Teach English in Oldmeldrum - TEFL Courses

Dictionaries are indispensable tools for the second language learner. While they do an excellent job of providing students with word meanings, correct spelling and a guide to pronunciation, good dictionaries contain a wealth of other information that students can use to increase their knowledge of language. In order to effectively access this information, students need to know not only how, but also when to use their dictionaries. Choosing the right dictionary for a student is very important here. A bilingual dictionary is the best choice for beginner students for obvious reasons, but should be complemented with a learner or monolingual dictionary of appropriate difficulty level as soon as the student is ready. This is not to say that we make a change from bilingual to monolingual or learner dictionary over night, or in one fell swoop. In fact, both types of dictionary are best used in conjunction with each other for perhaps years, while the student is gaining english ability. The objective is to eventually ‘wean' a student off of using his or her bilingual dictionary in order to gain the benefits of using english to understand english, and a good teacher will take an active role in this process. In order to get the most from a dictionary of any type, it is necessary to become familiar with the conventions it uses. Any good dictionary will have a section, usually at or near the beginning, titled ‘Using This Dictionary' or ‘How to Use This Dictionary' or similar title. Mastering this section obviously is not something that is going to occur in an afternoon or even in five or ten lessons, but should be approached in a similar way to teaching the language itself—which is to say step by step, from the easy to the hard in a coherent fashion, with excercises and even activities which support a student's learning how to use his or her dictionary. If students have identical copies of the same dictionary, training can be given as whole class, but when this is not the case a teacher may want to consider working with students individually, covering an item or two at a time in short sessions, and checking for understanding along the way—using of course the student's own dictionary. While teaching students how to use the features of their dictionary to their advantage is a fairly straightforward process, teaching them when to look words up is not as simple. We obviously do not want our students busily looking up every unknown word they come across. At the other extreme we certainly do not want, in any way, to discourage students from using their dictionaries. There are as many opinions on this matter as there are english teachers. I personally see the dictionary as a tool to be used in class in a very controlled fashion, and outside of class as a way for students to become independent learners. The when, where, how and why, the nuts and bolts and do's and dont's of using dictionaries are perhaps better saved for a two or three thousand word essay. I know the role dictionaries have played in my second language study (all of it independent), and I encourage my students to use them in a similar fashion. Pick up your dictionary and look inside, do it when you have five minutes of free time, or when you're bored or whenever. Look up words you don't know, and ones that you think you already know, you'll be surprised at what you learn. Take matters into your own hands and gather knowledge of language at your own pace, as a lifelong adventure—and let your dictionary be your friend for life.