IV.

Using dictionaries, difficulties and solutions

1. Using dictionaries
1.1. The benefits of using a good dictionary
- Dictionary is a book containing meanings of words ranging from words beginning with
letters A to Z along with examples of different parts of speech in sentences. For learners at a
beginning stage using or consulting a good dictionary could be of great help especially when
translating one language to another. Go through this post if you are a beginner, learning
English as a second language or a foreign English speaker.

- Benefits:

+ Meaning of the words

+ Proper spelling of words
+ Parts of speech
+ Pronunciation
+ Examples in sentences
+ Usage of words and phrases

- However, students need to know when dictionary use is appropriate and acceptable and
when it is less useful or even undesirable.

1.2. Dictionaries activities

a. Play Speed Word Search. 
Aim: help the student to discover the use and the meaning of words
Activity: Give each student or pair of students a dictionary. When you call out a
word, the student(s) must find the word as quickly as possible. The first person
to call out the correct page number wins the round. This would be a good one to
do in teams; everyone has his or her own dictionary, but the winner wins a point
for the whole team rather than individually.
Age: older children

b. Play Mystery Word. 

Aim: help the student to discover the use and the meaning of words
 Activity: To play this game, give a series of clues. As students hear the clues,
they look for the word in the dictionary until they have narrowed it down to just
one. For Example: I begin with the fourth letter of the alphabet. My second letter
is an “o.” I am three syllables long. I come before “dog” in the dictionary. My
last letter is “t.”

Age: older children

2. Difficulties in learning vocabulary

There were some factors that caused students' difficulties in learning vocabulary 
 the written form is different from the spoken form in English,
 The number of words that students need to learn is exceedingly large,
 the limitations of sources of information about words
 The complexity of word knowledge.
Some Suggestions For Teachers

 Prepare ways to show meaning

 Keep teaching simple and clear

 Think about how to check students' understanding

 Ask students to tell the meaning before offering the meaning

 Always keep a good dictionary by your side in case a student asks a word you are not
sure about.

 Encourage autonomy in your learners

Some Suggestions For Teachers

·         Prepare ways to show meaning
·         Keep teaching simple and clear
·         Think about how to check students' understanding
·         Ask students to tell the meaning before offering the meaning
·         Always keep a good dictionary by your side in case a student asks a word you are
not sure about.
·         Encourage autonomy in your learners

Some Suggestions For Teachers

· Prepare ways to show meaning
· Keep teaching simple and clear
· Think about how to check students' understanding
· Ask students to tell the meaning before offering the meaning
· Always keep a good dictionary by your side in case a student asks a word you are not sure
about.
· Encourage autonomy in your learners