How effectively do good language learners use handheld electronic dictionaries: A qualitative approach

The present study us an attempt to clarify effectively use of handheld electronic dictionaries (hereafter ED) for language learning in Japanese EFL context. For this purpose, we examined EFL learners’ look-up behavior with ED through the think-aloud technique, and found some strategies for efficient use of ED, particularly by analyzing look-up behavior. Five postgraduate students of a graduate school took part in the study as good language learners (hereafter FBs), five college students also participated. The experiment was conducted with one participant at a time on an appointment basis. No time constraint was conducted with number of target words to be looked up were set in the experiment. After transcribing their verbal descriptions, some strategies for effective ED use were extracted. The analysis of the qualitative data suggested the possibility that the ED’s functions had provided not only GLLs but also FBs with scaffolding for EFL learning. Also, the results revealed that GLLs were good ED users

日本のEFL環境下における携帯型電子辞書の有効利用をめざして : 語彙定着率、テキスト理解度、学習者の印象度の観点から

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How look-up frequency affects EFL learning?: An empirical study on the use of handheld-electronic dictionaries

The main purpose of this research is to explore the differences in learners\u27 look-up behavior between handheld-electronic dictionaries (hereafter ED) and printed dictionaries (hereafter PD). We focused, particularly, on the relation between learners\u27 look-up frequency and degree of reading comprehension of the text. A total of 72 undergraduate students participated in the experiment, and were divided into two groups (ED and PD Groups) with approximately the same proficiency. Each group was assigned two tasks; to read the texts by using the designated dictionary (ED or PD) and to answer quizzes related to the texts they had read. The number of looked-up words, the time they needed for the tasks, and the quiz scores in each group were statistically examined. The results showed the ED group looked up more words to comprehend the texts than the PD group did in a shorter period of time. However no significant difference was found in the quiz scores. These findings indicate that increased look-up frequency induced by ED does not necessarily guarantee better reading comprehension of learners’. Some pedagogical suggestions will be also made based on the results

Printed Dictionaries vs. Electronic Dictionaries: A Pilot Study on How Japanese EFL Learners Differ in Using Dictionaries

Two empirical studies were conducted, in which Japanese EFL learners\u27 searching behavior was compared in using an electronic dictionary (ED condition) with using a conventional one (PD condition). In the first study, to clarify how leaners differ in using dictionaries, the authors focused on the learners\u27 searching behavior such as serch time, retention of words, and impressions or comments on dictionaries. The results indicated that, between the two conditions: 1) there were no significant differences in respect to either the nubmer of words they looked up or the time they needed for a search in a dictionary in comparison between the printed dictionary group and the electronic dictionary group; 2) no significant differences in the learners\u27 retention of words were found. In addition, 3) some differences were shown in the comments on dictionaries between college and high school sudents; and 4) most students highly evaluated an electronic dictionary in respect to its handiness and its ease of use, while they considered that, owing to its interface design, it did not provide sufficient information to them, as did a printed dictionary. To provide some supportive evidence to the results found in the first study, the think-aloud procedure was employed in the second study, and influences of dictionaries\u27 interface disign on their searching behavior were confirmed

State of the art of language learning design using mobile technology: sample apps and some critical reflection

In this paper, experiences from different research groups illustrate the state-of-the-art of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (henceforth, MALL) in formal and non-formal education. These research samples represent recent and on-going progress made in the field of MALL at an international level and offer encouragement for practitioners who are trying to incorporate these approaches into mainline second language teaching. Furthermore, researchers interested in the field can see that the work presented here exemplifies how fertile it is, which should hopefully serve as motivation to undertake new studies to move the state-of-the-art further on