 Re: Electronic dictionaries in class! Good or bad?
It comes down to how you allow the students to use the dictionaries, whether electronic or paper. If the students just check the word, and move on, they have zero retention. Similarly, if they only check the translation, then they miss much of the nuance. They may not even use the word correctly, because the translation just provides a list of synonyms (or, at least, Japanese dictionaries do).
If you want to get the most out of an electronic dictionary, encourage your students to guess the meaning of the word from context. Next, they can check the dictionary. If they're wrong, they'll want to know why. If they're right, then they feel good about themselves. In both cases, though, retention will be higher. Additionally, for intermediate and advanced students, English-English dictionary use should always be promoted. |