InvestigatingLexicographicSkillsofSudaneseUndergraduateEFL Students in Using Bilingual Dictionaries with Reference to Oxford Word Power Learners’ Dictionary

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the problems encountered by Sudanese EFL students in using paper English- Arabic bilingual dictionary for meaning determination and sentence construction. The essential aim of this study is to draw the attention of the students of the great importance and the vital role of the dictionary to English language learning. This study discusses the concepts of theoretical lexicography and practical lexicography in great details. The researcher takes the EFL students of the first year (1th&2nd semester of the academic year 2018) of the College of Languages as a sample to carry out this study. The study has followed the descriptive method. For data collection the researcher conducts a test to investigate and identify the problems facing them in using English bilingual dictionary, the test consists of two parts, part one tests students skills in using the dictionary for meaning determination task, part two tests students ability to construct a well-formed sentence through the use of the dictionary. The test is set out to find out the actual reasons behind these problems, and to suggest suitable remedial procedures. In addition to the students, the study questions the staff members of English language at the Sudanese Universities about the same problems. A test was given to 40 students of the first year and a questionnaire was given to 24 highly qualified and experienced teachers of English language at the Sudanese universities. The test results were analyzed by using (SPSS). The results revealed by the tests and the questionnaire affirm the hypotheses of the study that EFl Sudanese students demonstrate poor skills in using the dictionary for meaning determination and sentence construction. Also results of the test and the questionnaire affirm the assumption that the absence of the lexicographic skills affect the process of learning the language negatively. Considering the findings of the study, and in order to participate in solving the students’ weakness in using English bilingual dictionary, the researcher recommends and suggests the following main areas of concerns: -Motivating students and raise their awareness of how to use the dictionary probably which will lead to learn the language probably and increase students’ stock of vocabulary. -Introducing lexicography courses into the curriculum. - Language learning needs authentic materials and a lot of paper-back dictionary practice which result in consolidating the lexical items in students’ minds. – Training teachers to give more dictionary skills activities and exercises to students.