Dictionary using habits of electrical engineering students in Lahore, Pakistan
Loading...
Date
2012-04-04
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The modern day dictionaries, particularly the EFL learner dictionaries, have improved
enormously on their micro-macro and super structure, yet the potential users of these kinds of
dictionaries are not fully aware of this comprehensive improvement. As a result, the wealth of
information, both linguistic and encyclopedic goes unheeded by the potential learners. The main
cause of all this is attributed to the lack of requisite reference skill (Dictionary using skills) by
the learners. The aim of this study is to find out the extent to which the students of electrical
engineering at UMT possess the necessary reference skills to be able to use the EFL learner
dictionaries efficiently in situations of linguistic and pragmatic failure. The research
methodology used in this investigation is eclectic drawing on the essential principles of both
qualitative and quantitative approaches for a comprehensive understanding of the situation under
investigation. As many as one hundred students were selected randomly for this study. The
findings of the pilot study suggest that most of the students lack the necessary dictionary using
skills to make the most of the information provided in the dictionary which, of course,
underscores the need to teach the students on how to use the dictionary, the kind of dictionary
most suitable for them and integrating the dictionary with the language class. Such a measure is expected to improve the linguistic and communicative competence of the learners and will make
them confident and self reliant in their study.
Description
Keywords
Use of Dictionary, EFL, Second Language Dictionary, Dictionary Using Skills
Citation
Language in India 4 (12) : 17-26 , 2012