Learner dictionaries get better and better. They have more information and are easier to access and to understand than ever before. And, with the advent of electronic formats, space is no longer the problem it was.

There is a tremendous amount of information in a good learner's dictionary – sometimes an overwhelming amount. Helping students tap into that information efficiently is one of the best ways to help them become independent, lifelong language learners.

These activities are designed to foster good dictionary skills, help create good language learning habits and appeal to a variety of learning styles.

The activities are teacher-friendly and require little in the way of preparation or technology (apart from those that use the CD-ROM and some online activities) and can be adapted to a variety of language teaching contexts.

What makes learner dictionaries special?

The activities are based on the features of learner dictionaries that have become standard: clear definitions written using a graded defining vocabulary, frequency indicators, collocation information, navigational devices, example sentences, pronunciation, grammar and usage information.

When choosing a dictionary, it is worth taking the time to decide which features are most important to you and your students, and to evaluate how well designed the features are in each dictionary.

Defining vocabularies

One of the most distinctive differences between dictionaries written for native speakers of a language and learners of that language is that the definitions in learner dictionaries are written using a restricted defining vocabulary.