This document discusses using dictionaries to help language learners understand and use words effectively. It describes different types of dictionaries, including bilingual, monolingual, and learners' dictionaries. Good learners' dictionaries provide information like definitions, pronunciation, examples, collocations, idioms, spelling variations, formality levels, synonyms and antonyms to help students understand words. The document recommends training students to use dictionaries by having them look up words for lessons, find definitions to test each other, and decide which new words to look up.

1. Using
dictionaries
Silvia Bautista Martín
Oral Communication in Early
Language Learning Environments

2. CONTENT PAGE
1. Different kinds of dictionary
2. What students can find in good learners’
dictionaries
3. Using dictionaries with students

3. Different kinds of dictionary
BOOK FORM
ONLINE
MOBILE
DEVICES
DICTIONARY
Help learners
understand and use
words effectively

4. Different kinds of dictionary
BILINGUAL
MONOLINGUAL
MONOLINGUAL
LEARNERS
PRODUCTION
DICTIONARIES
Have words in two languages. Designed
specially for language learners.
Written in one language. Used by native
speakers and competent speakers.
Written in the target language.
They use a simplified language.
Contains group words in topic areas.

5. What students can find in good
learners’ dictionaries
Good
MLDS
List a series of HEADWORDS and
the different meaning for them..
Give information about FREQUENCY:
• S1: 1 of the top 1000 words of Spoken
language
• W3: 1 of the top 3000 in Written English
Say what PART OF SPEECH a word is
(noun, prhasal verb, transitive verb…)..
Give the pronunctiation of words in
PHONEMIC SCRIPT.

6. What students can find in good
learners’ dictionaries
Good
MLDS
Use simple language, give examples of
the word and list words with similar
meaning.
Give the COLLOCATIONS that the
headword is part of and list
IDIOMS.
Give different spellings such as
varieties between UK and US English
and LEVEL OF FORMALITY.
Give SYNONIMS and ANTONYMS.

7. Using dictionaries with students
 We need to TRAIN our students to understand
dictionaries and they contain.
HOW
TO DO
IT?
Giving the students a word
worksheet or quiz which asks them
to find words they are going to use
during the lesson.
Students can find words and
test each other by giving the
definitions.
Get hem to decide which new words
they want to know. We then tell them
to look the words up in the dictionary.