The article substantiates the necessity of using explanatory dictionary in the process of teaching the Russian language to junior schoolchildren. The key aim of the present article is to determine the basic methodical principles of work with the this dictionary, which is one of the most important prerequisites for forming and developing junior schoolchildren. The article introduces types of tasks and exercises being sensitive to age and psychology features of junior schoolchildren.

Keywords: explanatory dictionary, lexical meaning of words, methods of work with dictionary, types of tasks and exercises.