The most efficient strategy to inculcate to a learner is to teach him / her “how” to get access to knowledge. One of these strategies is: - Using the dictionary.
This very important task is needed anywhere and anytime.
What does a learner really need to be taught?
- How to use this tool correctly and efficiently.
What is our objective?
- Develop his sense of research.
- Guide him to variety and richness of resources.
- Autonomy and personality development.
The Best Source of Words
There are many ways that a person can find out about words. The best known way to find out about a word is to use a dictionary. What are some of the things you find out when you use a dictionary?
What if you don't know how to spell a word and you have to look it up??
Spelling Meaning Pronunciation Synonym.
In order to achieve some of these objectives, a special training is needed. The training should be at the reach of the learners. It should be repeated as well.
What do we want to achieve in the training?
There are several important things we should want to achieve in the training. We need to
· train the students to understand what is in the dictionary, where to find it and how it can help them.
· ensure they know how to use the dictionary so that they can use it successfully every time.
· ensure the students are confident dictionary users.
· ensure the students understand when they should, and should not, look in the dictionary.
Training in the use of any dictionary will be easier if all the students have the same dictionary. This is not always possible, but if the students have not bought a Learner Dictionary, the teacher should suggest the whole class or group get the same dictionary so that training will be smoother. Alternatively, the school may buy class sets, one for every two or three students, which can be shared between classes.
A- Encourage the learners to recycle and learn the English Alphabet: in order and at random as well.
B- Find a way to make learners practise more and more outside the school.
C- Start with the alphabetic order of letters, then shift to the one of words:
Possible instruction: Put the words in the correct alphabetical order: am / bat / book / are / a / be / car / do / get / five…
It is highly recommended to encourage feedback.
Look in the dictionary for the correct Pronunciation and Phonetic Transcription:
A- Recycle the Phonetic Symbols.
B- Straightfully put the learners into practise by choosing activities at the level:
Move gradually according to the progress of the files in the official syllabus and suggest words contaning already studied symbols.
e.g File 1.
1/ Find the Phonetic Transcription of the following words:
Suggested words:
Fed neat beast set head bit list
Of course, you’ll clearly notice that the target sounds are:
red / red/ read / ri:d/ rid / red/
2/ Look in the dictionary and find the silent letters in the following words:
Listen knee calf sign wrote
3/ look in the dictionary and find how the final ED is transcribed in the followibg words:
Painted kissed lived added
Learners will practise that it is:
/t/ /d/ /id /
I believe that if the work is done smoothly, many of the learners will acquire not only how to use a dictionary, but much self-confidence and sense of achievement.
Just do it.
الثلاثاء 5 فبراير 2008 - 21:04
