Introduction

Overview of the problemContradiction toward dictionary selection between language teachers and learners

Significance of the study

Lack of study on Taiwanese students’ preference, habits, and capability of dictionary use

Lack of empirical study on assessing the effects of EDs on learners’ vocabulary acquisition

Introduction

蘇琬楨 Wan-Chen Su (Jen)

What are Taiwanese students’ preference, habits, and capability toward dictionary use?

What do Taiwanese students use EDs for?

Do school teachers in Taiwan put emphasis on the instruction of dictionary skills?

Which type of dictionary best assists students in short-term and long-term vocabulary retention, electronic bilingual dictionaries or paper monolingual dictionaries?

Research question

Introduction

Strengths of EDs

Speed(Koren, 1997; Weschler and Pitts, 2000; Aust & Kelley & Roby, 1993)

Lightness(Weschler and Pitts, 2000; Tang, 1997)

Others: error tolerant input,, word and spelling games, cross-referencing(Weschler and Pitts, 2000)

Weakness of EDs

Erroneous assumption(Koren, 1997; Aust & Kelley & Roby,

1993)

Not detailed(Koren, 1997)

Others: overuse(Aust & Kelley & Roby, 1993), quality(Tang, 1997)

Literature Review

Methodology - Questionnaire

Pre-adolescent Post-adolescent

Subject number by

ages

121 161

School name Chung-cheng Junior High

School

Stella Matutina Girls’ Junior High School

National Taichung First Senior High

School

Stella Matutina Girls’ Senior High School

Tung Hai University

Location Taipei Taichung Taichung Taichung Taichung

Subject number by

schools

71 50 3 43 115

Gender Subject

number by genders

36 35 0 50 3 0 0 43 49 66

Questionnaire

Send to five teachersthrough e-mail

Send to five teachersthrough e-mail

Distribute to classesthey teach

Distribute to classesthey teach

Collect and mailquestionnaires back

Collect and mailquestionnaires back

Data analyzed by Excel files

Data analyzed by Excel files

Methodology - Questionnaire

47%

33%

91%

25%

89%

24%17%

88%90%

24%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

English-

English

Englsih-

Chinese

Chinese-

English

ED Bilingualized

Dictionaries

Group 1

Group 2

Group 1: Pre-adolescent group Group 2: Post-adolescent group

Finding & Analysis - QuestionnaireQ1: What kinds of dictionaries do you have?

3

54

8

126

80

35

12

67

63

89

20

193

14

0

50

100

150

200

250

English-English Englsih-Chinese Chinese-English ED Bilingualized

Dictionaries

Group 1

Group 2

Total


Q2: How often do you use the following dictionaries?

17%

4%

26%

22%

9%

35%

9%

40%

8%

16%

34%

14%

34%

6%

32%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

English-

English

Englsih-

Chinese

Chinese-

English

ED Bilingualized

Dictionaries

Group 1

Group 2

Average

Q3: Which type of dictionaries best assists vocabulary retention?


72%57%

35%46%

78%

28%43%

65%54%

22%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

English-English Englsih-

Chinese

Chinese-

English

ED Bilingualized

Dictionaries

Group 2

Group 1


Different perception from the two groups

1%

30%

5%2%

17%

2%

78%

8%4%

65%

2%

23%

3%

73%

7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

English-English Englsih-Chinese Chinese-English ED Bilingualized

Dictionaries

Group 1

Group 2

Average


Q4: Which of the following dictionaries do you prefer?

20%

1%

40%

5% 4%

36%

7%

3%

13%

18%

4%

16%

7%

2%

0%

17%

39%

1%

18%

39%

4%

25%

7%

3%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Group 1

Group 2

Average

Q5: How did you learn to look up the bilingual dictionaries?


3%

48% 49%

5%

13%

80%

4%

33%

63%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Yes (Paper) Yes (ED) No

Group 1

Group 2

Average

Q6: Do you carry a dictionary with you? ED or PD?


67%

89%

9%

42%

5%

18%

68%

7%

57%

26%

5%

69%

3%

25%

83%

26%

86%

5%13%

69%

5%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%w

hen

traveling

in c

lass

when

readin

g

English

when

listenin

g t

o

lectures

when

watchin

g

English

when

writ

ing

when

talk

ing t

o

foreig

ners

Group 1

Group 2

Average

Q7: When do you use the electronic dictionaries?


98%

85%

71%

23%

51%

22%

66%

50%

19%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Group 1

Group 2

Average

Q8: What do you use the electronic dictionaries for?


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

speed of

looking up

words

light, easy to

carry

f ashionable pronunciation

f unction

assist writing

Group 1

Group 2

Average

Q9: Overall, why do you prefer using EDs?


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

look up f rom

English-

Chinese

dictionaries

look up f rom

English-English

dictionaries

guessing f rom

the contents of

the reading

materials

ignore it

Group 1

Group 2

Average

□

Q10: If you can't really understand the meaning looked up from the electronic dictionaries, what will you do?


Age Gender Current status English education in

Taiwan

Subject 1 27 Work in USA 7


Subject 3 25 RioHondo Community College 6

Subject 4 20 Mt. San Antonio Community College

3

Subject 5 24 California State PolyTechnic University, Pomona

4


Subject 7 24 California State University, Long Beach

7

Subject 8 23 Asuza Pacific University 6

Methodology - Experimental Design

ExperimentalDesign – 1st

Round

8 Subjects randomly assigned

to two groups

8 Subjects randomly assigned

to two groups

Pretest on 50 vocabulary


2nd Posttest on50 vocabulary2nd Posttest on50 vocabulary

Data analyzed by T-tests


Read the 1st articleExperimental: ED

Control: PD

Read the 1st articleExperimental: ED

Control: PD

5 minutes later1st Posttest on 50 vocabulary1st Posttest on 50 vocabulary

1 week later


ExperimentalDesign – 2nd

Round

8 Subjects were switched over

8 Subjects were switched over

Read the 2nd articleExperimental: ED

Control: PD

Read the 2nd articleExperimental: ED

Control: PD



1st Posttest on 50 vocabulary1st Posttest on 50 vocabulary

2nd Posttest on50 vocabulary2nd Posttest on50 vocabulary



5 minutes later1 week later


Mean of those who use EDs Mean of those who use PDs

Pretest 16.75 151st Posttest 24.25 21.8752nd Posttest 21.75 18.625

T-test Pretest 1st posttest 2nd posttest

N=8 t=.444, p=.664

t=.484, p=.636

t=.666, p=.517

N=80 t=1.571, p=.120

N=130 t=1.997, p=.048

Note: “p” needs to be less than .05

(T test assisted by Dr. Janice Schafrik)

Finding & Analysis - Experimental Design

Limitation & Recommendation Questionnaire: Gender of subjects & Modernization of schools districts selected Experimental design: Sample size &

Problem of counter-balanced design

Implication Overview of the research questions

Conclusions

Conclusions

ApplicationExplicit instruction of dictionary

skillsActivities related with dictionary useMake the best use of EDsComplement EDs with other

dictionaries

QuestionnaireQuestionnaireDear all,Dear all,Thank you for participating in this study. I’m a graduate student of TESOL(Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) program in University of Thank you for participating in this study. I’m a graduate student of TESOL(Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) program in University of Southern California. The purpose of this questionnaire is to investigate Taiwanese students’(including junior high, senior high and university) habits, Southern California. The purpose of this questionnaire is to investigate Taiwanese students’(including junior high, senior high and university) habits, preferences, and attitudes toward dictionary use. This questionnaire is an anonymous design and your answers will only serve as references in my study. preferences, and attitudes toward dictionary use. This questionnaire is an anonymous design and your answers will only serve as references in my study. Thanks again for your valuable opinions.Thanks again for your valuable opinions. Personal informationPersonal informationAge_________Age_________ GenderGender □：□： MaleMale □ □ FemaleFemale School name_________________________School name_________________________ 1.1. Please check the following dictionaries which you possess.Please check the following dictionaries which you possess.□□ English to English English to English □□English to Chinese English to Chinese □□Chinese to English Chinese to English □□Electronic Electronic □□English to English&ChineseEnglish to English&Chinese2.2. How often do you use the following dictionaries?How often do you use the following dictionaries?English to English English to English □□Always Always □□Sometimes Sometimes □□Never Never □□Cannot useCannot useEnglish to Chinese English to Chinese □□Always Always □□Sometimes Sometimes □□Never Never □□Cannot useCannot useChinese to English Chinese to English □□Always Always □□Sometimes Sometimes □□Never Never □□Cannot useCannot useElectronic Electronic □□Always Always □□Sometimes Sometimes □□Never Never □□Cannot useCannot useEnglish to English & Chinese English to English & Chinese □□Always Always □□Sometimes Sometimes □□Never Never □□Cannot useCannot use3.3. Which kind of the following dictionaries is the most effective one in assisting vocabulary retention?Which kind of the following dictionaries is the most effective one in assisting vocabulary retention?□□English to English English to English □□English to Chinese English to Chinese □□Chinese to English Chinese to English □□Electronic Electronic □□English to English&ChineseEnglish to English&Chinese4.4. Which of the following dictionaries do you prefer?Which of the following dictionaries do you prefer?□□English to English English to English □□English to Chinese English to Chinese □□Chinese to English Chinese to English □□Electronic Electronic □□English to English&ChineseEnglish to English&Chinese5.5. How did you learn to look up the English-Chinese dictionaries?How did you learn to look up the English-Chinese dictionaries?□□ Taught by junior high school teachers Taught by junior high school teachers □□Taught by senior high school teachers Taught by senior high school teachers □□Taught by cram school teachers Taught by cram school teachers □□Learn by yourselves Learn by yourselves □□Learn from classmates or friends Learn from classmates or friends □□Taught by parents Taught by parents □□Learn from brothers or sisters Learn from brothers or sisters □□Others______________Others______________6.6. Do you carry a dictionary with you? If yes, which type?Do you carry a dictionary with you? If yes, which type?□□Yes Yes □□No Dictionary type________________________No Dictionary type________________________7.7. When do you use the electronic dictionaries? (Multiple answers)When do you use the electronic dictionaries? (Multiple answers)□□ Traveling Traveling □□In class In class □□Reading English books Reading English books □□Listening to lectures Listening to lectures □□WatchingWatchingEnglish programs or movies English programs or movies □□Writing Writing □□Talking to foreignersTalking to foreigners8.8. What do you use the electronic dictionaries for? (Multiple answers)What do you use the electronic dictionaries for? (Multiple answers)□□ Using English to Chinese dictionaries Using English to Chinese dictionaries □□Using Chinese to English dictionaries Using Chinese to English dictionaries □□Function of pronunciation Function of pronunciation □□store the new vocabulary for future review store the new vocabulary for future review □□checking synonyms or antonyms checking synonyms or antonyms □□Using the slang dictionaries Using the slang dictionaries □□Playing games Playing games □□Calculation Calculation □□MemoMemo9.9. Overall, why do you prefer using electronic dictionaries? (Multiple answers)Overall, why do you prefer using electronic dictionaries? (Multiple answers)□□ Speed of looking up words Speed of looking up words □□Light, easy to carry Light, easy to carry □□Fashionable Fashionable □□Pronunciation Pronunciation functionfunction □ □ Assist writingAssist writing10.If you can't really understand the meaning looked up from the electronic dictionaries, what will you do?10.If you can't really understand the meaning looked up from the electronic dictionaries, what will you do?□□ Look up from English-Chinese dictionaries Look up from English-Chinese dictionaries □□Look up from English-EnglishLook up from English-Englishdictionaries dictionaries □□guessing from the contents of the reading materials guessing from the contents of the reading materials □□Ignore itIgnore it11.What does your teacher think about students' using electronic dictionaries?11.What does your teacher think about students' using electronic dictionaries?□□ Strongly against Strongly against □□Do no recommend Do no recommend □□not against not against □□In favor of In favor of □□Others_______ Others_______

Documents

Introduction