The Amazing World

of...Dictionaries
Objective: We will have
learnt...
1.Why do we use dictionaries?
2.How are they useful?
3.How do we use them?

Think about a
literacy
lesson

Why do we use
dictionaries?

There are probably more than 250,000 English

words. Pocket-sized dictionaries have only the
most common words in them. Most English
dictionaries will tell you what a word means
and what class of word it is, e.g. a noun, a verb
or an adjective.
Think of one instance were you would use a
dictionary...discuss with your partner and
report back to class
We can use dictionaries for so many reasons,
they help us with a variety of different needs.
Think of a
difficult
spelling

Think about
an unknown
word

How are they

useful?

Dictionaries are used for...

Finding and checking spellings.

Finding a definition of an unknown word.
Find out word classes - is the word an noun, adjective
or verb?
Gain extra knowledge of more complex vocabulary.
Independent learning - you can find out for yourself!
Research skills.
Did you know... A
language dictionary tells you how to
Extends your thinking about foreign
the
say a word or a phrase in a language other
than your own. It does not tell you what the
English language.
words mean.
Can be used online as well soI like
to ride my bike.
we
Me gusta andar en bicicleta
develop our ICT skills!
In the example above you are told how to
say 'I like to ride my bike' in Spanish.

How do
we use
them?
What do we
mean by...

Definition?
A definition is a
phrase or sentence
that describes the
meaning of a word.

Finding information in a dictionary...

All dictionaries arrange their information
alphabetically. Each piece of information is called an
entry.
For example, in an English dictionary youll find words
beginning with a at the front, and z at the back.
Because there are lots of words beginning with a each
letter that follows decides which word comes first. For
example, ant will come afterankle because the first
two letters are the same but the third letter is
different, and t comes after k in the alphabet.
To find the word sunny start by finding words

Guess the word from its

definition.
A person who travels into space.
Astronaut
The world wide web.
Internet
Trained fighter in Ancient Rome.
Gladiators

How can they be used?

Dictionaries can be used through different types
of medium...
1. Online
2. Books
3. Subject specific
4. Foreign
5. Illustrated

Play
http://www.clubbing.com/Pages/Games/GamePl
ay.aspx?game=Chicktionary&mode=play

Using your dictionaries, find

the definitions of...

Settlement
Invade
Roman
Empire
History
Emigration
Immigration
Refugee
Memory
Interpretation

Write
these
words in
your
Literacy
book with
the date
and title
Dictionari
es.