Abstract
A research project on the use of the HAT Afrikaanse Skoolwoordeboek by primary school learners is described. (In South Africa the term learner is used to describe a pupil at school). Studies on the way in which learners use dictionaries provide valuable information for both lexicographers and language teachers. The assessment of users' skills regarding the use of the HAT Afrikaanse Skoolwoordeboek was made in the learners' home language. In order to design a test to assess dictionary skills regarding the language learning outcomes of Grade 4 learners, the language learning assessment outcomes in the Grade 4 Afrikaans home language curriculum had to be unwrapped. The process was undertaken in cooperation with Grade 4 teachers to ensure that a realistic assessment of dictionary skills was made and an assessment of dictionary skills of 200 learners ensued. The assessments were marked, marks were calculated and results were analysed. Teachers were trained in teaching dictionary learning strategies and language skills. Learners then received training from their teachers to extract semantic information from a dictionary, as this proved to be the most difficult skill to master, according to the results of the assessment.Keywords: primary school learners; language teachers; assessment; dictionary skills; language learning outcomes; afrikaans home language curriculum; dictionary functions; school dictionary; spelling; reading; design-based research; learning ecology; semantic information
Highlights
The primary motivation for this research arose from the fact that studies on the way learners use dictionaries provide valuable information for both lexicographers and language teachers
The cognitive function refers to the fact that the learner's vocabulary could have been increased by the use of the picture as well as the semantic information supplied
The assessment tool that was designed is a utility tool to be used for assessment with different dictionaries and in different dictionary user situations
Summary
The primary motivation for this research arose from the fact that studies on the way learners use dictionaries provide valuable information for both lexicographers and language teachers. According to the National Curriculum Statement (2004) under Learning Outcome 3: reading and viewing, as well as Learning Outcome 6: language structure and use, learners should be able to show knowledge of the complexity of alphabetical order; record words in a personal dictionary; check spelling in a dictionary; and select relevant texts for own information needs (e.g. dictionaries, children's encyclopaedias and reference books).
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