Abstract
This article reports on the utilisation of pocket electronic dictionaries (PEDs) for writing by learners of English at a Thai university. It aims to enrich the study of dictionary use behaviour by investigating, through the use of combined research methods, exactly what happens when students use PEDs for production. The participants in this study included 13 students who were chosen from a group of 1211 students enrolled in a foundation English course at a university in Thailand. Data were collected using a think-aloud protocol, observation, and retrospective interviews as data collection methods. The first eight participants were asked to read a passage in Thai. Using dictionaries in their PEDs, they were asked to write a summary in English (the Water I experiment). The remaining five participants followed the same procedure, but after the summary task was completed, they were asked to review their summaries using the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, and the English–English dictionary in their PEDs (the Water II experiment). The experimental study revealed how the participants tackled the reading passage and wrote summaries, the problems they encountered, and the strategies they used to solve these problems. A graphic representation of the PED consultation process was also proposed. The use of the English–English dictionary in their PEDs helped some participants review their English summaries. It was found that some participants failed to display (extended) knowledge of the PEDs they were using. The investigations revealed several factors that may have hampered dictionary lookup success as well as factors that may have promoted dictionary lookup success.
Highlights
Research (e.g. Deng 2005, Midlane 2005, Taylor and Chan 1994) indicates a growing number of pocket electronic dictionary (PED) users in many South and East Asian countries due to the advance of technology, Pocket electronic dictionaries (PEDs) ease of use and their portable size
The findings of the Water experiments revealed that the manner in which the participants tackled the Thai reading passage had an effect on how they used their Thai–English dictionary in their PEDs, as well as on how they composed their summaries
The findings revealed that some participants lacked adequate skills in PED use
Summary
Research (e.g. Deng 2005, Midlane 2005, Taylor and Chan 1994) indicates a growing number of pocket electronic dictionary (PED) users in many South and East Asian countries due to the advance of technology, PED ease of use and their portable size. PEDs are available for sale in major department stores, and PED booths from different manufacturers are normally located next to each other. Their prices are more affordable than in the past. For these reasons, the PED phenomenon can be observed throughout Thailand. This study has its origin in observations of this phenomenon when the author was employed as a language lecturer at a university in Thailand. Often complained about the students' language mistakes. Many of them commented that these mistakes could have been made as a result of the PEDs students were using. A discussion with a few colleagues revealed that they did not use PEDs, did not know much about what PEDs can offer, and probably had less knowledge about PEDs than the students
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