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Dictionary Skills Lesson One • Dictionary Skills Lesson Three

This is number 2 in a series of lessons designed to teach students the sometimes forgotten art of using a dictionary and is designed for students aged 9+ although many teachers will adapt it for younger students.

Curriculum: Written Language, exploring language, shaping text, editing text.

The use of guide words needs regular practice to be an effective method of helping students quickly locate words they need to find. Try the following drills with your class.

Write the following two guide words on the board … (the first guide word is on the top left page and the second on the top right page).

1. ligament
2. limitation

Now write the following four words on the board. Tell the students that two or these words can be found on the pages between the guide words and that two can not.

1. like
2. library
3. line
4. limit

Have students check to find the words which are between the guide words. Can they say why two of these words were between the guide words and why two were not? eg library will not be there as the third letter is before g in the alphabet. Line will not be found there as the third letter n is after the m of limit in the alphabet.

More examples…

Guide words are flat/flippant

1. flavour
2. flap (go to letter 4 for reason n is not there)
3. flex
4. flock

Guide words are cast/caterer

1. carry
2. cat
3. catch
4. cause

Have groups select their own sets and challenge the class to find the words within the guide words.

Write a pair of guide words on the board, eg sour/spare

Next write the definition of the meaning of one or more words which can be found between the guide words of the two pages. The challenge for the students is to scan the meanings of the words to find the words which fit the definition given, eg

1. the Royal ruler of a country (sovereign- don't include this)
2. a tool for gripping and turning a bolt (spanner)

When the students have cottoned on to this process, assign groups and/or individuals the task of finding their definitions between pairs of guide words. Many teachers use this as a daily drill and rotate the task of finding the definitions around groups. Remember to remind students that they only should include the definitions - not the actual words.

More examples…

Guide words are probably/ program

Find the words between these guide words which mean …

1. a way of doing something
2. an outline - especially of the human face

Lesson Three