Strategies and Skills Using Dictionary in English Study英语学习中词典使用的策略和技能.doc

英语学习中词典使用的策略和技能 摘要： 英文词典是学生学习英语必备的工具，词典使用的策略和技能在二外习得中显得尤为重要。本研究通过调查问卷，对部分惠州学院英语专业学生求助词典时运用的策略和技能进行了调查。通过简单算术得来结果后，研究者利用这些有效的数据进行有针对性地分析。我们期待调查结果能有助提高大学生的词典使用技能和策略。关键词： 词典；策略；技能 Strategies and Skills: Using Dictionary in English Study Abstract：English dictionaries are the indispensable tools for students to learn English, and the using strategies and skills for language learning are of vital importance in second language acquisition. Through a questionnaire, this paper investigates part of Huizhou University English students using strategies and skills. Gaining a result by using a simple counting, the research makes a pertinent analysis with effective data. We are looking forward to the survey will help improve college students skills and strategies of English dictionary using. Key Words: English dictionaries； Strategies； Skills 1. IntroductionAn English dictionary, as a tool or a reference in the English learning, helps to facilitate the language learning process and enables the learners to develop their language skills effectively. The effective and efficient use of a dictionary is one of the main factors to affect the second-language acquisition. In the learning process, besides our teachers, what we most consult is an English dictionary. It provides English learners all types of information: spelling, syllables, weak and strong forms, syntactic structures, word origins, meaning, word collocation, formal and informal usages, slangs and idioms, etc. Therefore, its importance is self-evident.However, if you use it in an inappropriate way, the second best teachers not only could not help you, but also might even bring a lot of negative effects to you. For example, some learners just read the first several Chinese meanings and usages of the word, which would negatively expand or narrow their understanding of original meanings; some learners depend too much on their dictionaries. Once they fail to know the meanings of the new words, they always look them up rather than guess them out. Such low skills and strategies do not bring any convenience but waste them much time on looking up the dictionaries. Though these learners have one or two paper-based dictionaries at least, they are forced to buy electronic dictionaries in addition, because they claim electronic dictionaries provide word meaning quicker.Dictionaries are among the most readily available, widely used, and cheapest learning resources, but they are also among the most difficult to use. 1 The research of dictionary use, as a branch of lexicography, is concerned with more and more language experts. A great number of categories of specific areas within this branch have been studied. The study of dictionary use in EFL (English as a foreign language) learning is one of the important areas of the research. 2There are several problems we need to solve: What strategies and skills they applied to handle the new words and usages in reading and listening? How do the learners succeed in choosing their suitable dictionaries in accordance with their own levels and needs? How often they use the dictionary? Do the language teachers give the students enough information and guidance in the selection and use of English dictionary? Are the current English majors clear about the three different English dictionaries functions？In light of these questions, we make a research on two English majors classes in Huizhou University.2. Literature Review In the combination of questionnaire and interviews of four Normal English classes, 405 students, in the Foreign Languages department of Putian College, Chen Yuzhen finds that the using frequency of electronic dictionary is much higher than that of paper-based dictionary, and junior students using times are more than senior students. So, she proves that junior students look-up strategies are more mature than senior students, and conclude that student strategies and skills will not increase with the second language learning time. Also, she proposes that the teachers should have the sense to train their students the awareness of using dictionaries, and to provide necessary guidance and enough training. They should encourage students study more independently, and boost their independent problem-solving abilities. 3 With the questionnaire of two non-English majors classes, 90 students, in the Chemical Technology department of Southwestern University, Feng Linling finds out electronic dictionary has already become many non-English majors most extensive tool in language learning, because it is very efficient to find out the meanings of the new words. But when to mention electronic dictionarys pronunciation function, only a handful of people believe that it is very helpful, and the overwhelming majority of people believe that the functions are somewhat important or unimportant. By comparison, traditional paper-based dictionary is not only more conducive to learning, but also easier to master English usages. Feng Linling warns that if students are too reliant on electronic dictionary, they would have great difficulty in advance the guessing ability of the new words. 4With the investigation analysis and strategies on the use of English dictionaries by non-English majors, Yuan Shuo advises schools and teachers to increase students using times of the paper-based dictionaries using times, and consider other reference books as the part of students self-learning ability. Also the teachers should attach great attention to Students purchase and use of the dictionaries. 5Liang Yuling and Li Lei state that most students not only lack understanding the relation between English learning process and dictionaries, but also fail to fully understand the types and functions of the dictionaries. Their ignorance of these aspects of the knowledge leads to many problems when they use the dictionary: a. prefer to small dictionary or the electronic one; b. focus on only one or a few simple front Interpretation of the English words; c. too self-confident too look up the dictionaries. Form the above reference to students errors in using strategies; they believe that teachers can guide the students below the following aspects: a. make students fully understand the diverse functions of pocket dictionary, electronic dictionary and paper-based dictionary; b. Read all information of an English words as complete as possible; c. flexible to the use an English dictionary with the combination of the context. 6Wang Yanhua divides English learning into four levels: a. beginning; b. intermediate; c. advanced; d. quasi-bilinguals. She states that English teacher should help the students to choose an appropriate dictionary at different studying levels in accordance with students learning levels and their purposes. 7 Zhao Liming proposes that more examples should be provided to guide the learners. Let the learners guess and identify the meanings of the new words in the contexts as many as possible. He doesnt agree the students to use these following strategies: a. look up the dictionaries once they meet the new words; b. avoid studying the hard points. In return, he emphasizes his own opinions: a. the teachers should teach learners try to guess the meanings of the words; b. make sure the learners understand the meaning or implied information as complete as possible, and encourage English learners to try to go through the subtle differences between English and Chinese. He believes these ways will greatly enrich and promote their comprehension of the English language. 83. Research DesignBy the combination of some language experts insights and my own thoughts, we try to make out what types of strategies and skills will be most efficient in the learning process. In order to find out the best solutions, a Chinese questionnaire will be adopted in this investigate 3.1 Research ParticipantsThe research participants include Huizhou Colleges two English classes, 85 English majors, a second-year class and the fourth-year class separately. The selected classes have representative in the school. 82 questionnaires were valid, only 3 questionnaires were invalid. For some certain questions are incomplete. This investigation began in the middle March, 2008. 3.2 Instruments and Date CollectionThe questionnaire is composed of four parts: The first part is to try to find out students general knowledge of the dictionaries. The second part is to find out which kind of dictionary students would like to use. The third part is to get to know what the learners ideal dictionaries are. The forth part is that when students encounter the new words or expressions in reading and listening, what strategies and skills will apply. The fifth part is how to handle the new words in word analysis.4. Data AnalysisResults of the research are discussed in this part in this part. The strategies and skills analysis are the primary focus of this paper. 4.1 General Knowledge about the Paper-based Dictionary4.1.1 What do three items mean, Advanced level, Intermediate level and Elementary level of English dictionaries?Table 2ABStrategies and skillsUnknownKnowJunior students39%61%Senior students33.3%66.7%Average36%64%They are many types of English students dictionaries, for example, paper-based dictionaries like bilingual dictionary with both Chinese and English explanations, English-English dictionary, electronic dictionaries and pc dictionary.What do three items mean, Advanced level, Intermediate level and Elementary level of English dictionaries, mean? Table 2 shows that, over 60% of junior and senior students have already known these three items meaning. According to the volume of the entries in the different learning dictionaries, dictionaries can be divided into three categories: Advanced level, Intermediate level and Elementary level. Generally speaking, the Elementary level includes below 20,000 words, Intermediate level ranging from 20000 to 40000, and the Advance level from 40,000 to 80,000. 11 We can not judge the quality of a dictionary just simply by its number of its entries but on its utilization and functions. On the basis of their own level and needs, Learners choose an English dictionary. 4.1.2 What are the functions and the differences among bilingual dictionary with both Chinese and English explanations, English-English dictionary and bilingual dictionary with Chinese explanations only?Table 3ABStrategies and skillsUnclearClearJunior students19%81%Senior students16.7%83.3%Average18%82%What are the functions and the differences among bilingual dictionary with both Chinese and English explanations, English-English dictionary and bilingual dictionary with Chinese explanations only? The data of table 3 show that most the students know their functions and differences. Firstly, Let us talk about bilingual dictionary with both Chinese and English explanations. It supplies a large numbers of the corresponding Chinese translation with the original terms and phrases. It adds the Chinese interpretation to its English original. Through the use of English-Chinese Dictionary, readers not only can better understand the English words by the corresponding Chinese words, but also more clearly and accurately understand its meaning by the English Interpretation. Its advantage is to avoid narrowing or expanding the English meaning. In addition, the use of this kind of dictionary can increase the English sense and learn more English usages and sayings at the same time. 12 However, when looking up it, we must pay more attention to read the English interpretation so as to further understanding its meanings. Generally speaking, bilingual dictionary with both Chinese and English explanations is suitable for the junior students in college.Secondly, bilingual dictionary with Chinese explanations only is easy to understand and remember the Chinese equivalents of English words. Whats more, the semantic information supplied by it is very pertinent, so its convenient for students to understand the differences of the two languages. However, as we know that few complete equivalents exist in two languages. Therefore, we could depend on bilingual dictionary with Chinese explanations only to much.Thirdly, English-English Dictionary purely consists of a single language: English. The interpretation or examples are all expressed in English, so its biggest advantage is to provide a pure English environment without any Chinese equivalents. It can help us to think and understand in English. If we really want to study English well, we should have one English-English dictionary in hand at least. In addition, the use of English-English language can help learners to increase English sense, to get a clear and thorough understanding of the new words and usages, and to develop their proper uses of the language skills. 4.2 Which Kind of Dictionary Is Mostly Used?Table 1ABCDCategorybilingual dictionary with English and Chinese explanations English-English DictionaryBilingual dictionaries with Chinese explanations onlyon-line/electronic/PC dictionaryJunior students69%3.4%24.1%65.5%Senior students71%12.9%29%74.1%Average70%8%27%70%Table 1 shows that students using frequency of dictionary: the bilingual dictionary with Chinese and English explanations and on-line/electronic/pc dictionary are students most using dictionaries, next bilingual dictionary with Chinese explanations only, the least English-English dictionary. This result falls below with Shi Gengshan and Chen Kuohuas similar survey (the average of between junior students and senior students, 87.5%), but quite close to Shi Binbin and Pan Pans survey (78.2%). Senior students use electronic-on-line/PC dictionary more frequently than junior students. 9 10It can be drawn from the three points: Firstly, bilingual dictionary with Chinese and English explanations and the on-line/electronic/pc dictionary have already become students most frequent using tools.Secondly, the figure of students use frequencies of on-line/electronic/pc dictionary (65.5%), which is lower than that of the paper-based dictionaries (69%+3.4%+24.1%), indicates that learners prefer to consult the paper-based dictionary. So it proves that the English teachers must have consciously trained students sense to use paper dictionary in class. Also, Students have already recognized the deficiency of electronic dictionaries, so they are more willing to consult paper-based dictionaries. For paper-based dictionaries give them more new and accurate interpretation, clear definitions, more usages and example sentences, etc. Thirdly, as senior students start to