Various perspectives on educational linguistics gleaned from a collaborative project on the use of dictionaries

Abstract

In an attempt to define more closely what the subject of inquiry should be in the field of Educational Linguistics, the questions and research answers from a collaborative research project on dictionary use were examined. We invited practitioners and students to voice their concerns around major classroom questions related to language in need of exploration, with the purpose of providing research answers, which in turn, could lead to practical problem solving. All research questions were seen in the light of the notion of language awareness and language learning awareness and we provided suggestions for the development of strategic competence and effective dictionary use for production purposes. Questions asked reveal a need for autonomy of the learner and authenticity in language use. Through the study we also uncovered areas to be explored by educational linguistics.