SLAT7830 The lexicon and L2 learning

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SLAT7830 The lexicon and L2 learning

• Week 9
• Semester 1, 2005

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Using the dictionary

•  As a language teacher, what have you told your
  students about the use of dictionaries?
• As a language learner, what have you been told
  by language teachers?
• What is this information based on?

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Categorisation of dictionaries

• the medium
• the target audience
• the languages of the headwords and of the entries

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The medium

• conventional book dictionaries
• electronic dictionaries
• on-line (Web) dictionaries
• CD-ROM dictionaries

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The target audience

• Dictionaries differ as to whether they are
  designed for
• native speakers
• second language learners

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The languages of the headwords and of the entries

• monolingual headword and definition in L1
• bilingual an L2 equivalent word or phrase
•                         i.      uni-directional
•                        ii.      bi-directional
• bilingualised a bilingualmonolingual hybrid
  L2 equivalent plus additional L1 information

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Dictionary look-up process Luppescu Day (1993
274)

• 1.  looking for a suitable headword
• 2.  comprehending the entry
• 3.  locating the appropriate part of the
  definition
• 4.  connecting the right sense to the context
• 5. putting the word within the context of the
  unknown or difficult word in the text

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 List of discrete (non-sequential) look-up steps

• 1.  identifying a knowledge gap
• 2. looking up the lexical item in the
  alphabetical word list  
• 3. looking up the lexical item somewhere other
  than the word list (e.g. appendix, table)
• 4. reading part of the entry (e.g. pronunciation,
  definition, example, grammar)
• 5. following an explicit cross-reference (i.e.
  one printed in the dictionary)
• 6. following a self-initiated link (browsing)
• 7. looking up information elsewhere in the
  dictionary to find an explanation for a part of
  the entry (e.g. a grammatical code, or an unknown
  lexical item in the definition)
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 List of discrete (non-sequential) look-up steps

• 8. reflecting on the dictionary information
• 9. evaluating the dictionary information
• 10.   evaluating progress (evaluating the value
  of the information for the particular task)
• 11. repairing (recognising that the required
  information has not been found, and returning to
  a earlier search path)
• 12. taking information and integrating it into
  the original context (ending the search)
• 13 ending the search without having found the
  required information.
•   

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Focuses of dictionary research

• 1. the type of dictionary that is most useful for
  L2 learners
• 2. the preferences of dictionary users and
  learners needs
• 3.  how learners use dictionaries
• 4. the effects of dictionary use on particular
  language tasks

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The effects of dictionary use on particular
language tasks

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• Luppescu Day (1993)
• gt incidental learning of vocabulary was improved
  through the use of a bilingual dictionary
• gt students who did not use dictionaries while
  reading took almost twice as long as students who
  did use dictionaries

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The effects of dictionary use on particular
language tasks

•  McCreary Dolezal (1999)
• students who used dictionaries while reading took
  longer than students who didnt use dictionaries
• students using dictionaries and those using
  context fail to make effective use of resources
• complex/detailed entries may confuse students
• contextual info difficult to find
• definitions in ESL appear simpler and more direct
  ( fewer cross-references)

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Practical implications Teaching practice

• Teachers may need to identify problem areas in
  learners dictionary searches.
• Learners may need explicit instruction in the
  structure and content of dictionaries, and in
  ways in which dictionary info can be integrated
  into their lexical knowledge.

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• The end Week 9