Research On The Use And Value Of Dictionaries In English Learning In Senior High School Students

The learning of a foreign language is a complex process, involving seemingly infinite numbers of variables. Quite different from native language learners, the foreign language learners surely have difficulty in learning the target language due to limited information input. Senior high school students are no exception. What we teachers can provide in class is far less than what they need in reality. To bridge the gap, students are supposed to develop their self-regulated ability.Dictionaries are closely related to foreign language learning when it comes to language's nature and function. Researches in the Second Language Learning suggest that the use of dictionaries is one of the most essential strategies in foreign language learning. Dictionaries are not only a useful tool for language learners but also an important way to explore and develop the students' self-regulated learning ability.This essay made a survey on students in Senior Grade One in Jiangsu Changshu High School, hoping to find out the possible relationship between English learning results and dictionary using strategies. It is suggested by the questionnaire analysis that senior students, who are undergoing tremendous changes mentally and physically, should be guided to take a positive attitude toward dictionaries and be taught to adopt proper strategies in using dictionaries so as to upgrade their self-regulated learning ability, thus achieving the ultimate learning goal.