complete access to all application features. My students listened to the stories, took notes with the notes template provided in Jiveworld, created their personal vocabulary lists with the new words they learned as they listened to the stories, created three original sentences with three of the words in their list, and peer-reviewed one classmate’s list. Then, they incorporated some of these vocabulary words into their Canvas discussion video posts, connecting them to the content of the week. Finally, my students had to speak about the takeaways from these stories and their connections to each unit during the oral quizzes they took as part of this course. 
• Fall (In-Person): Due to budget limitations, I only utilized free stories like “Miedo.” I played two more stories with my teacher’s subscription, spreading them throughout several classes. Because my students could not access all the features in the Jiveworld application, I used the classroom computer to project the stories and paused as they had questions about vocabulary. I used most of the features of those stories, especially the soundbites comprehension checks. Outside of the classroom, I assigned them to listen to the full stories in Radio Ambulante with the transcript in Spanish. However, this practice took them much longer, so I could not assign as many stories in the semester. Despite these difficulties, the students established connections between the content and Jiveworld stories and remembered them throughout the semester. 
• Spring (In-Person): With my department’s permission, I instructed my students to pay each a discounted subscription rate of $24 for three months ($8/month), arranged after I coordinated with a Jiveworld representative. During this semester, my students listened to ten stories outside of class and used all the features of Jiveworld. I graded these assignments for completion, and to receive credit, they needed to upload a screenshot of their dashboard showing they listened to the whole story, studied new vocabulary words, and interacted with the soundbites. The practice with the new vocabulary words and connections to class content was done during class time, so my students used them in conversations in Spanish with their classmates. In the same way as in the summer course, I incorporated questions about the stories in the oral quizzes. 

In my courses, I typically begin by implementing the free story,  “Miedo,” which is a beneficial starting point to Jiveworld podcasts because it is about a Colombian student learning English in England. In this story, the student describes his misconceptions about English and he explains his attempts at expressing complex stories with his limited English proficiency. The podcast is brief, so it doesn’t overwhelm first-time application users. I have found that this story resonates well with teachers and learners who have faced challenges while learning another language. For my classes, this was an appropriate segue into learning how Spanish is spoken by different types of speakers in the United States, which was the objective for this project as students were asked to create their own podcast on this topic as a final assessment. 

Overall, the Jiveworld stories provided excellent models for a podcast project my students created. For their own podcast, they did a literature review about a Spanish-speaking community in the United States and interviewed someone they knew from that community. They used the research that they read in the literature review to create their narrative for the podcast and included soundbites from the interview they conducted. As part of the assignment, they needed to highlight the contribution of the community they studied to the United States workforce. Listening to several Jiveworld episodes throughout the semester helped my students with the script writing, recording, and editing of their podcast. Specifically,  students imitated these podcasts’  narration pacing and voice modulation strategies for the role of podcast host. 

In addition to choosing shorter stories (35 minutes or less), I found that assigning a weekly homework story was manageable and beneficial. Students listened at their own pace, interacted with the transcript, and completed activities for credit. While I could track their activity on the Jiveworld dashboard, I still asked for screenshots of their scoreboards as a backup. Not only did this encourage accountability, but it also gave students a tangible sense of progress. At first, I did not require them to do much with the new vocabulary in the stories. But later, I asked them to practice the new words using the app’s feature, and their screenshot score board showed how many words they learned for each episode. This requirement facilitated our class discussion. 

Features and Functionality

The teacher first needs to create an account and a Jiveworld classroom to begin assigning stories. Once created, the app provides a link to send students to join the class. There, teachers can assign stories with deadlines and specific instructions. 

From my experience with Jiveworld, I consider its strongest features the following:  

Interactive Transcripts: Students see the script and hear the audio simultaneously. 

Translation Support: Clicking on a word offers contextually appropriate translations.

Vocabulary Export: Students can build and export a custom vocabulary list. One of the standout features is the app’s ability to provide on-demand vocabulary support: students can click on unfamiliar words within the transcript and receive translations in context, often with cultural and grammatical notes. Beyond passive listening, Jiveworld encourages active engagement. Learners can highlight and save vocabulary words to a personal word bank, which they can later download, export as a PDF file, and upload to Quizlet to create a study set.

Soundbites: Some stories also include mini comprehension checks that spotlight key expressions or grammatical patterns. These elements offer a scaffolded approach to understanding native speakers’ Spanish without diluting its complexity. 

Teacher Resources: Access to scripts and editable templates. Some stories include an activity guide created by a Spanish instructor. They vary in length but include scaffolded activities to better understand the story’s vocabulary and grammar points. Some of these include reading activities about the sociohistorical content of the stories. The basic script story consists of the Spanish transcript with its English translation, while the scaffolded story script includes Spanish and English and a list of new vocabulary words and regional expressions with their equivalents in English. This is the transcript I share with the students after they have listened to each story. I also provide them with the guided listening worksheet in Word format so they can take notes as they listen. 

Authenticity: Listening to authentic stories about people from Latin American and Latinx communities increased my students’ perception of relevance in our course content. In other words, they see the content of the course connected to real people’s lives. They establish connections between these stories and those from people they know and will know in their future careers and personal interactions. The stories used in Jiveworld include a wide range of topics from different countries in Latin America and regions in the United States. 

Together, these tools support differentiated learning by offering flexible, student-centered options that accommodate varying language proficiency levels, learning styles, and classroom needs. For example, with Jiveworld, instructors can break stories into shorter segments and use them over several class periods to support students who benefit from repeated exposure and in-class scaffolding, like I did during my spring semester course. Or they can complete the same stories as at-home assignments, taking advantage of features like adjustable playback speed, vocabulary support, and interactive transcripts to move at their own pace. This works for asynchronous online courses and in-person discussion-based courses. This adaptability allows us to tailor content delivery and student engagement to meet diverse learning goals and preferences. 

Recommendations 

Jiveworld is a compelling addition to any language teacher’s toolkit, particularly for intermediate and advanced learners. It promotes cultural competence, listening skills, and vocabulary acquisition through real stories told by real people. For this reason, I recommend:

1. Assigning Stories Outside of Class for Flexible Pacing

Activity Description:
Students are assigned a Jiveworld story to listen to outside of class, using the app’s interactive features such as vocabulary pop-ups, doodles, and comprehension scaffolding. They complete a guided listening journal where they summarize the story, identify key vocabulary, and reflect on cultural or linguistic elements. In the next class, students participate in small-group discussions to compare interpretations and insights. When available, I used the materials already created by other teachers provided in Jiveworld, such as the ones in the episode “Escuchadme terráqueos.” 

Student Level:
Intermediate Mid to Intermediate High (ACTFL)

Learning Objectives (ACTFL Can-Do Statements):

• Interpretive Communication: I can understand the main idea and some supporting details in authentic audio texts on familiar topics.
• Interpersonal Communication: I can exchange information and opinions about a story I listened to using connected sentences.
• Intercultural Communication: I can recognize cultural products and practices in the story and compare them to my own.

2. Listening to a Story in Sections Over Multiple Class Periods

Activity Description:
Instead of assigning an entire Jiveworld story for one sitting, teachers can break the story into manageable sections and listen to one part per class over several days. Each session begins with a brief pre-listening activity—such as predicting content based on the title or reviewing key vocabulary—followed by focused listening using the app. After listening, students engage in comprehension checks, vocabulary reinforcement, and short discussions or reflective journaling. This pacing allows for deeper engagement with the language and content and it gives students time to absorb and apply new vocabulary and structures. To keep student costs low, one semester I carried out this activity where we listened to the stories using only my teacher’s subscription. 

Student Level:
Intermediate Low to Intermediate Mid (ACTFL)

Learning Objectives (ACTFL Can-Do Statements):

• Interpretive Communication: I can understand the main idea and some details in short, authentic audio texts when supported by visuals or context.
• Interpersonal Communication: I can ask and answer questions about a story I listened to using simple sentences.
• Presentational Communication: I can write a few sentences to describe what happened in a story or how I felt about it.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Jiveworld offers several compelling advantages for language learners and educators alike. Its high-quality, authentic content immerses users in real-world Spanish, providing exposure to a diverse range of accents and dialects that reflect the richness of the language. The platform includes customizable vocabulary support, allowing learners to tailor their experience to their needs. For educators, Jiveworld provides access to detailed analytics and a library of story-based resources, enhancing classroom engagement. Notably, the app employs effective scaffolding techniques that support learners without oversimplifying the material, thus maintaining the integrity and complexity of the language.

Cons

While Jiveworld offers a rich learning experience, a few limitations exist. The free version provides only limited access to stories, which may restrict some users’ depth of exploration. Additionally, the app lacks a built-in speaking practice component, which could be a drawback for learners seeking to develop their conversational skills. Some interface elements might initially confuse users who are less comfortable with technology, potentially requiring a brief adjustment period. Furthermore, the platform is currently limited to Spanish.

Comparison with Similar Products

Compared to more traditional tools like Duolingo or Rosetta Stone, which focus on gamified vocabulary acquisition and grammar drills, Jiveworld distinguishes itself through its authentic narrative content and focus on listening. Jiveworld’s focus on audio helps students develop deeper listening skills essential for real-world comprehension. Furthermore, Jiveworld podcasts expose students to a wide range of authentic accents, lexical varieties, and registers, aligning with my goal of diversifying Spanish-speaking voices in my curriculum.

Conclusion

Tools like Jiveworld help bridge the gap between language instruction and lived experience in an increasingly global and digital classroom. More than a platform for learning vocabulary or grammar, Jiveworld immerses students in authentic, nuanced storytelling by real people from across the Spanish-speaking world. This approach teaches linguistic structures and fosters deep cultural understanding and empathy, which are essential components of true language proficiency and an important goal in my Spanish classes. By exposing learners to diverse accents, perspectives, and lived realities by Spanish speakers from Latin America and the United States, Jiveworld cultivates listening skills and cultural awareness in a way that traditional classroom materials often cannot. Its flexible, learner-centered design empowers both students and instructors to shape learning experiences that are relevant, engaging, and meaningful—making it a powerful tool for today’s language classrooms.

References

Jiveworld. (n.d.). Jiveworld: Learn through stories. https://www.jiveworld.com/en/

Radio Ambulante. (n.d.). Radio Ambulante: Historias de Latinoamérica. https://radioambulante.org/