Abstract:
This thesis investigates the use of the dictionary versus0teacher’s help and the effect of both on vocabulary understanding during reading classes as well as the opinions of both teachers and EFL students regarding dictionary use. The study is carried on 1st and 3rd year EFL students at Ecole Normale Superieure de Bouzareah (ENSB), Algiers to test whether there is any change through time.Several aspects of dictionary use such as dictionary skills and the types of dictionaries preferred and usedare examined as part of this study.The researcher used a mixed method research design for a better understanding of the research problem. Tocollect data from students and teachers, the researcherused instrumentssuch as questionnaires and interviews as well as a reading for vocabulary field test that comprised 2 courses and 2quizzes for both 1st and 3rd year EFL students. The results of the study reveal thatthe majority of the teachersallow their students to use a dictionary during Reading Comprehension classes and that most of the teachers and students favorthe monolingual dictionary
