Vocabulary

*Bilingual Dictionaries; Japan This article summarizes software which can help to enhance both local and specific reading skills (often done through what is known as intensive reading) and global or general reading skills (known as extensive reading). Although the use of computerized bilingual dictionaries (CBDs) and translation websites of various types does not appear to result in faster acquisition and better retention and productive activation of new target language vocabulary than what is possible for students using only bilingual book dictionaries, these findings have been limited to several hundred students studied so far. This article asserts that more research should be done on the beneficial language learning effects of using various computer assisted language learning reading software along with CBDs, especially when these are used more systematically to enhance specific essential lexical steps as recommended by the "Depth of Lexical Processing Scale. " (Contains 29 references.) (SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. o