Learning how to use the dictionary

Let’s face it, teaching how to use the dictionary can be a daunting and even a boring subject.  But it must be done.  Here are a few ideas to make teaching and learning about the dictionary more dynamic and fun. 

Vocabulary:

• Guide words
• Part of speech
• Pronunciation
• Definition or translation (depends on if you are teaching how to use a Spanish to English dictionary or a regular dictionary)
• Title page
• Table of contents

Grammar Structure

• What is the meaning of __________________________?
• Look it up in the dictionary. 

Warm Up:

Letter Line Up

• Procedure: Students are in small groups, and each group is given the letters of the alphabet (each on their own piece of paper).  The students race to be the letters in alphabetical order.
• Modification: Students spell words that teacher says with the letter cards (*hint* may need to have extra copies of some letters for the words)

Alphabetical Order Race

• Procedure: Students are given a list of words, in their 2^nd language, which must be put in alphabetical order. 
• Modification:
• Students work in pairs.
• Words are written on individual papers so the students arrange the papers in alphabetical order.
• Students race to write the words on the board in order.

Get in a Line

• Procedure: Students must line up in alphabetically order according to their first name or last name. 

Practice:

Dictionary Look Up Race

• Procedure: Using an actual dictionary or a copy of two pages from the dictionary, students race individually to find the word that is either said by the teacher or written on the board. 
• Modification:
• Once all students find the word, then they must identify the part of speech, pronunciation, or definition/translation. 
• Students must race to find the title page, table of contents, and guide words (on any page). 

Make Up Your Own Definition/Translation

• Procedure: Students are given a word (or short list of words) to write the part of speech, pronunciation, and/or definition/translation for.  Then they look up the word to see how accurate they were.

Production:

Identify the Parts

• Procedure: Students are given a word with its pronunciation, part of speech, and definition/translation.  They must then identify what each part is.
• Modification: Students are given the different parts of the dictionary (title page, table of contents, and guide words) and they must correctly label them.

Find the Word

• Procedure: Students will find words in a dictionary and either show the teacher or write down its definition(s). 

Identify the Parts of a Dictionary

• Procedure: Students will label, highlight, or circle the following:
• Guide words
• Title page
• Table of content
• A part of speech
• A pronunciation
• A definition/translation

Make Up Your Own Definition

• Procedure: Students are given a word and they must write their own definition.  They *must* include all the parts (word, pronunciation, part of speech, and definition/translation) to be considered correct.

Check back next week for more ideas as well as the Lesson Planning Series!