The aim of this evidence-based study is to investigate the use of the bilingual electronic dictionary strategy to improve EFL/ESL secondary school students` vocabulary learning. Three aspects have been studied in depth: the effect of using the electronic bilingual dictionary strategy on improving EFL students’ vocabulary learning, the attitudes of the students and the teachers towards the target strategy, and the students` ability to use the bilingual electronic dictionary.

The findings of this study indicate that the bilingual electronic dictionary has a positive and an effective role in the process of vocabulary learning. Moreover, the students show positive attitudes towards using the bilingual electronic dictionary. Nevertheless, instructors may show negative attitudes towards the target strategy for certain reasons . The analysis of data further revealed that the critical point that affects the evaluation of the target strategy is the ability to use the electronic dictionary.

If the students and teachers are not able to use the bilingual electronic dictionary, they may show negative attitudes towards it and the strategy will then be useless. Thus, the study suggests some recommendations for using the target strategy effectively for EFL/ESL secondary students vocabulary learning and overall lexical acquisition.

Extracto

Abstract

The aim of this evidence-based study is to investigate the use of the

bilingual electronic dictionary strategy to improve EFL/ESL secondary school

students` vocabulary learning. Three aspects have been studied in depth: the

effect of using the electronic bilingual dictionary strategy on improving EFL

students' vocabulary learning, the attitudes of the students and the teachers

towards the target strategy, and the students` ability to use the bilingual

electronic dictionary. The findings of this study indicate that the bilingual

electronic dictionary has a positive and an effective role in the process of

vocabulary learning. Moreover, the students show positive attitudes towards

using the bilingual electronic dictionary. Nevertheless, instructors may show

negative attitudes towards the target strategy for certain reasons . The analysis of

data further revealed that the critical point that affects the evaluation of the

target strategy is the ability to use the electronic dictionary. If the students and

teachers are not able to use the bilingual electronic dictionary, they may show

negative attitudes towards it and the strategy will then be useless. Thus, the

study suggests some recommendations for using the target strategy effectively

for EFL/ESL secondary students vocabulary learning and overall lexical

acquisition.

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr Ahmed Shoeib for his

guidance, suggestions and patience. I owe additional thanks to Mr Ali Hadi for

reading and commenting on parts of the paper. I am most grateful to Dr Joseph

for initially suggesting that dictionaries would be an interesting area to research.

Finally, I would particularly like to thank my wife, Jawaher Mohammed, who

made this endeavour possible.

MA Candidate

Sultan Ahmed Ali Albareghi

III

Chapter 1 Table of Contents

Abstract ... I

Chapter 1 Introduction ... 1

1.1 Aims of the study ... 4

1.2 Significance of the study ... 5

1.3 Research questions ... 7

1.4 Limitations of the study ... 7

Chapter 2 Literature Review ... 8

2.1 Introduction ... 8

2.2 Improving vocabulary learning of EFL learners via a dictionary... 12

2.3 Bilingual dictionaries versus monolingual dictionaries ... 15

Chapter 3 Procedures and Methodology ... 25

Chapter 4 Critical analysis of the reviewed literature. ... 27

4.1 Effects of using the electronic bilingual dictionary strategy to improve EFL students' vocabulary

learning ... 27

4.2 The attitudes of the students and the teachers towards the use of electronic bilingual dictionaries

... 33

4.3 Ability of the student to use bilingual electronic dictionaries ... 36

Chapter 5 Conclusion and recommendations ... 38

5.1 Recommendations: ... 41

Chapter 6 References ... 42

... 49

Chapter 1 Introduction

Vocabulary learning is considered to be one of the most significant

challenges faced by second language learners. It requires extensive effort both

inside and outside of the classroom. For this reason, language instructors often

try to facilitate the process of vocabulary learning through assisting the students

to become independent second language (L2) learners (Cohen, 2014; Naeimi &

Foo, 2014). They often try to achieve their goal through directing the students to

apply "vocabulary learning strategies" as proficiently as possible (Naeimi &

Foo, 2014).

EFL/ESL students encounter many difficulties in achieving the required level

of vocabulary proficiency, resulting in general weakness in the use of the

English language. Some researchers, including Alhammadi (1998), AlJarf

(2006; 2007) and Albosaif (2011) have confirmed that the weakness in and the

insufficiency of the EFL/ESL learning are a result of many factors, the most

important of which is the lack of vocabulary.

It is an indisputable fact that the role of vocabulary is crucial for an

effective outcome for EFL secondary school students (Cohen, 2014; Brown,

2011). Researchers regarding the required size of vocabulary have shown that,

ESL/EFL learners are in need of 2000 words to achieve communication tasks

and more than 10,000 for academic

writing and reading (Huang & Eslami,

2013). Not only teachers, but also learners are of the opinion that vocabulary

plays an important role in learning a second language, as it measures the level of

language that is intended to be learnt (Heidari, Izadi & Ahmadian, 2012)

Castells (2013) argued that the "acquisition of effective writing skills" is

necessary for the society of today. On the other hand, Schultz and Fecho (2000)

indicated that writing is very important for learning, as well as for problem

solving. Thus, it would not be wrong to state that good writing skills require an

increased vocabulary (Heidari, Izadi & Ahmadian, 2012). Therefore, vocabulary

learning has a powerful influence on the academic, as well as on the

employment, success of an individual. According to Chen (2009), David

Wilkins (1972) pointed out, "[W]ithout grammar very little can be conveyed,

without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed" (Chen, 2009, p. 95).

As a result,

vocabulary learning is always required by L2 learners, and effective L2

instructors always place special emphasis on vocabulary learning.

Vocabulary teaching, as well as learning, is considered one of the most

important issues in EFL/ESL classrooms. Most competent EFL teachers struggle

with the implementation of effective vocabulary teaching methods. This is why

various strategies have emerged to improve EFL secondary school students'

vocabulary learning. For example, Ali, Mukundan, Ayub and Baki (2011)

described three vocabulary learning/teaching methods, namely Contextual

Clues, Dictionary Strategy, and Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL)

in learning vocabulary among ESL learners. In addition, Alhasony (2012)

investigated some strategies used by Saudi learners to overcome the difficulty of

learning vocabulary. These strategies are the guessing strategy, the skipping

strategy, the social strategy and dictionary use.

In this way, Alhasony (2012), Heidari, Izadi & Ahmadian (2012) intended

to test the most advantageous and effective strategy that could improve EFL

students' vocabulary learning to help them to learn independently. Ali,

Mukundan, Ayub and Baki (2011) concluded that the advantage of the

dictionary strategy in achieving the number of words required is a significant aid

to learning and improves the immediate recall of the vocabulary. However,

Alhasony (2012) concluded that knowing a lot of words does not necessary

guarantee the ability to read efficiently. Hence, scholars are looking for certain

strategies that serve both competence (knowing the word) and performance

(using the word).

Many studies and researchers have focused on the importance of using the

dictionary strategy (the more advanced the dictionary, the better the learning

outcome would be) in teaching/learning vocabulary (Ali, Mukundan, Ayub and

Baki, 2011; Alhasony, 2012; Al-Jarf, 2001; Albosaif, 2011). Various types of

dictionaries are available to assist the EFL student and the teacher when learning

/ teaching vocabulary . While bilingual dictionaries provide translations, picture

dictionaries supply pictures, and monolingual dictionaries provide the learners

with in-depth information about the meaning of the unfamiliar word.

Moreover, the existence of "bilingual electronic dictionaries" may make it

very easy to learn a second language (Hsu, Hwang & Chang, 2013). This is

particularly so because "bilingual electronic dictionaries" not only provide the

translation, but also pronounce the words. These dictionaries may also provide

users with the option to save a particular word "for download to a computer or a

cellphone later" (Wu, Lowyck, Sercu & Elen, 2013).

By contrast, some scholars have criticized the use of bilingual electronic

dictionaries. They discussed the negative aspects of bilingual electronic

dictionaries, such as the negative attitude of teachers, wasting

time, isolating the

word from the context, and the difficulty of recalling words later. Marmol

(2013) stated that, in spite of the positive attitude towards this tool, bilingual

dictionaries are not as efficient as expected.

Researchers, teachers, and students have different opinions regarding the

use of the "electronic bilingual dictionary" as an instrument that makes the L2

students more independent in their learning and which improves their

vocabulary. Thus, the researcher collected and analysed many studies to discuss,

criticise and describe the real effects of using an electronic bilingual dictionary

when teaching vocabulary.

1.1 Aims of the study

This study aims to investigate the use of the electronic bilingual

dictionary strategy to improve EFL secondary school students' vocabulary

learning. In brief, the writer aims to:

1-Describe the effect of using the electronic bilingual dictionary strategy to

improve EFL secondary school students' vocabulary learning.

2-Determine the attitude of both students and teachers towards using the

electronic bilingual dictionary strategy to improve EFL secondary school

students' vocabulary learning.

3- Decide whether or not the students have the ability to use a bilingual

electronic dictionary.

1.2 Significance of the study

This research paper has clear implications for ESL/EFL learners, as it

focuses on using a definite technique (the electronic bilingual dictionary) in the

teaching /learning of vocabulary. Young people in the 21

century use and play

with electronics. They spend many hours every day using different types of

mobile phones, computers, and iPods. Teaching and learning processes have to

make use of what learners already know from every possible perspective.

Educational instruments, technological inventions, and personal factors must be

integrated to reach the desired results.

Among various "language learning strategies," the strategies of

vocabulary learning play a significant role in language learning, particularly

with regard to a second language. As Ghazal (2007) pointed out, that language

learning strategies enhance students to be self-directed learners. With such

strategies they may be able to depend on their own learning methods and

gradually attain confidence, get involvement and reach the language proficiency

(Ghazal (2007). Hence, "vocabulary learning strategies" do the same thing.

Using the findings of this study, teachers can provide their students with a

definite strategy in order for them to learn vocabulary independently.

The electronic bilingual dictionary is a common technology. It provides

the meaning, the pronunciation, the spelling, and the transcript of unfamiliar

words. Thus, by investigating both the studies that support the positive role and

those that support the negative role of using electronic bilingual dictionaries to

improve the process of learning vocabulary, this paper will fill the gap in the

knowledge regarding using such a technique in both social and educational

contexts.

Bilingual electronic dictionaries provide the translation and pronunciation

of unknown words. They also provide the users with the option to save words

and to download them to a computer or a cell phone. However, there is still a

dilemma in deciding which learning setting is suitable for using such a strategy.

Therefore, the significance of this study comes from its approach to the

collection of data from different perspectives, both negative and positive, taken

from the reviewed literature about the target strategy. The research method

presented in this study follows a pattern in which various components are

broken down into their constituent parts in order to enable the researcher to

focus on the specific points of each reviewed study. Thus, it will lead teachers to

judge the usefulness of a bilingual electronic dictionary when teaching

vocabulary to EFL/ESL learners.

1.3 Research questions

To investigate the efficiency of using a bilingual electronic dictionary as a

strategy for improving EFL/ESL secondary school students' vocabulary

learning, the current study intends to answer the following questions:

1: What is the effect of using a bilingual electronic dictionaries strategy on

improving EFL/ESL secondary school students' vocabulary learning?

2: What are EFL teachers' and students' attitudes towards the use of bilingual

electronic dictionaries?

3: Do EFL secondary school students have the ability to use a bilingual

electronic dictionary?

1.4 Limitations of the study

The current study exclusively investigates the influence of using a

bilingual electronic dictionary to improve the vocabulary learning of EFL

secondary school students. This study focuses on learning spelling, meaning,

pronunciation, and the use of vocabulary. Although the reviewed literature

covers the area of vocabulary importance regarding the four skills of a language,

the results and implications do not take the relation between vocabulary and

writing, reading, speaking, or listening

into consideration. This study attempts to

explore the extent to which the use of the bilingual electronic dictionary strategy

can affect learners' vocabulary growth. It uses an evidence-based research

method in an endeavour to present previous action research results that affirm

the role a bilingual electronic dictionary can play in the advanced lexical

dictionary acquisition of EFL secondary school students. Hence, the findings of

this study do not go beyond the three basic principles, namely EFL/ESL

secondary school students, bilingual electronic dictionaries, and vocabulary

acquisition. EFL/ESL secondary school students are those learners who spent at

least three years studying EFL or ESL. They are young people usually between

the ages of 13 and 18. Bilingual electronic dictionaries are specialised software

applications which translate words from a language to another. They can be

unidirectional or bidirectional dictionaries.

Chapter 2 Literature Review

2.1 Introduction

In the modern society of today, the need to learn English as a second or

foreign language is increasing, causing learners to struggle, to successfully

acquire the target language. However, learners and speakers of a second

language cannot achieve their communicative role without having a large

vocabulary. In accordance with this perspective, Ali, Mukundan, Ayub and Baki

(2011) found that vocabulary is the crucial component of second language

acquisition as it plays an important part in both communicative and academic

achievements.

It is also often pointed out that an inadequate vocabulary causes various

obstacles for various university students to learn a second language. Because of

this, a large number of language instructors have argued that an extensive

vocabulary may enable language learners to understand what they hear or read

(Ali, Mukundan, Ayub & Baki, 2011).

Since building a second language vocabulary plays a significant role,

using effective strategies is considered a major aim in order to improve the

vocabulary learning of EFL students. Some researchers tend to give priority to

certain techniques, including the guessing strategy, context clues, CALL in

learning vocabulary, the skipping strategy, the social strategy and dictionary use

(Alhasony, 2012).

Of the previously mentioned techniques, the most well known is the

guessing strategy, whereby learners guess the word's meaning from the context.

This learning strategy is effective for learning low-frequency vocabulary

(Herrel, 2008, as cited in Mukoroli, 2011). Moreover, the guessing strategy

requires an acceptable background knowledge regarding the theme of the text

(Mukoroli, 2011).

On the other hand, CALL, with its accuracy, real-time, immediacy, and

reliability assists the process of vocabulary learning. Firstly, it increases

autonomy among language learners. Secondly, CALL contributes to students'

motivation through ease of use of its vocabulary programmes and dictionaries.

Thirdly, it provides learners with immediate feedback to enable students to

understand the meaning of the words before proceeding to selecting the

vocabulary items for a certain task. Fourthly, CALL vocabulary software could

allow learners to practice the words they have learned while enjoying

themselves at the same time (Ali, Mukundan, Ayub & Baki, 2011).

Although

some

researchers

support

the

guessing

strategy,

Baniabdelrahman, and Al-Shumaimeri (2013), in their study of "Strategies Used

by Saudi EFL Students to Determine the Meaning of English Words", found that

students in the first year of university were weak at guessing the meaning from

the context. The students often used the spelling of a word or the meaning of a

nearby sentence to determine meaning. Thus, the guessing strategy failed to

clarify or find the correct meaning of unfamiliar words.

Al-Darayseh (2014) conducted a study that measured the effect of using

explicit and implicit strategies when teaching vocabulary. His conclusion

confirms the combination between the explicit and implicit vocabulary strategies

to improve EFL students' language performance. However, Al-Darayeseh's

(2014) study supported introducing the meanings of words and memorising

them before starting to read the text. According to him, using both explicit and

implicit strategies combined in teaching vocabulary and reading comprehension

has proved to be more effective than using only one or than depending on the

traditional method (opt. cit.).

It can be summarised that Al-Darayeseh's (2014) study focused on the use

of both explicit and implicit strategies, but in a standard order. The order begins

with studying lists of words in isolation from their texts. The learners then

deduce the meaning when reading a specific text. It is the teacher who presents

the meaning to the students. Thus, the learners' role is to remember and to

connect the words with the texts. According to him, this helped students to

improve both vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Huang and Eslami (2013) argued that "A single word may have several

possible meanings, and the appropriate one can often be determined based on

context"

(

p. 1). A sentence may contain a word that is not new to a learner, but

which can have a different meaning due having a different context (Laufer &

Hill, 2000). Therefore, the use of a dictionary can help the learners to ascertain

the contextual meaning.

"Dictionary helps learners become more autonomous and able to match

the meaning of word to the right context of it" (Huang & Eslami, 2013, p. 1-2).

They can find the proper meanings of unfamiliar words without depending on

teachers' explanations. However, there are different types of dictionaries that

have different advantages and disadvantages in relation to the process of

teaching and learning vocabulary.

2.2 Improving vocabulary learning of EFL learners via a dictionary

It would not be wrong to state that using dictionaries may provide

EFL/ESL learners with more opportunities to increase the range of their

vocabularies, which ultimately enhances their English language skills (Tanaka,

Suzanne, Ueno and Ohnishi, 2013). The dictionary is the single most important

resource for EFL/EFL learners to build their vocabularies. They increase their

vocabularies step-by-step, while depending on the context may cause

undesirable outcomes and requires a certain minimum vocabulary (Laufer &

Sim, 1985).

Hayati and Fattahzadeh (2006) agreed with the comments of Marckwardt

(1973) in that:

Dictionaries often supply information about the language not found elsewhere.

Dictionaries often supply information about grammar, usage, status, synonym

discrimination, application of derivative affixes, and distinctions between spoken and

written English not generally treated in textbooks, even in a rudimentary fashion.

(p.

125)

There may be very few teachers and students who are not able to take

advantage of the dictionary (Kobayashi & Little, 2014). This is mainly due to

the lack of knowledge regarding to the effectual use of a dictionary. Bhadade

and Trivedi (2011) described various reasons that EFL learners should be taught

about dictionary use skills. One reason may be that the ability to use dictionaries

provides the students with greater control over their own learning (Kobayashi &

Little, 2014).

EFL instructors should make certain suppositions when they attempt to

assess the load of vocabulary teaching. From this perspective, one of the

expectations is that students comprehend the expressions, as well as the words

that have been introduced in the class setting. similarly, it is also assumed that

learners are able to understand a variety of derivatives, borrowings, cognates,

and language that is commonly used in the streets as well as in the media (Wu,

Lowyck, Sercu & Elen, 2013).

Regarding the pervious statement, it can be said that the dictionary has

traditionally been a widely used tool by foreign language students, both in their

self process of vocabulary acquisition and in trying to understand spoken or

written language (Miller, 2006; Hazem & Morin 2012). Miller (2006) pointed

out that L2 learners can use the "English learners' dictionary" as a ready-made

tool for enhancing their acquisition of vocabulary.

Lew and Mitton (2012) explained that a large number of strategies to

identify, as well as to build vocabulary, have been used by EFL learners. Among

them, one of the common strategies is to compile a list of frequency-based

words, based on spoken language samples, obtained from developing children in

the home and in preschool/school settings (Chen, Huang, Chang & Liou, 2015).

These samples have been elicited from a variety of linguistic contexts, including

mealtimes and playtime, and in response to oral narrative tasks. After compiling

the list of words, the learners are asked to consult the dictionaries to search for

the synonyms as well as for the antonyms of the words (Chen, Huang, Chang &

Liou, 2015).

Moreover, in his paper "Improving EFL Learners' Vocabulary Learning

via Dictionary Tasks", Khoosf (2014) asserted the importance of consulting a

dictionary, among various other strategies for dealing with vocabulary. He

concluded that the use of dictionary tasks in classrooms may enhance autonomy

level of the learners. This is mainly due to the fact that using a dictionary

requires the learners to be exposed to diverse aspects of words within a word

group, which has a notable effect on the vocabulary learning of EFL learners.

(Khoosf, 2014).

Regarding that which is stated above, it can be said that the dictionary has

traditionally been a tool widely used by foreign language students to assist with

vocabulary acquisition and attempts to understand or produce written and

spoken texts (Miller, 2006; Morin, 2012; Khoosf, 2014).

Koyama (2013) pointed out that

dictionaries help learners gain more

words and attain higher reading comprehension scores than students who use

guessing strategy. The results also show that both students with high or those

with low proficiency to read Spanish usually prefer consulting dictionaries to

look up words. In other words, the ability to guess the suitable meaning from the

context does not help students to be self- confident learners. They feel not to

be saved, unless they consult the dictionary to find the meaning of the unfamiliar

words

By contrast, some researchers believe that using a dictionary while

reading can lead to inefficient vocabulary learning (Bensoussan et al., 1984;

Knight, 1994; as cited in Prichard, 2008). Because it takes much time to look up

meaning and hinders learners from focusing on the text as a whole, the

dictionary strategy does not always improve vocabulary learning. Nevertheless,

Boggards (1998) refuted such a claim, arguing that it is a matter of choosing the

right type of dictionary to save time when obtaining the meaning of the

unfamiliar word and comprehending the text.

Albosaif`s study (2011), for example, investigated the difficulties facing

Saudi students when learning English vocabulary. His results showed that,

although Saudi students recognise the importance of learning English

vocabulary and strategies for learning words, they do not know how to use such

strategies effectively. According to him, the cause of this dilemma was that the

participants were not sufficiently aware of the use of vocabulary learning

strategies . The most important point is that the successful students are those

learners who used a dictionary to enlarge their vocabulary.

According to Albosaif (2011), dictionary skills must be taught to students

at an earlier time in their lives, and they also must be encouraged to use

dictionaries, including electronic, monolingual, and bilingual ones.

2.3 Bilingual dictionaries versus monolingual dictionaries

Different types of dictionaries (monolingual and bilingual) have different

advantages when teaching vocabulary. Using a specific kind of dictionary

depends on the clear goal of knowing the unfamiliar words. According to

Kirkness (2004), the monolingual learners' dictionaries provide learners with in-

depth information about the meanings of unfamiliar words, the pronunciation of

such words, and the correct way to use them in context. Such dictionaries also

provide spelling and pronunciation. However, monolingual dictionaries require a

tremendous amount of words and syntactic knowledge to comprehend the

meaning of an unknown word (Albus et al., 2005; as cited in Huang & Eslami2,

2013).

By contrast, a bilingual dictionary presents meaning in an easy and

changeable way, which can be bi-directional (in other words, English to first

language and first language to English). Although many researchers have

asserted the effectiveness of bilingual dictionaries, others have cited negative

points regarding the use there of, as bilingual dictionaries tend to cause students

to depend on a one-to-one correspondence of words between the meaning of an

unknown word in the second language and translation in their first language

(Nation, 2001). Furthermore, some older studies have shown that learners do not

rely greatly on bilingual dictionaries, which may discourage them from using

communication strategies in oral activities (Huang & Eslami, 2013).

In a study conducted by Hayati and Fattahzadeh (2006) to measure the effect

of monolingual and bilingual dictionaries on the learning of vocabulary, the

results showed no important difference between the group that used the

monolingual dictionary and the one that used the bilingual dictionary in terms of

memorisation and retention. Hayati, and Fattahzadeh

(2006) concluded that,

even though the monolingual dictionary assisted learners to study words deeply

in given unlimited time, the bilingual dictionary was more useful when learning

under time pressure (Such as Two-weeks testing period). As their proficiency

increases, they may refer to monolingual dictionaries instead of bilingual ones

for word meanings, grammatical points, instances of use, spelling, and other

information usually contained in this type of dictionary.

On the other hand, in a study aimed at investigating the effect of using

two types of dictionaries (monolingual-bilingual) on Iranian intermediate EFL

learners` vocabulary learning, the findings demonstrated that the use of the

printed monolingual dictionary with university students was more effective than

the use of the bilingual dictionary (Ahangari & Dogolsara, 2015). Moreover, in

EFL educational contexts Teachers prefer their students to consult monolingual

dictionaries, where as students usually prefer to use the bilingual dictionary (Ali,

2012).

Regarding the attitude towards using a definite type of dictionary, a

survey conducted by Chen (2008), which involved 273 undergraduates, showed

that the use of bilingual dictionaries promoted positive learning attitudes among

learners to a greater degree than among those exposed to monolingual ones. This

is mainly because they found it easy and quick to consult bilingual dictionaries.

Moreover, Marmol (2013) found that a positive attitude towards bilingual

dictionaries was a characteristic of the best students among the 56 participants.

In his study of 44 students learning intermediate Spanish, Chin (2001)

showed that students used a variety of strategies to understand vocabulary items

when they used a monolingual dictionary (Spanish

Spanish). The study divided

the students into three experimental groups: monolingual dictionary users,

bilingual dictionary users, and those who did not use dictionaries. Hence, as the

use of monolingual dictionaries requires complex skills, attitude plays a

significant role in supporting the use of bilingual dictionaries.

In her study that incorporated 60 pre

basic English students, Martínez'

(2008) reported that students preferred using a bilingual dictionary to using a

monolingual one. According to Ali, Mukundan, Ayub and Baki (2011), Students

disliked the use of the monolingual dictionaries for three simple reasons: longer

time to look up words, boring to look up words, and was a nuisance to the eyes

during look up.

Moreover, Ahmed and Hafeez (2011) investigated the influence of

translation in improving the learning of ESL/EFL students through the use of a

bilingual dictionary. The population for the study consisted of 50 secondary

students and 100 English teachers in an Indian context. The study concluded

that, in circumstances involving two languages (the mother tongue and the target

language) in language teaching, language learning can be improved through

translation by using a bilingual dictionary. Hence, bilingual dictionaries increase

learners` vocabularies.

Despite the fact that dictionaries assist students to learn vocabulary, such

a strategy is not commonly used, either inside or outside of classrooms. Albosaif

(2011) concluded his study by trying to clarify such ambiguity, arguing that

teachers do not encourage their students enough to get the meanings of

unfamiliar words through using different types of dictionaries. The main cause

of this was to avoid wasting time on translation, or explaining or choosing the

correct meaning from among many other meanings (opt. cit.). Also, teachers do

not believe in their students` abilities to use a specific types of the common

dictionaries to find out the appropriate meaning.

2.4 Electronic dictionary use in ESL/EFL learning

Electronic dictionaries may be either online (for example, the website

Dictionary.reference.com) or available through applications (software

programmes) for portable devices such as smart phones, and can be used

efficiently to facilitate reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition for

learners of a second/foreign language (Welker, 2010; Fageeh, 2014;

Maftoon,

2012).

Electronic dictionaries were created to overcome the clear deficiency of

printed ones in terms of saving time and in obtaining results that were more

detailed. In his previously mentioned study, Albosaif (2011) suggested using

electronic dictionaries to save effort and time. Thus, electronic dictionary

practice would build confidence and make students learn vocabulary

autonomously (Aljarf, 2001).

According to a study conducted by Al-Jarf (2001) at King Saud

University, 45% of the students preferred to use electronic dictionaries. This

study showed that, while 68% of the participants used a general E-A dictionary,

27% used an E-E dictionary. Thus, it is clear that the percentage of students who

used electronic dictionaries would increase with the development of electronic

and technological education tools. This means that most students in 2015 can

use, handle, and install an electronic dictionary with little assistance (Fageeh,

2014).

Dashtestani (2013) conducted a study entitled "EFL teachers' and

students' perspectives on the use of electronic dictionaries for learning English".

The environmental context was Tehran (an Iranian city), and the participants

were 126 EFL students and 73 EFL teachers who were invited to respond to

questionnaires. The results of his study suggested that, both EFL teachers and

students show positive attitudes toward the use of electronic dictionaries for

learning EFL vocabulary. However, they encounter several challenges regarding

the choose and the use of the suitable versions of electronic dictionaries.

Moreover, some types of dictionaries are not available in the class rooms

settings.

Boonmoh (2010) studied attitudes and the use of electronic dictionaries

among teachers in Thailand. The research suggested that teachers did not use

electronic dictionaries because they had limited information regarding the use of

electronic dictionaries. However, the fact that teachers had limited information

concerning access to and the use of electronic dictionaries cannot be used to

draw the conclusion that they had negative attitudes towards electronic

dictionaries.

Nevertheless, Dashtestani (2013) mentioned a few challenges and

obstacles for the use of `electronic dictionaries" for EFL secondary level

students in order to learn vocabulary. For example, usage of electronic

dictionaries may create various challenges such as distraction in participating to

the class activities, distraction from learning, low-quality sound and over-

simplified explanations.

The implications of the previous study show that both students and

teachers have a positive attitude towards the use of electronic dictionaries.

However, students and teachers need more training to obtain the desired results

regarding vocabulary learning and to use such technology effectively.

In the light of Dashtestani's (2013) explanation, it can be stated that one

of the major obstacles for the L2 learner is the lack of access to the appropriate

versions of electronic dictionaries. This is largely due to the fact that selecting

"appropriate versions of electronic dictionaries" is considered to depend on

various factors, such as level of proficiency, age, cognitive and learning styles,

and the context of the learners. Therefore, it is very important for the course

designers, supervisors, and EFL teachers to conduct "specific needs assessment

projects to become acquainted with the parameters which can help them

recommend suitable versions of electronic dictionaries to EFL students"

(Dashtestani, 2013, p. 62).

To summarise the three previous sections, an important study by Flynn

(2007) should be mentioned. He undertook a thesis investigating the effects of

electronic and printed dictionaries, and the non-use of dictionary strategies on

vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. The participants were

divided into three groups. Every group was asked to use a specific strategy of

the three mentioned above. The results of the study showed that the electronic

dictionary users achieved the highest scores when compared to students who

used printed dictionaries and those who did not use dictionaries.

2.5

Electronic bilingual dictionaries

Dashtestani (2013) put special emphasis on the "use of electronic

dictionaries for learning English". He proclaimed that the number and the

positive attitude of EFL learners who used electronic dictionaries has increased,

particularly with regard to bilingual electronic dictionaries, to enhance their

language skills and their autonomy.

Loucky (2013) conducted an analysis of Japanese college students to

evaluate the use of four different electronic bilingual dictionaries. The context of

his study covered three colleges in Japan. The basic aim of his study was to

evaluate "various computerized bilingual dictionaries for their relative

effectiveness in helping Japanese college students at several language profi-

ciency

levels

access

new

English

target

vocabulary".

At the end of his study, Loucky (2013) showed that the electronic

bilingual dictionary played a significant role in helping students to access

unknown word meanings and to become more cognitively efficient in terms of

helping to speed up lexical processing and recording in the L2 mental lexicon.

Moreover learners with higher language proficiency may use bilingual

electronic dictionary more effectively than those with lower language

proficiency.

In another study, Loucky (2010) also showed that engineering and

computer students seemed to be able to learn to use computerised bilingual

dictionaries more rapidly for more effective word accessing and searching than

students who study other majors.

However, it can be said that different types of electronic bilingual

dictionaries tend to present relative advantages and disadvantages. In other

words, Loucky (2013, 2010) clarified the role of the dictionary in the concept of

basic language learning tasks of the dictionary`s type. In a sense, he tended to

distinguish dictionaries` roles regarding their types.

In agreement with Loucky`s (2013) results, Prichard (2008), in his study

of the "Evaluation L2 readers` vocabulary strategies and dictionary use", which

was conducted in Japan, concluded that some learners might benefit from using

an online bilingual dictionary while reading. He declared that the group of

learners who used the target type of dictionary attained better results on reading

comprehension and vocabulary tests than the learners of the other groups. Thus,

according to him, students should be trained to select a suitable type of

dictionary.

In a study conducted with 38 EFL senior high school students`

Yahoo!online dictionary look-up behaviour, Tseng (2009) asked the participants

to read an article and to underline the words they did not know. They were then

asked to look up the unknown words in the Yahoo!online bilingual dictionary

and to write down the definitions of the words. The results showed that some

participants were weak regarding morphology as they write words in the

dictionary without removing the inflections (affixes &suffixes) of them Tseng

(2009).

In spite of some mistakes resulting from consulting the Yahoo!online

dictionary, 81% of the search results were correct. Moreover, 92 % of the

participants could use the online bilingual dictionary. This is why Tseng (2009)

suggested training students to use such types of dictionaries before engaging

with them in the process of learning. Therefore, information contained in

electronic bilingual dictionaries is valuable; however, it requires the help of both

monolingual learners and from the L2 context. According to their conclusion

findings, (Hunt, 2009); Tseng (2009) argued that students should receive more

training on how to relate words with their contexts.

The most recent studies concerning the use of electronic dictionaries,

either monolingual or bilingual, do not show a negative attitude on the part of

teachers towards either of them. Nevertheless, teachers and students varied in

their defence of one type of the target dictionaries over the other (Fageeh, 2014).

The online and electronic dictionaries have the advantages of eliciting a positive

attitude from students and improved the process of learning vocabulary. In the

light of the ESL/EFL contexts, it can be summarised that students usually prefer

to consult bilingual dictionaries and tend to use electronic ones.

(Ali, 2012).

Chapter 3 Procedures and Methodology

This study uses an evidence-based research method in which various

studies relating to the study topic are identified, analysed, and criticised. The

researcher provided commentary on these findings by clarifying points of

agreement and disagreement regarding clues, samples, and the educational and

social contexts.

Firstly, the researcher collected and identified studies that were related to

the area of the current topic. Three conditions had to be met for a specific study

to be included. The experiments in these studies must have taken place in

ESL/EFL countries in which English is taught as a foreign or as a second

language. Next, the participants in each study must have been EFL/ESL students

and instructors. Furthermore, the dates of the reviewed literature must be up to

date to cover the new trends in pedagogy and education.

Secondly, the researcher analysed the collected data in terms of the specific

conditions and settings for each one. This enabled the researcher to determine

not only whether some researchers agreed or disagreed with using the target

technique, but also why they supported one of the two sides regarding the setting

of their experiments. Analysing data involves answering the following

questions:

1-What are the results of the research, and what are the answers to the research

questions?

2-Who are the participants (gender, age, level of education)?

3-Where and when did the studies take place?

Thirdly, the researcher criticised the reviewed results according to the

clues given in the process of analysing them. Fourthly, by detecting the gaps and

finding the positive points in each study, the researcher will be able to answer

the research question mentioned previously and to conclude interesting,

effective, and significant recommendations concerning the ability and efficiency

of using a bilingual electronic dictionary strategy to improve EFL secondary

school students' vocabulary learning.

The researcher uses this method because of three basic reasons. First,

teaching vocabulary is a complicated task which has various aspects and needs

regarding different social and educational contexts. Second, the learners of

English as a second or foreign language cover wide geographical areas.

However, they share the same objectives of language acquisition. Third, studies

were conducted in different parts of the world may show significant findings

concerning obstacles of using the target strategy or facilities that enhance using

it. Thus, the collected literature will help to determine whether the evidence

provided is justified or not.

Chapter 4 Critical analysis of the reviewed literature.

The critical analysis of the literature in this section is based on the main

themes that constitute the research aims: the effects of using the electronic

bilingual dictionary strategy to improve EFL/ESL students' vocabulary learning,

the attitudes of the EFL/ESL students and the teachers towards the use of the

electronic bilingual dictionary strategy to improve EFL secondary students'

vocabulary learning, and determining whether secondary school students have

the ability to use bilingual electronic dictionaries

4.1 Effects of using the electronic bilingual dictionary strategy to improve

EFL students' vocabulary learning

Under this theme, a number of studies were reviewed, with several sub-

themes emerging from the reviews. Table 4.1 summarises the key literature

reviewed concerning this theme, the views of the different researchers, and the

sub-themes emerging from the reviews.

Sub-themes and

Research Views

Highlighted

References

Key Data from the Findings

The use of electronic

and non-electronic

dictionaries

improves students'

vocabulary learning.

Sub-themes and

Research Views

-Tanaka, Suzanne,

Ueno&Ohnishi(2013)

- Kobayashi and Little

(2014)

- Bhadade and

Highlighted

References

Trivedi (2011)

- Miller (2006)

- Lew and Mitton

(2012)

- Khoosf (2014)

- Morin (2012)

- Koyama, (2013)

-Both teachers and students

agree that dictionaries are the

single most important resource

for vocabulary learning.

-There is no data regarding how

gender influences the

Key Data from the Findings

perceived benefits of dictionary

use among male and female

students.

-Use of dictionaries in

vocabulary learning should be

generally improved.

Use of electronic

and non-electronic

dictionaries can

result in inefficient

vocabulary learning

on the part of

students.

-Bensoussan et al.

(1984)

- Prichard (2008)

- Albosaif (2011)

-Use of dictionaries can hamper

students' speed of learning.

-If students are to use

dictionaries, they have to rely

on the assistance of their

teachers.

Bilingual

dictionaries are more

effective for student

vocabulary learning.

Albus et al. (2005)

-Bilingual dictionaries explain

meanings in much easier ways.

Monolingual

dictionaries are more

effective for student

vocabulary learning.

- Kirkness (2004)

- Ahangari and

Dogolsara (2015)

-Monolingual dictionaries

provides deeper vocabulary

explanation than the bilingual

dictionary.

No significant

differences between

Sub-themes and

Research Views

bilingual and

monolingual

dictionaries.

Fattahzadeh (2006)

Highlighted

References

-Bilingual dictionaries are more

useful for ESL students

Key Data from the Findings

when they are under time

pressure, while monolingual

dictionaries are preferable when

proficiency has improved.

Electronic

dictionaries are more

effective in

facilitating student

vocabulary learning

than are manual

dictionaries.

Albosaif (2011)

Fageeh (2014)

Dashtestani (2013)

Loucky (2013)

-Electronic dictionaries save

time when searching for

vocabulary, hence facilitating

faster learning.

Electronic

dictionaries are less

effective in

facilitating student

Al-Jarf (2001)

-Students prefer non-electronic

dictionaries due to availability.

-These studies suggest that

paper and electronic

vocabulary learning.

dictionaries should be used

concurrently to enhance

students' understanding of

vocabulary.

Key Data from the

Findings

-Electronic bilingual

dictionaries are

effective for student

vocabulary learning

-The use of

dictionaries in

classrooms enhance

the learners

autonomy level

Highlighted

References

Dashtestani (2013)

Loucky (2013; 2010)

Tseng (2009)

Fageeh (2014)

Key Data from the Findings

-Electronic bilingual

dictionaries play a significant

role in helping students to

access unknown word meanings

and to become more cognitively

efficient in terms of helping to

speed up lexical processing and

recording in the L2 mental

lexicon.

From Table 4.1, it is apparent that the majority of the studies reviewed

generally supported the fact that dictionaries can facilitate students' vocabulary

learning. All of the researchers argued that dictionaries, whether electronic or

not, encouraged students to infer word meanings through contextualising cues,

or incidental learning via extensive reading and comprehension. In the studies

conducted to support the use of dictionaries to improve vocabulary learning, the

researchers indicated that dictionaries enhance vocabulary learning, and

maximise retention among ESL and EFL learners alike. Despite the

overwhelming consensus, a few studies suggested that the use of dictionaries,

Table 4.1

particularly in scenarios in which they are overused by the students, may result

in inefficient student vocabulary learning. According to this school of thought,

the argument is that frequent dictionary consultation may hinder the

comprehension processes among the learners, as the practice reduces the speed

of learning. It is on this basis that it is important for teachers to guide their

students through the dictionaries. Nevertheless, it is agreed that consulting

dictionaries not only facilitates vocabulary acquisition, but also enhances the

comprehension of texts.

Regarding bilingual and monolingual dictionaries, the views are less

divergent, although some researchers believed that monolingual dictionaries

help students to learn vocabulary faster than do bilingual dictionaries. The

studies that supported the use of monolingual dictionaries argued that they

enhance a deeper contextual explanation of the vocabulary sought than do

bilingual dictionaries, which tend to provide easier meanings of the unfamiliar

words. However, the ability to consult a monolingual dictionary requires a wide

range of vocabulary that is not available to EFL secondary school students.

Thus, bilingual dictionaries are particularly important for the ESL/EFL

secondary school learners, and the students should consult a monolingual

dictionary once they have gained a good grounding in English language

comprehension. One study reported no difference in the manner in which the

monolingual and the bilingual dictionaries helped students to improve their

vocabulary learning. These results were attributed to the fact that a search in a

paper dictionary did not allow the students sufficient time to comprehend the

word meanings within limited time periods, as opposed to the case of a CD-

ROM based dictionary, which was less time consuming.

Researchers who sought to explore the variation in the efficiency of

dictionaries suggested a greater ease of use of electronic dictionaries compared

to non-electronic dictionaries. The researchers suggested a link between the use

of electronic dictionaries and a significant improvement in the vocabulary of the

ESL students. The studies presented in the table depict the fact that electronic

dictionaries enable the efficiency of vocabulary learning when compared to

printed dictionaries, making them better a strategy for the improvement of

student vocabulary than the paper dictionary strategy.

Despite the overwhelming support from researchers who stated that

electronic dictionaries are relatively more effective in enhancing the students'

speed of vocabulary learning, a section of the studies (Table 4.1) suggests that

the differences in the manner in which electronic dictionaries help students to

improve their vocabularies are insignificant. This school of thought attributes its

findings to the fact that most modern electronic dictionaries have similar, or

almost similar, features to the comprehensive paper dictionaries. In addition, a

section of the studies that advocate superiority of printed

dictionary to electronic

dictionaries suggests that more effort in the process of a student's search for

word meanings can contribute to higher retention. However, it is important to

note that these studies point out the ease and speed of use of electronic

dictionaries as opposed to that of similar paper dictionaries. Other studies

suggest that the integrated use of electronic and paper dictionaries can be more

beneficial for the EFL and ESL learners than use of either alone. Based on the

arguments of the researchers, the use of Information from multiple dictionaries

results in better learner retention, as most students develop curiosity when they

seek to compare meanings, resulting in better retention.

4.2 The attitudes of the students and the teachers towards the use of

electronic bilingual dictionaries

Sub-themes and

Research Views

Highlighted

References

Key Data from the Findings

Students and teachers

have positive attitudes

towards the use of

electronic dictionaries.

Fageeh

(2014)

Ali (2012)

Al-Darayeseh

(2014)

Chen (2008)

Chin (2001)

-Students tended to have positive

attitudes towards electronic

dictionaries, especially when the

educators gave the students the correct

guidance concerning how to use

electronic dictionaries.

-Teachers' and students' attitudes play

a significant role in vocabulary

learning.

Sub-themes and

Research Views

Students and teachers

have

negative attitudes

towards the use of

electronic dictionaries.

Highlighted

\References

- Albosaif

(2011)

- Boonmoh

(2010)

Key Data from the Findings

- Inability to use a specific type of

dictionary may create

a negative attitude towards that type.

Table 4.2

In addition to the extant literature on the effectiveness of electronic

dictionaries, researchers have also attempted to study the attitudes that learners

and instructors have towards the use of electronic dictionaries. As seen in Table

4.2, the majority of the research findings suggest that more students tend to

adopt positive attitudes towards the use of electronic dictionaries. In addition, a

considerable number of studies indicated that more students found electronic

dictionaries beneficial, and that they facilitate vocabulary learning. There is,

however, a scarcity of research on educators' attitudes towards the use of

electronic dictionaries with regard to students' learning of vocabulary.

The researchers argued that the speed of reference was significant in

influencing student attitudes towards the use electronic dictionaries. The

students' attitudes towards the use of electronic dictionaries have also been

deduced from the frequency of their use by students, as opposed to the paper

dictionaries.

The other argument advanced by the researchers is that the frequent use of

an electronic dictionary by students tended to improve their vocabulary, and

consequently their attitudes towards the use of dictionaries. In addition, there

was a general suggestion that most students who had electronic dictionaries used

them more frequently than did students who had printed

dictionaries in their

possession. Consequently, the use of electronic dictionaries might improve the

look-up behaviour of the students. Although the frequent looking up of words

might not necessarily help students to improve their vocabulary and English

comprehension, it generally improves their attitudes towards the use of

electronic dictionaries and hence improve the process of learning indirectly.

Finally, some researchers concluded that teachers do not use electronic

dictionaries frequently because of many reasons. First they have limited

information regarding the same. Second, they consider dictionary as a wasting

time strategy. However, the researchers concluded that the fact that teachers had

limited information about the access to and the use of electronic dictionaries

could not be used to draw the conclusion that they had negative attitudes

towards electronic dictionaries.

4.3 Ability of the student to use bilingual electronic dictionaries

Sub-themes and

Research Views

Highlighted

References

Key Data from the Findings

Do students possess

the ability to use

bilingual electronic

dictionaries

effectively?

Hsu, Hwang and

Chang (2013)

Wu, Lowyck, Sercu

and Elen (2013)

Ali, Mukundan, Ayub

and Baki (2011)

Miller (2006)

Morin (2012)

-Provide not only the

translation, but also the

pronunciation of the words.

Students lack the

ability to use

bilingual electronic

dictionaries

effectively.

Albosaif (2011)

-Students, particularly in Saudi

Arabia, seemed to lack the right

abilities to use English

dictionaries effectively.

Researchers

indicated that

students should use

other strategies

rather than relying

on their ability to use

dictionaries.

AlJafr (2006)

-The studies supported other

strategies, such as memory

strategies, context clues, CALL

in learning vocabulary, the

skipping strategy, and the social

strategy.

From Table 4.3, it is clear that the majority of the research reviewed in this

study agreed that students largely have the ability to use both manual paper and

bilingual electronic dictionaries effectively. In most of the arguments, the

Table 4.3

researchers stated that bilingual electronic dictionaries have made it much easier

for both ESL and EFL students to learn vocabulary. The dictionaries provide

simpler translations, supply pictures, and provide the learners with in-depth

information about the meaning of the unfamiliar words. These features make it

easier for a rising number of students to use electronic dictionaries, even

enhancing their abilities to use non-electronic dictionaries. There are, however,

some studies that indicate that most students lack the ability to use dictionaries

effectively when studying, and therefore suggest that students need good

training on how to handle bilingual electronic dictionaries. A few studies

discouraged over reliance on dictionaries, citing the negative attitudes of the

teachers, time wasted while searching for words, difficulties in isolating

vocabulary from the intended contexts, and the difficulties of recalling words

later when using bilingual electronic dictionaries. Moreover, some studies show

that some instructors did not follow the new trends of educations as they believe

in the traditional way to teach their students.

Some studies show that the ability to use the bilingual electronic

dictionaries requires a combination of electronic competence and linguistic

competence. Learners should be able to install, handle the software applications

of the bilingual electronic dictionaries. Moreover, they should have a good know

in vocabulary building (Morphology).

Chapter 5 Conclusion and recommendations

In the light of the results obtained in this evidence-based study, most of

the scholars agreed on the importance of vocabulary as a basic ingredient in

language learning. Vocabulary is considered to be an essential part of second or

foreign language learning. Language learners need a defined vocabulary size of

the target language to be able to engage in both production and comprehension

activities in the second or foreign language successfully. The current study

attempted to examine whether the use of the bilingual electronic dictionary

strategy could improve the vocabulary learning of ESL/EFL secondary school

students. It is apparent from the reviewed literature and the critical analysis

chapters that different researchers have adopted different views concerning the

use of bilingual electronic dictionaries among ESL and EFL students. Despite

the contradictory views, Tables 4.1 to 4.3 clearly suggest that a bilingual

electronic dictionary is one of the best strategies that can be used to improve the

grasp of vocabulary among EFL and ESL secondary school students.

From the literature review and the analysis sections, there is an

overwhelming evidence that use of dictionaries can enhance the vocabulary

learning of both the ESL and the EFL students. Students who are in the habit of

checking meanings of different words, and integrating this habit with other skills

such as memorising the words and getting suitable context benefit from

dependence on dictionaries. The studies particularly singled out bilingual

electronic dictionaries as being more effective for EFL secondary school

students' vocabulary learning.

However, a few studies suggested that over reliance on dictionaries could

reduce the speed of students' vocabulary comprehension. However, such studies

are insignificant. Such studies either focused on using traditional types of

dictionaries, or the participants in the study were not well trained to use the

target type of dictionary (bilingual electronic dictionaries).

In addition, the majority of the studies reviewed and analysed showed that

students and teachers generally have positive attitudes towards the use of

dictionaries. However, the findings regarding the attitudes of teachers towards

the use of bilingual electronic dictionaries require further research. The findings

concerning teachers' attitudes towards the use of electronic dictionaries for EFL

and ESL students' vocabulary learning can contribute valuable information

regarding whether teachers can endorse electronic dictionaries for students'

vocabulary improvement.

Regarding the ability to use bilingual electronic dictionaries, most of the

studies reported that secondary school students have the ability to use bilingual

electronic dictionaries, particularly citing the simplicity and ease of access

thereof, which has popularised them. It is noted that studies that argued for the

ability to use bilingual electronic dictionaries declared the positive role and

attitude towards activating them in relation to the process of vocabulary

acquisition.

To summarise, the reviewed studies provided important insights into the

merits of bilingual electronic dictionaries, the secondary students and teachers'

attitudes, and how electronic dictionaries work to improve students'

vocabularies. Bilingual electronic dictionaries play an effective role in the

process of teaching vocabulary. While teachers varied in terms of their levels of

having a positive attitude, they never showed a negative attitude towards the use

of bilingual electronic dictionaries to improve vocabulary learning, unless they

did not know how to use one. Moreover, students in almost all the studies

showed a positive attitude towards the target strategy. The critical point that

affects the evaluation of the target strategy is the ability to use an electronic

dictionary. Thus, if the participants were not able to use a bilingual electronic

dictionary, they may have presented a negative attitude towards it, and the

strategy would then be useless.

5.1 Recommendations:

Based on the review of the literature, as well as on the findings and critical

analysis, this paper offers the following recommendations :

EFL/ESL learners are advised to use bilingual electronic dictionaries to

improve the process of learning vocabulary.

2-Electronic dictionary skills can be incorporated in EFL/ESL vocabulary

courses.

Teachers should be more active in encouraging

their students to use various

types of dictionaries.

In order to encourage students and teachers to use bilingual electronic

dictionaries, both the teachers and the students should be trained to use the target

type of dictionary effectively.

Instructors and students should be familiar with the different and specialised

types of dictionaries they can use, and which ones are the best for their needs.

6- Training tasks should offer activities that help the students to choose the

suitable meaning regarding the context.

Unfamiliar words should always be introduced within their linguistic and

social contexts before consulting a bilingual electronic dictionary.

8- Learners should be given an extensive course on morphology before starting

or within using the dictionaries.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the purpose of this document?

This document is a language preview intended for academic use, specifically for analyzing themes in a structured and professional manner. It includes information such as the title, table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords.

What is the abstract about?

The abstract describes a study investigating the use of bilingual electronic dictionaries to improve EFL/ESL secondary school students' vocabulary learning. It explores the effect of the strategy, student and teacher attitudes, and the ability of students to use the dictionary. It concludes that bilingual electronic dictionaries can have a positive effect, but user ability is critical.

What is acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section?

The author expresses gratitude to Dr. Ahmed Shoeib for guidance, suggestions and patience. They also thank Mr. Ali Hadi for reading and commenting on parts of the paper, and Dr. Joseph for suggesting dictionaries as a research area. Special thanks are given to the author's wife, Jawaher Mohammed.

What chapters are outlined in the table of contents?

The table of contents outlines the following chapters: Introduction, Literature Review, Procedures and Methodology, Critical analysis of the reviewed literature, Conclusion and recommendations, and References.

What does Chapter 1, the Introduction, discuss?

Chapter 1 emphasizes the significance of vocabulary learning for second language learners and the challenges they face. It also highlights the crucial role of vocabulary for effective communication and academic success. The chapter also presents aims, significance, research questions and limitations of the study

What are the aims of the study?

The study aims to:

Describe the effect of using the electronic bilingual dictionary strategy to improve EFL secondary school students' vocabulary learning.
Determine the attitude of both students and teachers towards using the electronic bilingual dictionary strategy.
Decide whether or not the students have the ability to use a bilingual electronic dictionary.

What are the research questions?

The research questions include:

What is the effect of using a bilingual electronic dictionaries strategy on improving EFL/ESL secondary school students' vocabulary learning?
What are EFL teachers' and students' attitudes towards the use of bilingual electronic dictionaries?
Do EFL secondary school students have the ability to use a bilingual electronic dictionary?

What are the limitations of the study?

The study focuses exclusively on the influence of using a bilingual electronic dictionary to improve vocabulary learning in EFL secondary school students, specifically focusing on spelling, meaning, pronunciation, and vocabulary usage. It doesn't deeply investigate the relationship between vocabulary and the four language skills (writing, reading, speaking, listening).

What does Chapter 2, the Literature Review, cover?

Chapter 2 reviews existing literature on vocabulary learning, including improving vocabulary learning via dictionaries, and compares bilingual and monolingual dictionaries. It also discusses the use of electronic dictionaries in ESL/EFL learning and examines electronic bilingual dictionaries.

What strategies for vocabulary learning are mentioned?

The strategies include: guessing strategy, context clues, CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning), skipping strategy, social strategy, and dictionary use.

What's the difference between monolingual and bilingual dictionaries?

Monolingual dictionaries provide in-depth information, pronunciation, and usage examples, but require a strong vocabulary base. Bilingual dictionaries offer easier translations but may encourage a one-to-one word correspondence.

What are the procedures and methodology for this review?

An evidence-based research method is used. It involves identifying, analyzing, and criticizing studies related to the topic. Commentary is provided on agreements and disagreements, considering clues, samples, and educational/social contexts.

What are the main themes for critical analysis in Chapter 4?

The main themes are: the effects of using the electronic bilingual dictionary strategy to improve EFL/ESL students' vocabulary learning, attitudes of students and teachers towards the strategy, and students' ability to use bilingual electronic dictionaries.

What does chapter 5 conclude and recommend?

Chapter 5 concludes with the following recommendations:

EFL/ESL learners are advised to use bilingual electronic dictionaries to improve the process of learning vocabulary.
Electronic dictionary skills can be incorporated in EFL/ESL vocabulary courses.
Teachers should be more active in encouraging their students to use various types of dictionaries.
In order to encourage students and teachers to use bilingual electronic dictionaries, both the teachers and the students should be trained to use the target type of dictionary effectively.
Instructors and students should be familiar with the different and specialised types of dictionaries they can use, and which ones are the best for their needs.
Training tasks should offer activities that help the students to choose the suitable meaning regarding the context.
Unfamiliar words should always be introduced within their linguistic and social contexts before consulting a bilingual electronic dictionary.
Learners should be given an extensive course on morphology before starting or within using the dictionaries.

Final del extracto de 53 páginas - subir

Detalles

Título: Using a bilingual electronic dictionary to improve vocabulary learning for secondary school students of English as a foreign language (EFL)
Autor: Sultan Albareghi (Autor)
Año de publicación: 2015
Páginas: 53
No. de catálogo: V335857
ISBN (Ebook): 9783668271050
ISBN (Libro): 9783668271067
Idioma: Inglés
Etiqueta: teaching bilingual dictionaries teaching vocabulary EFL TESOL TEFL
Seguridad del producto: GRIN Publishing Ltd.

Citar trabajo: Sultan Albareghi (Autor), 2015, Using a bilingual electronic dictionary to improve vocabulary learning for secondary school students of English as a foreign language (EFL), Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/335857

Using a bilingual electronic dictionary to improve vocabulary learning for secondary school students of English as a foreign language (EFL)

Extracto

Frequently asked questions

What is the purpose of this document?

What is the abstract about?

What is acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section?

What chapters are outlined in the table of contents?

What does Chapter 1, the Introduction, discuss?

What are the aims of the study?

What are the research questions?

What are the limitations of the study?

What does Chapter 2, the Literature Review, cover?

What strategies for vocabulary learning are mentioned?

What's the difference between monolingual and bilingual dictionaries?

What are the procedures and methodology for this review?

What are the main themes for critical analysis in Chapter 4?

What does chapter 5 conclude and recommend?

Detalles