Online dictionaries give children ads, above-level content and extra navigation; a print primary dictionary is curated for age and stage and teaches transferable skills. Teach those skills in short games, not a separate unit.
Games
- Alphabet order: Stand up if your name starts with the letter before Q.
- Running dictation with word cards → alphabetise → look up.
- Thematic grouping (rooms, animals); words that fit two groups.
- Short “language note” research tasks, illustrated for peers.
Limits
Promotional (COBUILD Primary); safety claims asserted, not tested.
Apply in my context (Claude)
- Movers/Flyers: alphabetical order and spelling are tested (Listening Part 2 spelling of names), so dictionary games double as exam prep.
Connections
Mini-books as tactile literacy · Starters to Flyers - teach through meaning, know the format