Technology updating dictionary

Standards
National Council of Teachers of English
Students draw on their previous experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies and their understanding of textual features. Students adjust their use of spoken, written and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
Communication Standard 1.3
Students present information, concepts and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics. Comparisons Standard 4.1
Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.

Materials
CNNfyi.com article, "Oxford dictionary updated for Web"
Dictionaries (books, CDs, software, Internet)
Suggested time
One class period

Procedure
1. Ask students how often they use a dictionary and for what reasons. Have students identify the various kinds of dictionaries that are in use (books, CDs, software, Internet). Instruct students to check the copyright dates of dictionaries that they use to determine the ages of the dictionaries. Then ask why is a dictionary's copyright date significant? Why is it important to update dictionaries?
2. Have students read the CNNfyi.com article, "Oxford dictionary updated for Web," and ask the following questions:

4. Have students brainstorm criteria for selecting words that should be included in a future dictionary update. Next, have students use these criteria to determine which of the words remaining on the board should be included in an updated dictionary. Then have students work in parts to write their own definitions of the words that the class has selected. Have students share their definitions with the class. Ask students to compare the similarities and differences between the definitions.

Assessment
Students can determine a process for defining words based on the exercise they did in brainstorming, selecting and defining new terms. Ask them to present an argument, orally or in writing, for selecting the final definition from those generated by their classmates.

Accommodations
World languages: Ask students who are studying English as a second language to think of new words that have become common in their language. Have them determine the origins of the words Have them write definitions in their language and, if possible, explain them in English to their classmates. Also, students who are taking courses in international languages can brainstorm words that they believe are recent additions to the languages they are learning.

Challenge
Students can conduct research on words that have changed their meanings over time. How would they explain the etymology of these words? What factors influenced the evolution of the words?

Extension
Using the Web sites below and other resources, instruct students to create new words with definitions that they believe should be incorporated into the next dictionary update. Students could be assigned to generate the new words by combining roots, prefixes and suffixes.