Dictionary Culture of University Students Learning English as a Foreign Language in Turkey

Abstract

Dictionaries, one of the oldest tools of language education, have continued to be a part of education although information technologies and concept of education has changed over time. Until today, with the help of the developments in technology both types of dictionaries have increased, and usage areas have expanded. Therefore, it is possible to find a dictionary of different types that are applicable to each situation, rather than a single dictionary for every situation. Determining this diversity and the preferences of users is very important in terms of the quality of the education to be given and the new dictionaries to be written.In this study, dictionary preferences of students learning English as a foreign language in Turkey, factors affecting these preferences, past dictionary experiences and trainings were discussed. For this purpose, a survey with 25 questions was collected from 83 students who were learning English in the preparatory classes of Gaziosmanpasa University.The data obtained from the surveys was transferred to the SPSS program and frequency analyses were made. Numerical breakdowns and descriptive analysis of students’ dictionary preferences and factors affecting these preferences were realized. The results revealed that the majority of the students learning English as a foreign language in Turkey did not receive any training on using dictionaries although they bought and used their first dictionaries at primary school. It was also found that language level had an important effect on dictionary usage and as students’ level of language increased they considered dictionaries as easy tools. Besides, students with lower language skills found dictionaries as more informative sources than other students.