Paper, Electronic or Online? Different Dictionaries for Different Activities

Despite research suggesting that teachers highly influence their students' knowledge and use of language learning resources such as dictionaries (Loucky, 2005; Yamane, 2006), it appears that dictionary selection and use is considered something to be dealt with outside the classroom. As a result, many students receive too little advice to be able to make informed choices about which dictionary to use for which task. In particular, while teachers may recommend a few paper dictionaries, it appears that little thought is given to electronic and online alternatives. This article uses the case of (English) alphabet-background students of Japanese as an example, and discusses the pros and cons of computer versus non-computer dictionary tools, based on a survey of available resources, and making reference to empirical case studies of students and their dictionary use. The article concludes with recommendations for teachers and students. (Contains 3 figures.)