Return-Path: <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id i3EGE0m25138; Wed, 14 Apr 2004 12:14:01 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 12:14:01 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <DMECLAMJGFFFOBCMDJJGIELLCEAA.ngriffis@bellsouth.net> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Nixon S. Griffis" <ngriffis@bellsouth.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3219] RE: ESOL Dictionaries X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2910.0) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 3766 Lines: 117 Ricardo, Thanks for the links. I will check them out. You are right that giving students a problem to solve and then opening it up to class discussion is a good lesson. Nevertheless, giving a student a harder dictionary than they are ready for is like starting them off on the third rung of a ladder and asking them to get to the tenth rung without stepping up through the rungs in-between. It just creates frustration... something students already have in abundance. You can increase student confidence, self-esteem and feelings of accomplishment if you take them step by step through a curriculum. Always, whenever possible, let your students win at being students. Try to let them end on a win so that is what they carry out of your classroom. It is a great reinforcement. Nick Griffis Adult Education Inlet Grove H.S. Riviera Beach, Florida 33480 561-882-9967 -----Original Message----- From: nifl-technology@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-technology@nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Ricardo Diaz Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2004 11:50 AM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3218] RE: ESOL Dictionaries Nick: 1. I agree with you that working w/ a dictionary is a good habit for any learner; however, I think that many students only need to be taught to work w/ the class chosen dictionary because often if they don't understand, they initiate interesting discussions by asking. The habit of using a particular dictionary, however difficult, eventually gives enough skills for the learner to learn how to choose one for individual use. 2. For ease of use (right click, the choose Mydictionary) once installed, I like http://www.mystudyweb.com/html/sidebar/mydictionary.html It consults many of the dbs you wordiq uses but their access is faster; the learner still has to deal w/ the sifting through the defintions, see #1. 3. Google and its toolbars. One can start a search or translation in many languages and w/ an interface in that language: http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en Even better, if one installs the toolbar, a lot of other information and language options are easily available. http://toolbar.google.com/ Ricardo At 08:06 AM 4/5/2004 -0400, you wrote: >List, > I enjoy this desktop web source for my ABE students as a quick >dictionary/encyclopedia resource: http://www.wordiq.com/dictionary.html > > It is my belief that teacher supported and encouraged dictionary > use is >vital, long forgotten and underused in many of our US classrooms. > > Further, the level of dictionary used is quite important to > attain student >success. The student is quickly lost and frustrated with too high a level >dictionary, as the words in the definitions are at to high a lexile level. >This necessitates more looking up of words and you have lost your student to >the wonders of giving their mind the definition of the word they were >looking up in the first place. > > All this to ask members of the list: > >1. Does anyone out there use a better web based ABE dictionary than the >above or have their favorite? > >2. Does any ESOL teacher have a favor website for a Spanish-English >and/or >Creole-English dictionary? Any foreign languages...? > >Thank you, > >Nick Griffis >Adult Education >Inlet Grove H.S. >Riviera Beach, >Florida 33480 >561-882-9967 ___________________________________________________________________ Ricardo Diaz Project Manager diazR@literacy.upenn.edu International Literacy Institute National Center on Adult Literacy Literacy.org University of Pennsylvania 3910 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104-3111 USA 215-898-2100 (direct): 215-746-6746 fax: 215-898-9804 ___________________________________________________________________
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