Merriam Webster Visual Dictionary Online

Details

Activity Description

Use this online picture dictionary, which contains more than 6,000 images with audio pronunciation in 15 themes ranging from astronomy to sports and games, when teaching vocabulary to any level of ESL students.

Preparation

1. Make sure that the Web site is not blocked at your school before using it with students.
2. Set volume of computer at an adequate volume for using the audio component.
3. Preview the site to find the vocabulary you plan to teach.

How-To

1. Open the Example Web Site (above) to teach vocabulary related to a house.
2. Select a Theme in the left tool panel, an image that represents a theme, or enter a word in the text box in the top left tool panel and choose Go to.
3. When selecting a theme, choose subcategories. The result will be a diagram or image(s).
4. Select the speaker icon to hear audio pronunciation of words and terms. A pop-up window will appear. Select the speaker icon again. To close the window, choose the red X in the top right corner of the pop-up window or select the words Close Window at the bottom of the pop-up.

Teacher Tips

• You can include an image from the site on your own Web page (blog, wiki, etc.). Choose Tools for directions on embedding images on Web pages.
• There is an equivalent companion Spanish-language site with 17 themes to explore, including the human body, sciences and food.
• See also and Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and Thesaurus and Merriam Webster Learner’s Dictionary

More Ways

• Numerous realistic images are categorized in the following themes:
  • Astronomy
  • Earth
  • Plants & gardening
  • Animal kingdom
  • Human being
  • Food & kitchen
  • Clothing & articles
  • Arts & architecture
  • Communications
  • Transport & machinery
  • Energy
  • Science
  • Society
  • Sports & games
• There are also vocabulary-learning games, which include a game of the week and archives of past games.

Program Areas

• ESL: English as a Second Language

Levels

• Beginning Literacy
• Beginning Low
• Beginning High
• Intermediate Low
• Intermediate High
• Advanced
• All Levels

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