The Effect of Using Electronic Dictionaries on Second Language Acquisition: Plus or Minus

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The Effect of Using Electronic Dictionaries on
Second Language Acquisition Plus or Minus?

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Introduction

• Background
• There are a growing number of ED users asking
  for help from ED machines instead of looking up
  printed dictionaries (PDs) in learning English.

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• Recently, EDs are becoming popular in non-English
  Asian countries. The controversies arise whether
  EDs are recommended or rejected in the ESL
  classroom.

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The Purpose of The Present Study

• The aim of this paper is to explore if the
  advantages outweigh the disadvantages of using
  EDs in an ESL classroom. Moreover, the paper is
  also to examine if the effect of using EDs on L2
  acquisition.

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Research Questions

• Research Question 1 Do the advantages of using
  EDs outweigh the disadvantages for L2 learners?
• Research Question 2 Can the users of EDs
  increase their volume of vocabulary?

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• Research Question 3 Is there any statistic
  significance between the learners age levels and
  the volume of vocabulary?
• Research Question 4 Is there any statistic
  significance between EDs and PDs for L2 learners
  viewpoints?

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The Significance of The Study

• There is little research to highlight the effect
  of using EDs on L2 acquisition. This paper is to
  explore if the use of EDs is helpful to L2
  learners.

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Literature Review

• From 21st century on, there is a growing number
  of ED users in learning English. Midlane (2005)
  points out that the majority of students felt
  difficult for vocabulary acquisition in looking
  up PDs.

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• Nowadays, the students would rather carry EDs
  than PDs due to the ease and fast speed of
  looking up new words (Midlane, 2005).

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• Based upon the sale marketing survey in Taiwan,
  the ED users pay more attention to functions
  rather than prices (Lin, 2001). As a result, the
  well-known ED manufacturers are always developing
  excellent qualities and innovations to meet
  different users needs.

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countries
real-person pronounces, 4,500,000 vocabularies,
animation and recording, the key word manhunt,
the whole translation, grammars correct, PC key,
wireless surfing an Internet
definition, pronunciation, listening, speaking,
the retrieval of reading texts
the diversified functions, the standardization of
pronunciation and the interaction of network
electronic content and automatic search
small size and low prices
The features
Table 2.1 The Revolutions of EDs
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Kind of dictionaries
Table 2.2 The Comparisons of EDs and PDs
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The Effect of Using EDs on SLA

• First of all, Schmitt and McCarthy (1997)
  maintain that look-ups are easy for EDs because
  of the fast speed. However, while thinking about
  a word, a person involved in deep engagement with
  words may lead to high retention. This is a
  great barrier for ED users to achieve retention
  and fix the lexical item into the users brain.

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• Secondly, EDs are affective benefits for students
  to gain emotional security in the classroom. This
  may lead to students relying on the machines a
  lot instead of listening to classroom discussion
  (Swan and Smith, 2001).

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• Thirdly, it is difficult for learners to work out
  the deep engagement with new words by the process
  of ED look-up (Stirling, 2003).

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• Swan and Smith (2001) argue that the inconsistent
  built-in pronunciation of EDs is confusing for
  learners due to different types of machines.

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• Finally, Tang (1997) describes EDs as the
  students best friend. However, sometimes the
  overdependence on the machines may get lost for
  learners while coping with the encoding in
  translating from L1 to L2.

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Methodology
Figure 3.1 The Framework of Research
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• Research Hypotheses
• H1 The advantages of using EDs outweigh the
  disadvantages for L2 learners.
• H2 The users of EDs can increase their volume of
  vocabulary.

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• H3 There is statistic significance between the
  learners age levels and the volume of
  vocabulary.
• H4 There is statistic significance between EDs
  and PDs for L2 learners viewpoints.

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Participants

• The participants of this study were from
  different parts of Taiwan and China. Please
  refer to Figure 3.2. The age levels were ranging
  from 15 to more than 41. Please see Figure 3.3.

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Figure 3.2 Hometowns for Participants
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Figure 3.3 Age Levels
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Instrumentation

• Survey and an informal interview were utilized in
  this study. The questionnaire used 5-point
  Likert Scales.

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Reliability

• In the study, the internal reliability
  coefficient (Conbachs Alpha) was 0.80930.75.

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Data Collection Procedures

• In the study, the questionnaire was given out and
  returned on June 5. There were 400 copies were
  given out. However, the valid response rate was
  93.

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• In order to further investigate if what the
  participants were asked on the questionnaire was
  consistent with what they really wanted to say,
  51 respondents were chosen to do an informal
  interview.

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Data Analysis

• One-way ANOVA,t-test, percentage, and content
  analysis were utilized in the study.

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Results

• H1 The advantages of using electronic
  dictionaries outweigh
• the disadvantages for L2 learners.

Table 4.1 The Advantages of Using Electronic
Dictionaries Outweigh the
Disadvantages for L2 Learners
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Figure 4.1 The Advantages of EDs
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Figure 4.2 The Disadvantages of EDs
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• H2 The users of EDs can increase their volume of
  vocabulary.

Table 4.2 The Users of EDs Can Increase Their
Volume of Vocabulary
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H3 There is statistic significance between the
learners age levels and the volume of
vocabulary.
Table 4.3 The Statistic Significance between the
Learners Age Levels and the
Volume of Vocabulary
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H4 There are differences between EDs and PDs
for L2 learners viewpoints.
Table 4.4 The Differences between EDs and PDs for
L2 Learners Viewpoints
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Discussions and Conclusion
Finding 1 Different interpretations of using EDs
for low achievers
and high achievers

• According to Wu (2005), EDs are mostly used in
  learning strategy for Taiwanese students. Nation
  (2001) also points out that high achievers who
  are exposed to English a lot may be better than
  low achievers in grammar and reading
  comprehension. Naturally, the learning anxiety of
  high achievers is less than that of low
  achievers.

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Finding 2 Different Viewpoints of Age Levels and
Vocabulary Volume for EDs

• According to the data of informal interview, 7
  participants at the age of 41up supposed that the
  speed of lookup for EDs was fast and effectively
  increased learners vocabulary volume. In
  addition, 10 participants at the age of 21-25
  also agreed that the use of EDs could increase
  their vocabulary volume because of convenience
  and immediate search.

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• Additionally, 14 participants at the age of 15-20
  showed that EDs could increase vocabulary volume
  and choose the types of EDs, based upon the
  users different needs.

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Finding 3 The Advantages over the Disadvantages
for the Use of EDs

• Zahner and et al. (1994) supposed that the
  vocabulary of EDs was less rich than that of PDs.
  By contrast, there were rich content, more
  explanations and vocabulary volume in EDs.

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• However, Koren (1997) maintains that the learners
  cannot see the details of each word in looking up
  EDs. But, PDs can excel more than EDs.

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• Overall, L2 learners may prefer EDs more than PDs
  to communicate with each other in business
  meetings. The EDs can also help the learners use
  simple English because of the convenience, fast
  speed and emotional dependence.

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Conclusion

• The results showed that there was statistic
  significance between different viewpoints of
  using EDs and PDs for L2 learners. Moreover, the
  advantages of EDs outweighed the disadvantages.
  Lastly, the use of EDs could increase L2
  learners vocabulary volume.

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• The participants in this study supposed that the
  effect of using EDs was plus and helpful. This
  indicates that the recall and retention have
  limitations due to the users relying more on the
  machines. This also implies that EDs are
  considered as a tool and tutor.

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The Limitation of This Study

• The participants were mostly students at the age
  level of 15-20 in this study. The number was so
  small that it could not generalize the whole
  population. The data are a typical case of L2
  learners in Taiwan.

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Implications to Educators

• The emotional dependence and the low motivation
  may be a challenge to educators.

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Implications to ED Manufacturers

• The high price and insufficient vocabulary as
  well as pronunciation of EDs are the challenges
  of manufacturers finding the way out.

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Recommendations for Future Research

• Research can be done in the future in the
  following areas
• This study can be applied in different areas and
  different occupations to do the related research
  
• this study can be applied in on-line survey so as
  to achieve more results.

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End

• Thanks for your listening.