Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary
Michael Rundell
What’s a dictionary?
… and what is it for?
Definition of “dictionary”
From the paper edition of Macmillan
Dictionary (2007)
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
What’s a dictionary?
… and what is it for?
Definition of “dictionary”
From the paper edition of Macmillan
Dictionary (2007)
•It’s a book
•It explains what words mean
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
What’s a dictionary?
… and what is it for?
Features
Functions
•It’s a book
•Receptive
•It explains what words mean
• you’ve seen or heard a word
• you’re not sure what it means
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
What’s a dictionary?
… and what is it for?
Definition of “dictionary”
The latest one: from the online edition of
Macmillan Dictionary
macmillandictionary.com
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
What’s a dictionary?
… and what is it for?
Definition of “dictionary”
from macmillandictionary.com
• It can be a book OR a digital
resource
• It explains what words mean
• It also explains how words are
used (“uses”)
• And how you say them
(“pronunciations”)
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
What’s a dictionary?
… and what is it for?
Features
Functions
• Explains what words mean
•Receptive uses
• Explains how they are used
• Provides pronunciations
•Productive uses
•You want to use the word
yourself, so you need to know:
•how does it combine with other
words?
•how do you say it?
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Helping with productive tasks
1. Grammar/syntax
recall
• easy to understand…but how do
I use it?
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Helping with productive tasks
1. Grammar/syntax
recall
• how do I use it?
• with a that-clause:
• I seem to recall that you…
• with a wh- clause:
• …trying to recall what had
happened…
• with a gerund:
• I don’t recall seeing the…
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Helping with productive tasks
2. Pronunciation
I’ve seen these words
written down,
colonel
anemone
I understand what they
mean,
choir
- but how do you say them?
heir
affidavit
Worcester sauce
…..
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Helping with productive tasks
2. Pronunciation
I’ve seen these words,
- but how do you say them?
Two ways of finding out
•IPA symbols
•audio: listen to someone
saying it
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Helping with productive tasks
Accuracy and fluency
In productive mode, we have
two goals:
Accuracy
avoiding mistakes that could make
your meaning less clear
Fluency
producing language which sounds
natural, idiomatic, appropriate to the
situation ….
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Helping with productive tasks
Accuracy: how the dictionary helps
1. Most of the information
helps with accuracy
• say it right
• spell it right
• get the grammar right
• ….
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Helping with productive tasks
Accuracy: getting it right
1. Most of the information helps with
accuracy
• spell it right
• say it right
• get the grammar right
2. Special feature: Get it Right boxes
• over 100 boxes
• based on evidence of common
problems experienced by learners
• avoid: often (wrongly) used with an
infinitive, corrected version shown
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Helping with productive tasks
Fluency: natural-sounding language
What are the keys to
fluency?
1. phraseology
• lots of words occur
very frequently in
fixed phrases
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Helping with productive tasks
Fluency: natural-sounding language
What are the keys to fluency?
• phraseology
•common fixed expressions are
shown in bold type, and
followed by an example
sentence
• for the simple reason that…
• there is every reason to expect…
• we have no reason to think that…
• did she give a reason…?
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Helping with productive tasks
Fluency: natural-sounding language
What are the keys to
fluency?
1. phraseology
2. collocation
•a combination of two
words that often go
together (and may
not be predictable)
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Helping with productive tasks
Fluency: natural-sounding language
What are the keys to fluency?
• phraseology
• collocation
•1000 collocation boxes show
the most typical, most
natural combinations
• box at reason shows
•adjectives that often
modify reason
•verbs often used when
reason is the object
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Helping with productive tasks
Fluency: natural-sounding language
What are the keys to fluency?
1. phraseology
2. collocation
3. register
•the context or situation
in which you’re using a
word
• is it formal, informal,
literary…?
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Helping with productive tasks
Fluency: natural-sounding language
What are the keys to fluency?
• phraseology
• collocation
• register
•“labels” indicate the level of
formality, the kinds of text a word
is normally used in, etc
• ameliorate is like improve - but
the label says “very formal”
• knackered is like tired or
exhausted - but it’s very informal
(and British, too)
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
What’s a dictionary?
… and what is it for?
Definition of “dictionary”
from macmillandictionary.com
• It explains what words mean
• It also explains how words are
used (“uses”)
• And how you say them
(“pronunciations”)
• But there’s more…
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
What’s a dictionary?
… and what is it for?
Features
Functions
• Explains what words mean
•Receptive uses
• Explains how they’re used, and
gives pronunciations
• Thesaurus: provides synonyms and
word-sets
•what does it mean?
•Productive uses
•how does it combine, how do
you say it, is it the right
register…?
• Vocabulary building
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Vocabulary building
Helping you choose the “right” word
Thesaurus
• every word, every meaning, every
phrase links to a thesaurus
•lists close synonyms, showing
subtle differences
•OR lists all the members of a set
(e.g. trees, parts of a car, types of
furniture…)
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Using the thesaurus
Words similar to “intelligent”
• Thesaurus lists 10 alternatives, for
every word or phrase
• You can access them from any of
these words
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Vocabulary building
Helping you choose the right word
Frequency
•Macmillan’s unique “Red Words” feature
•Most frequent words shown in red: the “core”
vocabulary of English
•7500 Red Words divided into three bands
• one-star, two-star, three-star words
•three-star words = 2500 most frequent
• Less frequent words shown in black
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Vocabulary building
Helping you choose the right word
Frequency
•Macmillan’s unique “Red Words” feature
•Most frequent words shown in red: the “core”
vocabulary of English
•7500 Red Words divided into three bands
• one-star, two-star, three-star words
•three-star words = 2500 most frequent
• Less frequent words shown in black
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Vocabulary building
Helping you choose the right word
Frequency
•Macmillan’s unique “Red Words” feature
•Most frequent words shown in red: the “core”
vocabulary of English
•7500 Red Words divided into three bands
• one-star, two-star, three-star words
•three-star words = 2500 most frequent
• Less frequent words shown in black
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
What’s a dictionary?
Taking advantage of the medium
Features
Functions
• Explains what words mean
• Receptive: meaning
• Explains how they’re used, and gives
pronunciations
• Productive: use, pronunciation
• Thesaurus: synonyms and word-sets
• Vocabulary building
• Frequency information
• Extra features on website:
• Language Awareness
• games, videos, infographics
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Language Awareness
Numerous resources…
“Resources” menu
shows range
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Language Awareness
Games
Language games
• frequency game: test your knowledge
• irregular verb wheel: practise
• phrasal verbs: how they work
• More to come
• Warning: can be addictive
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Language Awareness
Infographics
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Language Awareness
Videos
Videos on YouTube channel, including
• Real Grammar series
• 10 videos on questions of grammar - plus a
quiz
• NEW SERIES: Real Vocabulary, with Scott
Thornbury
• 10 videos, and a quiz, on questions of
vocabulary
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
What’s a dictionary?
Teaching and learning materials
Features
Functions
• Explains what words mean
• Receptive: meaning
• Explains how they’re used, and gives
pronunciations
• Productive: use, pronunciation
• Thesaurus and frequency information
• Vocabulary building
• Extra features
• games, videos, infographics
• Language Awareness
• blog, BuzzWords, worksheets
and lesson plans
• Teaching and learning materials
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
What’s a dictionary?
Teaching and learning ideas
Blog
• huge, searchable archive
• posts written by experts
• wide range of topics
• language change
• linguistics
• word formation
• grammar
• common errors
• pragmatics …
• good resource for 10-minute fillers
• read, react, discuss
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
What’s a dictionary?
Teaching and learning ideas
Worksheets and lesson plans
• downloadable teaching materials
• worksheets for videos, BuzzWords
etc
• e-lesson plans
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
What’s a dictionary?
Teaching and learning ideas
Worksheets and lesson plans
• downloadable teaching materials
• worksheets for videos, BuzzWords
etc
• e-lesson plans
• lesson plans on Pragmatics
• e.g. ways of apologising,
advising, suggesting, agreeing…
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
What’s a dictionary?
All the features, and what they do
Features
Functions
• Explains what words mean
• Receptive: meaning
• Explains how they’re used, and gives
pronunciations
• Productive: use, pronunciation
• Thesaurus and frequency
information
• Vocabulary building
• Extra features
• Language Awareness
• games, videos, infographics
• Teaching and learning materials
• blog, BuzzWords, worksheets
and lesson plans
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
Macmillan Dictionary
A one-stop teaching and learning resource
www.macmillandictionary.com
Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015
The Macmillan Education Online
Conference 2015
Thank you
See you tomorrow!