Integrated Dictionary Usage during Online Extensive Reading and its Effect on Learner Enjoyment, Confidence and Use of Reading Strategies

本研究旨在调查在线综合词典的使用对学习者根据上下文猜测词义的能力的影响。在2022财年，共有164名英语专业一年级学生参加了这项研究，他们参与了多达40万单词的泛读。在急救期间，通常建议禁止使用词典，或者至少将词典的使用降至最低。然而，由于最近在ER在线应用程序Xread中增加了一个集成的词典，学习者现在可以在阅读时无缝地访问定义。在研究开始时，学生们完成了一项关于他们最喜欢和最不喜欢的阅读策略的调查。在最受欢迎的策略中，学生们表示，他们几乎总是或经常猜测生词的意思，并使用语境线索。他们还对所有组的学生进行了前后测试，以确定他们从周围语境猜测意思的能力是否发生了变化。在完成前后测试的学生中，除一组外，所有学生在这一能力上都有更大的进步，而且所有治疗组的收益都比他们的对照组同行更大。

This research aims to investigate the effect that use of an online integrated dictionary has on the learner's ability to guess meaning from context. In FY2022, a total of 164 first-year English major students participated in the study, engaging in the Extensive Reading (ER) of up to 400,000 words. During ER, it is generally recommended that use of a dictionary be prohibited or at least minimized. However, due to the recent addition of an integrated dictionary to the online ER application Xreading, learners can now seamlessly access definitions while they read. Three treatment groups had access to this integrated dictionary while the three control groups did not.At the start of the study, students completed a survey of their most and least preferred reading strategies. Among the most preferred strategies, students reported that they almost always or often guess the meanings of unknown words and use contextual clues.Pre- and post-treatment tests were also given to all groups of students to determine any change in their ability to guess meaning from the surrounding context. Of students who completed both the pre- and post-test, greater gains in this ability were found for all but one group, and greater gains were seen for all treatment groups over their control group counterparts.