The Use of Dictionaries in the Classroom.

Dictionary Day at SK Bukit Nikmat.

Dictionary lesson at SK Bukit Nikmat.

Today Nora, from SK Bukit Nikmat did a bilingual dictionary usage lesson with the year 3’s.  It’s a great idea to teach young students how to use a dictionary.  With modern technology dictionaries are not being used as often as they used to.

  

By using a dictionary students involve themselves in a process.  Firstly, by using dictionaries students take responsibility for their own learning.  They no longer rely on the teacher to simply tell them the answer.  Secondly, when students look up words they are taking note of how to spell the words and they are also reading all the possible meanings for a word too, therefore increasing their vocabulary.  Thirdly, since using a dictionary is a practical experience that requires effort students are more likely to remember the word they looked up.

       

Working together to look up words.

However it is important that you teach students how to use a dictionary efficiently.  If a student struggles to use a dictionary they can spend a long time looking up one word.  This can take away valuable class time and prevent a student from wanting to use a dictionary in the future.

I encourage teachers to teach their students how to use dictionaries correctly and efficiently.  Try to motivate your students to use dictionaries instead of simply asking for the meaning of words.

Melissa Simon (ELP Jerantut)