25 Using rough synonym as in ‘the car is broken’ when learner wants to say
‘the car will not start’. d
‘foreignising’ the equivalent L1 word In
Spanish, carpeta means folder in English. Then, learner just omits the
final –a when they want to produce the word folder since they do not know the word.
e Using gesture and mime
For the example, when they want to say saw or hammer but they do not know the word, they just move as if they used the tool.
f Using the L1 word
Learners sometime use the L1 word in the hope that the listener will know it or that it will not be very different in the L2.
5. Using Dictionaries
Dictionary can be used as the last resort when ‘guessing from context’ strategy fails. Training students about the dictionary use is also very important.
Therefore, students can use the strategy independently after the formal course or lesson.
Key skills involved in effective dictionary use are the following: a
Recognising features of dictionary layout, such as use of alphabetical order, hearwords, grammar and pronunciation information, definition, etc.
b Understanding the way dictionary entries are coded – particularly the use of
abbreviations such as adj adjective, sth something, ScotE Scottish English, etc.
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26 c
Discriminating between the different meanings of a word, especially a word with many polysemes such as course or fair, or words that are homonyms
such as bill, bat and shed or homographs such as windy, live, and lead. d
Cross-checking when using a bilingual dictionary to determine whether the equivalent offer in the dictionary is the best choice. When learners look up the
meaning of a word in L1-L2 dictionary, they may find more than one equivalent in the L2. To check the best choice, learners are expected to check
backwards – look up the meaning of all the L2 words. e
Using synonyms, antonyms, and other information to narrow the choice of the best word for the meaning intended.
f Inferring the spelling of an unfamiliar word from only having heard it, in order
to check its meaning in the dictionary.
6. Spelling Rules
Dictionaries are often used to check spelling, and spelling in English is somewhat problematic. This is because there is more than one way of spelling a
sound, and more than one way of pronouncing a letter combination of letters. Even though English spelling seems irregular, but research shows that English
spelling is regular. Only three percent of words are irregular. Then, ability to guess the spelling of words is very important to support
the learners’ productive ability, especially writing. Therefore, it is worthwhile teaching some of the more productive rules of English spelling, namely:
a Use i before e except after e or when pronounced like the e in bed. This rule
accounts for: chief, piece, relieve, receipt, ceiling, their, and heir.
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27 b
If the word ends in consonant + y, then change the y to i when adding a suffix. The examples of this rule are happier, relies, beautiful, pitiless, and married.
c If the word ends in a syllable formed by a combination of a single consonant,
a single vowel, and a single consonant, such as wet, run, travel, stop, the final consonant is doubled when adding a suffix starts in a vowel, such as –er, -ing,
-est. The examples of this combination are wetter, running, traveller, stopped, beginner, and biggest.
d If there is an unpronounced e at the end of a word, and if the suffix begins
with a vowel, then the final e is dropped like in loving, liked, nudist, and writer.
In classroom activity, these rules can be practiced deductively by giving the rules and then applying them in example or inductively by giving some
examples and then asking the students to conclude the rules.
7. Keeping Records
