DICTIONARY SKILLS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: THE PERCEPTION OF TEACHERS-IN-TRAINING

Effective use of dictionaries should be part of the language learning curriculum. Dictionary skills are relevant while learning languages in formal contexts, they are useful for students, and durable in time since they promote life-long learning linguistic skills. (E-)dictionary skills are defined as "the abilities required on the part of the dictionary user to find the information being sought." [1]. These skills should be considered generic skills in the sense that they are achievable, worthwhile and an essential part of the students' day-to-day foreign language learning progress [2], [3]. However, the lack of specific edictionary skill training may make future teachers less prepared to properly teach those skills to their future students. Self-training in dictionary skills [4], though useful, may miss details on what the user does and may therefore make that user a poor transmitter of skills. This paper examines the perception of dictionary use in 42 Polish teachers-in-training students and 42 Spanish teacher training students. The subjects in this study participated in a computer-based open-ended questionnaire on the usefulness and suitability of dictionaries in the classroom. Using a qualitative approach, respondents' answers are analysed to determine (1) factors contributing to dictionary choice on the part of the training teachers, (2) criteria to determine appropriateness and eligibility of e-dictionaries, (3) ways in which participants plan to use e-dictionaries, and (4) choice differences depending on nationality.