I loved seeing how many great videos TedTalks offers to teachers. The first one I watched was called "Redefining the Dictionary" by Erin McKean (lexicographer-- what a cool job!). As a former language arts teacher, I would battle with students to use a paper dictionary. Of course, they argued that they should just use their computer. Part of me agreed, but the other part of me felt like the practice of using an actual dictionary is valuable. It requires more thought and PATIENCE, which is something I feel middle schoolers don't appreciate.
Erin McKean is funny, witty, and made several interesting points. She said that computers offer "speed" that paper dictionaries don't. However, online dictionaries "are paper thrown up on the screen." She suggested the power of improving "search-ability." She added some unique thoughts about words like, "Love makes words real," and believes that if a word is in the dictionary, it doesn't necessarily make it "real." I disagree, but I can't think outside the box like she can! She thinks we should change the way we interact with our language. Did you know that there are 33 numbered definitions for the word set?
She concluded with suggesting that paper dictionaries will soon be viewed as a thing of the past. I had a feeling we were heading in that direction, but I'm not ready to see our language as abstractly as she does. This TedTalk made me think of words differently, and how we interact with them.
I looked up her online dictionary called Wordnik http://www.wordnik.com
I really liked it! It helped me see what she was talking about in the video -- how dictionaries should "interact" more in our search for meaning of words. Plug in a word into the search box and see what you get. Some of the sentence examples are pretty funny! It's great to see a lexicographer use such great humor.
I can't remember the last time I cracked open a paper dictionary. It does make me sad to think that many of the tools of research that I grew up with are so quickly becoming archaic, such as dictionaries and encyclopedias. I, too, worry about children's ability to develop patience in a world full of instant gratification...
ReplyDeleteThere is so much to gain from technology at times, but in the process we lose the charming dedication it takes to open the dictionary and find a word we do not understand. I fear this convenience of quick information. I agree that students do not understand the patience it takes to look up words in the dictionary or to research a topic using an encyclopedia. I wish there was a way to incorporate the ability to have current information while also teaching patience of looking and researching a given topic.
ReplyDeleteMolly, I watched this video too. It was very witty. I agree that I'm torn between the ease of online and the "old-fashioned" paper dictionary. When we learned that our 5th graders were going to have their own laptop we thought we'd clear the paper dictionaries our of our rooms. In the end we all kept a few paper ones on the shelf, just in case. I don't know if they'll ever get used. I also disagreed with her saying just because a word is in the dictionary that doesn't make it real. Of course it's real. Just because I may not love the word, doesn't mean someone else doesn't. I will check out her online dictionary.
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