Preparing language teachers to improve students' dictionary use - the way to effective, independent learning

Abstract

Dictionaries are the first reference books children should learn to use at school. Students with proficient dictionary skills will find it easy to use different reference materials in their future studies. Mastery of the dictionary should be an important part of their language skills, however, there are no guidelines on how to develop these skills. It is believed that dictionary skills should be integrated into the syllabus and taught explicitly in class. In this way, teachers could play an important role in covering the gap between lexicographers and unskilled learners (dictionary users). Up to the present, very few attempts have been made to teach the appropriate skills. This paper reports the progress of a course on lexicography in Hungary (Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church – KRE) which aims at teaching dictionary skills to university students.