Introduction

Dictionary is among the most essential instruments of vocabulary learning,

without which the story of vocabulary learning is hardly worth telling. The
effect of monolingual and bilingual dictionaries on the comprehension and
production of specific word types, such as abstract and actual words, are
insufficient. It is fact that different learners make use of different kinds of
dictionary for various purposes. The bilingual dictionary group had a better
performance than the monolingual dictionary group in the vocabulary
recognition test, but word type had no effect on the comprehension of new
words (Zarai and Lotfi, 2013).
The use of modern technology in the field of teaching second language
reading has been growing up. Many learning methods have shown the
importance of using computers in EFL (English as a foreign language)
reading. The benefits of multimedia instructional technology on students
reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. The use of multimedia in
foreign language classes has gained popularity as it contributes to students'
experiential learning and language achievement. Multimedia applications
have been found to enrich learners' linguistic skills by increasing their overall
language learning attitudes, self-instruction strategies, and self-confidence.
There is strong evidence that foreign language learners can improve their
perceptions, attitudes, and motivations towards language acquisition by
using multimedia applications. They can duplicate a book, an audio CD
player, a video game, a telephone, an editing studio, or even a drafting
table. More importantly, using hypermedia annotations to enhance reading
comprehension and highly beneficial because it can motivate EFL learners,
stimulates their interest, highlight the individual's needs, and reduce stress
and anxiety. Reading comprehension is the process of extracting, processing,
and retaining significant information from printed or written material.
Vocabulary is acquired clearly and absolutely through direct and indirect

experience to language as well as purposeful instruction regarding specific

words and learning strategies (Bataineh, 2014).
Vocabulary items are considered as building blocks of language
without which a message can hardly be conveyed. Students might have
knowledge of a wide range of vocabularies, which means they can recognize
the items and their meanings. Their creative use of vocabulary is normally
limited, and this is one of the areas that need greater attention. When
foreign language learners meet an unknown word, one of the possible
strategies is consulting a dictionary. There is evidence that consulting a
dictionary is found to improve vocabulary learning, and to maximize
preservation of words as well. The dispute over the kind of dictionaries to use
in the foreign language classroom has always been an on-going notorious
problem. Dictionary facilitates not only vocabulary achievement but also
comprehension of texts (Amirian et al, 2013).

The formal instruction has existed that there has been an interest in freeing
learning from the constraints of time and place. The desktop computers,
laptops, net books, and web-based applications greatly facilitated flexible
access to language learning materials. The start of hand-held computerbased devices gave rise to mobile assisted language learning as we know it
today. Mobile assisted language learning has focused on the use of five
mobile

technologies:

pocket

electronic

dictionaries,

personal

digital

assistants, mobile phones, MP3 players, and most recently ultra-portable

tablet PCs. Learning technologies include considerations of technical
specification, pedagogical design, learning theory, motivational effects,
institutional infrastructure, and teacher training. Mobile learning technologies
like multimedia, telecommunications, lexicography and other technologies
project reports as well as a few masters and doctoral dissertations. The
mobile technology used the learning area targeted, the category of learners,

their numbers, the duration of the study and learning outcomes (Burston,
2013).
Dictionaries are essential resources for learners of English in English as
a foreign language environment, providing a large amount of quality input.
Now a days technological advances, various types of digital dictionaries
have become available to them. In particular, pocket electronic dictionaries
have growing popularity among English as foreign language learners. More
and more students have been using electronic dictionaries and some
younger learners have never even used a printed dictionary. Since most of
the recent electronic dictionaries are prepared with the full contents of the
same versions of the printed dictionaries and it concerns about the quality or
quantity of information. The capacity of electronic dictionaries has increased
greatly. For example, the innovative functions of electronic dictionaries such
as a sound function, a hand writing input function, colored encyclopedias and
so on (Chiho, 2003).
The use of the computer in linguistics, as compared to the natural sciences
and engineering was a gradual process. When it comes to computer use in
lexicography distinguishes three phases: (1) computer-assisted lexicography
(2) transfer of existing paper dictionaries to an electronic medium (3)
electronic dictionaries in their own right conceived a fresh for the electronic
environment. During each of these phases dictionary makers and met
lexicographers have invented up their own version of the dictionary of the
future and in symbiosis with it the user of the future and the lexicographer of
the future. Advantages of paper dictionaries over electronic dictionaries and
vice versa will be examined in the series of lexicographic dreams. The result
of these phases provide the building blocks and terminology for the following
detailed of electronic dictionary dreams and for predictions regarding the
future of the dictionary. The term electronic dictionary can be used to refer to
any reference material stored in electronic device and that gives information
about spelling, meaning, or use of words. Technological innovation,

widespread and generalized full access to the Internet from handheld,

wireless electronic devices seems possible. Dictionaries could be able to
combine most of the strong points of both printed electronic dictionaries and
Internet dictionaries. Many of todays intranet computers are also connected
to the Internet, and more and more home computer users log on to the
Internet. In such environments the strong points of intranet dictionaries can
be combined with those of Internet dictionaries (Schryver, 2003).