Presented by
Theerarak Rodsin
Naresuan University, Thailand
 Introduction
 Conceptual
framework
 Methodology
 Results
 Discussion
 Conclusion
2


A dictionary is an important tool
for learning the English language.
It helps to clarify word meaning
and enriches English knowledge
for users.
3
To investigate how English
major students at Naresuan
University usually use dictionary.
4

Definitions of Dictionary

Types of Dictionaries

Forms of Dictionaries

Roles of Dictionaries in Language
Learning

An Overview of Research Studies
Conducted on the Use of Dictionaries
5
Definitions of Dictionary
A dictionary is a reference giving
equivalent words in two or more languages,
and consists of an alphabetical
list of words with:
-meanings
-parts of speech
-pronunciation
-etymologies and other lexical items
The Collins English Dictionary (2003)
6
Types of Dictionaries
Nation (2001) puts dictionaries into
three types:
1. Monolingual dictionaries (Eng-Eng)
2. Bilingual dictionaries (Eng-Thai,
Thai-Eng)
3. Bilingualised dictionaries.
(Eng-Eng-Thai)
7
Nesi (1998) classifies dictionaries by
modes of presentation:
1. Paper- based dictionaries
2. Computer-based dictionaries
 Hand-held electronic ex. Talking
dict, Cyber dict
 CD-Rom
 Online
8
Scholfield (1982a, 1997 as cited in Nation,
(2001) points out dictionaries can be used for
1. Productive skills
 speaking
 writing
2. Comprehensive skills
 listening
 reading
9
An Overview of Research Studies
Conducted on the Use of Dictionaries
A number of recent studies, Alhaysony
(2011), Ali (2012), Boonmoh (2010) and Ryu
(2006) reported that many EFL learners
prefer a bilingual dictionary to a
monolingual dictionary.
10
An Overview of Research Studies
Conducted on the Use of Dictionaries
Alhaysony (2011) conducted a
questionnaire survey and interviews to
investigate the dictionary look-up behavior of
Saudi female EFL students.
-132 fourth-year university students
majoring in English
The results:
- the bilingual dictionary English-Arabic
- hand held electronic dictionaries
11
Ryu (2006) surveyed the needs and
habits of 181 freshmen Korean EFL college
students in using English dictionaries.
The result also confirmed Alhaysony’s
findings:
-bilingual dictionaries
12
In terms of form, Boonmoh and Nesi
(2007) reveal that pocket electronic
dictionaries become popular among Asian
learners of English in the past decade.
13
Taylor and Chan (1994) surveyed 494
students in Hong Kong.
The result:
-the informants preferred pocket
electronic dictionaries to dictionaries in
book form
14
An Overview of Research Studies Conducted
on the Use of Dictionaries
The main objective of dictionary use is
to find out the meaning of words (Chan,
2011 and Ryu, 2006), information such as
pronunciation, usage, and examples were
also important.
15
Participants
110 first to third year English
major students at the Faculty of
Humanities, Naresuan University,
Thailand
16
Data Collection
The questionnaire was distributed
to all participants during a regular
class period.
The researcher explained the
research objectives and responded to
questions concerning the
questionnaire.
17
Data Analysis
Checking the completeness and
accuracy of the received
information
A frequency analysis was used
to analyze the data
18
Results
 The types of dictionaries use



The forms of dictionaries use
The purposes of dictionaries
using
The use of dictionaries for
different sort of activities
19
100
91
90
80
Percentage
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
4.5
4.5
0
Monolingual (Eng-Eng)
Bilingual (Eng-Thai)
Bilingual (Thai-Eng)
0
Others
Forms of dictionaries
20
60
51
50
37
Percentage
40
30
20
11
10
4.5
0
Paper dictionaries
Pocket electronic
CD-Rom or installed on
dictionaries
the computer
Online dictionaries
Types of dictionaries
21
120
Percentage
100
98
80
60
72
65
55
52
44
40
23
30
13
20
3
0
Types of information
22
50
44
45
43
40
Percentage
35
30
25
20
15
11
10
3
5
0
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing
Activities
23


The majority of informants favoured
bilingual dictionaries (English-Thai).
These types of dictionaries explain
meanings in the learner’s mother tongue
thereby making it easier to understand.
24
Discussion
The informants preferred electronic
dictionaries: pocket electronic
dictionaries and online dictionaries.
For their convenience, speed and
various functions including verbal
pronunciation
25
Discussion
Finding the word meanings and
parts of speech of words were the
main purpose of consulting
dictionaries.
26
Discussion
The results are congruent with Ryu
(2006) and Chan (2011) who also
showed that participants usually look
at meaning while they consulted the
reference book.
27
Discussion
Learning a foreign language, knowing
the meaning of an unknown word is
important in understanding the new
language.
28
Discussion
In listening and speaking, dictionaries
were used less frequently because of the
need for instantaneous translation.
Presumably, dictionary users do not
have time to consult dictionaries during
these activities.
29
Discussion
Reading and writing were activities in
which participants always consulted
dictionary.
These two activities, learners have
time to look up word meanings to
understand their reading and to
choose appropriate words for writing
tasks.
30
The majority of English major students at
Naresuan University preferred:
-Bilingual dictionaries (English-Thai)
-Electronic dictionaries: pocket electronic and
online dictionaries.
-Looking for word meanings was the main
purpose of consulting dictionaries
-Reading and writing were the activities in
which learners usually used dictionaries
31