Back to: Pedagogy of English- Unit 5
Dictionaries and thesauruses provide a lot of writing support for writers of different levels of experience and abilities. They act as tools that can help you to do your very best writing. A dictionary facilitates the precise denotations of words. A thesaurus, when used responsibly, can help you to become aware of the subtle differences existing in the connotations of words. An encyclopedia can help you gain new knowledge about many things you may otherwise not have been aware of.
Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Encyclopedia can help improve one’s study skills in the following manner:
Spelling
They can help one to arrange letters correctly in a word.
Pronunciation
They can help improve one’s pronunciation to a great extent through stress on phonetics.
Word origin
One can become aware of the origin of words through these sources.
Synonyms And Antonyms
These sources of information can also make one aware of the synonyms and antonyms of different words.
Different Parts of speech
Learners can also become aware of the different forms of speech and use the same effectively.
Definitions
Learners can become aware of the definitions of different words and different things that are helpful for them.
New Knowledge
Learners can gain new knowledge about things they might be interested in exploring.
Expansion of Vocabulary
Learners come to know about new words and this helps them in expanding their vocabulary.
To gain information from a dictionary, Thesaurus, and Encyclopaedia, it is important to use them effectively. One must not skim through them but rather pay attention to the tiny details mentioned in these sources to gain more reliable information. Since they are reliable sources of information, they can be helpful for learners of all levels. These days, dictionaries, Thesaurus, and Encyclopaedia are available in print form as well as in online format. Modern technology has made accessing these sources of information easier than ever.