Can dictionary consultation during reading be improved?

Abstract

While many ELT websites continue to promote contextual guessing as the preferred strategy for understanding unfamiliar words, there is limited evidence that this practice outperforms dictionary use for vocabulary comprehension. Moreover, nowadays, learners reading from their screens can instantly access definitions through search bars or clickable text, even without leaving the page they are reading. Despite these lexicographic advances, there is room for better integration of dictionaries with reading. This study examines the effectiveness, efficiency, and usability of Reverso, a new dictionary designed to support reading comprehension. 32 undergraduates in Spain completed a reading-comprehension quiz using either the Reverso Chrome extension or Oxford Learner¿s Dictionaries online (chosen as a benchmark). Performance was evaluated through measures of task completion time (efficiency), accurate word meaning selection (effectiveness), and responses to a standardised usability questionnaire. Both tools were effective. However, Reverso users completed tasks more efficiently and rated the tool slightly higher in usability, suggesting it is a less disruptive and more user-friendly aid for vocabulary consultation during reading.

Comunicació presentada al EuroCALL 2025 - Advancing CALL: new research agendas, celebrada a Milà(Itàlia) del 27 al 30 d'agost de 2025.