| The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of different types of printed dictionary use on non-English major learners' academic performance in vocabulary acquisition, retention, and reading comprehension.;Of quasi-experiment design, this study comprised five vocabulary acquisition tests, two retention tests, reading comprehension pretest and posttest, and the pre and post Language Attitude questionnaire. The results showed that the bilingual dictionary users outperformed monolingual dictionary users in vocabulary acquisition and retention tests. However, reading comprehend posttest performance was not influenced by the type of dictionary used.;The findings revealed that implementing dictionary consultation skills in both group improved participants' English learning attitude after the experiment. Further, bilingual dictionary use for non-English major students in private college decreased their reliance on Chinese language preference, increased their motivation in English language learning, reduced their learning anxiety and established more self-confidence. Thus, selecting an appropriate dictionary for class use as a learning tool deserves more attention by college English instructors in Taiwan.;The 273 participants were selected from six English classes in three departments in a private two-year college in southern Taiwan: Department of Computer Science, Department of Leisure, Recreation and Tourism Management, and Department of Early Childhood Care and Education. These subjects were divided into two groups according to dictionary used: monolingual and bilingual, one class from each department. |
