Overview

• E-Dictionaries allow users to look up information about a word, including its meaning and common synonyms.

• E-Dictionaries can be found preloaded onto tech devices, on the Internet, as individual apps on smartphones, or built into assistive technology programs.

• E-dictionaries may help with reading comprehension or vocabulary by providing definitions for unfamiliar words.

To see e-Dictionaries in action, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDiD8rw3zKQ

Research

Loucky (2010):

• This paper reviewed e-dictionary use amongst Japanese college students taking English as a foreign language by distributing a survey

• This study found a positive impact on student vocabulary for bilingual dictionaries.

Albus, Thurlow & Bielinksi (2005):

• In this study, authors explored the effect of an English dictionary accommodation on the reading performance among 133 English language learners (ELL) and 69 non-ELL students.

• The results suggested that mono-lingual english dictionaries did not improve reading comprehension.

Research Quick Facts

Advantages

• Widely available for free.

• Less cumbersome than flipping through print dictionaries.

• Can be used with Text-to-Speech for those who struggle with reading.

Disadvantages

• Most often requires Internet connection

To Consider

• While these technologies have yet to be validated for native english students, they are very commonly used in the public by both typical people and people with disabilities.

Insights from Practice

E-dictionaries can often return results with complex language that may be difficult for students to understand, especially if they are young or have limited vocabulary. In these cases, a graphic dictionary may be preferable.