A.S. Hornby Dictionary Research Awards (ASHDRA)

Each year we fund innovative research into Lexicography and dictionary use in ELT

What we do

We support innovative research into areas of lexicography and dictionary use which will build on the pioneering contributions of A.S. Hornby within the field of English language education. Each year we fund original research that aims to produce clear practical benefits for learners of English.

We give priority to new lines of enquiry which cannot be pursued without ASHDRA funding.

ASHDRA can offer funds of up to a total of £15,000. Grants can be either for a single project or shared between smaller initiatives. Previous awards have ranged from less than £1000 up to the maximum amount of £15,000.

ASHDRA awardees get the opportunity to talk about their research in presentations at the major dictionary conferences. More about these conferences here.

The application process opens in February each year.

2024 award recipients

  • Prof Alexander Black – Universidad de la Cañada (UNCA)

Zap Attack, an interactive, oral dictionary using augmented reality technology operating in English and Zapotec languages

  • Prof Ulrike Zeshan – University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN)

Bimodal-bilingual function word dictionary for English grammar games with deaf sign language users in India

2023 award recipient

  • Dai Lingzhen – Minnan Normal University

Improving dictionary skills of teacher Trainees for less resourced areas of China

2022 award recipients

  • Dr Lorna Morris – African Association for lexicography (Afrilex)

A pocket electronic bilingualised school dictionary for primary school learners in South Africa

  • Dr Priya Mathew – Centre for Academic Writing, Middle East College

A Bilingual Corpus-Based Physics Dictionary for L1 Arabic Undergraduates

Reports on completed ASHDRA projects

2022 – 2023
Integrating frame semantic resources into EFL instruction: Developing and piloting materials for enhancing learners’ metaphoric competence in EFL

Country: Greece
Lead researcher: Thomai Dalpanagioti

2021 – 2023
Dictionary literacy training for EFL teachers

Country: Hong Kong, China
Lead researcher: Amy Chi Man Lai

2021 – 2022
Piloting SemiMed – a mini semantic visualization dictionary of semitechnical medical

Country: Australia/Vietnam
Lead researcher: Chinh Ngan Nguyen Le

2020 – 2021
Supporting Chinese EFL Learners’ Dictionary Preferences

Country: United Kingdom
Lead researcher: Yan Yan Yeung

2020 – 2021
Incorporating Linguistic Landscape in a Plurilingual Dictionary to Support Students’ Translanguaging in Borneo Underdeveloped Region: a Preliminary Pilot Study

Country: Indonesia
Lead researcher: Agus Riadi

2019 – 2021
A Welcome Dictionary: refugee families using dictionary resources to support English Language Learning

Country: Northern Ireland
Lead researcher: Aisling O’Boyle

2019 – 2021
Creating plurilingual, pictorial and ‘talking’ dictionaries to support the development of plurilingual and intercultural competences in a Catalan primary school

Country: Spain
Lead researcher: Janine Knight