The Effectiveness and Challenges of Using Monolingual Dictionariesamong Upper-Intermediate Technical EFL Students

The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and challenges of using monolingual dictionaries among second-year technical students at the Technical Institute of Research in Basrah. Through a semi-structure interview with ۱۰ EFL students on the use of the monolingual English dictionary, participants were asked about their current skills, their perception of the importance of monolingual dictionaries, and their potential use of a monolingual English dictionary if they had good knowledge and skills. It was shown that the participants had a decent grasp of English vocabulary and using monolingual dictionary had a significant impact on Iraqi EFL learners’ reading comprehension. The study also found that participants highly valued the monolingual English dictionary for various reasons, such as clarifying word meanings, vocabulary expansion, language usage, language proficiency, self-study and autonomy, writing and communication, and as a reference for definitions. However, some participants expressed difficulties in understanding the dictionary s technical information and suggested that classes on monolingual dictionary skills could be beneficial. The study concluded that monolingual English dictionaries play a crucial role in the language learning process, and providing classes on monolingual dictionary skills could further enhance students' language proficiency.

Keywords:

Interview , Monolingual Dictionary , Bilingual Dictionary , Iraqi EFL Students , Upper-Intermediate Learners