The Spelling Bee Competition has a long history of promoting healthy competition and academic excellence. If you've ever dreamed of competing in a spelling bee, watching it, or simply looking to improve your spelling and memory skills, now is a good time to start learning. Spelling bee competitions are held at school, regional, and national levels. Learning to compete in the spelling bee should be taken seriously because it is a fierce competition.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Get ready
Step 1. Get a list of words for your spelling bee
This list represents the difficulty level of the words that will be tested in spelling bee. This list serves as the basis for a personal list of words that you must learn. Keep in mind that the list is not a list of words that will definitely be tested when spelling bee.
- Your school or spelling bee organization (for example, Scripps) should provide this list.
- Remember that this list is not sufficient because it is a guide, not quiz material. Study the difficult words you can find anywhere because at the end of the competition, the spelling bee will test the words that are not on the list.
Step 2. Separate the words you don't understand
Splitting these words will give you an idea of how many words you need to learn. If you know most of the words on your list, consider increasing your spelling bee difficulty.
Step 3. Purchase the eleventh edition of the Merriam Webster Unabridged Dictionary
This dictionary is the official dictionary used by the Scripps National Spelling Bee Association. Reading dictionaries, looking up words, and memorizing official pronunciations will become a major part of your study routine.
If you don't want to buy a dictionary, you can borrow it from your local library (though it may not be the latest edition) or use the Merriam Webster website
Part 2 of 3: Practice Independently
Step 1. Pretend to write the words in the palm of your hand
This technique will build muscle memory for words that are more difficult to memorize. Like writing them down on a piece of paper, writing them in the palm of your hand can trigger you to remember the spelling of the words in the competition.
This technique is very useful because you are allowed to spell while looking at the palm of your hand on the stage during a spelling bee competition
Step 2. Learn the root of the word
Etymology is very important to understand the meaning of a word in English. If you don't know a particular word, you can often estimate its spelling based on the root of the word.
- If you don't know the word "antebellum," for example, you may be able to identify the root "ante," at the beginning of the word, and guess at the end. “Ante” means “before,” and “bellum” means war. So even if you don't know the word “bellum,” you can guess antebellum means before-something-before-the-war, in this example.
- It is important to ask about the root of the word. This information provides clues as to where the word came from – unless the word is an eponym.
Step 3. Read the dictionary
This may sound exhausting, but reading a dictionary like you're reading a novel is helpful for understanding how root words change as you go from A to Z. Reading a dictionary will expose you to a lot of words you don't know.
- Choose a section, which has five pages, at random. Observe how a word grows from previous words and notice how spelling is formed from the relationship of words and their roots.
- Choose three words at random and try to use them in a sentence after spelling them out. This will make you remember the words. This exercise can also be done using words from your list.
- Reading a dictionary is more useful than reading for pleasure because your brain will concentrate on learning words and definitions instead of complex concepts or literary concepts.
Step 4. Learn the signs or diacritics for pronunciation
Diacritics are small symbols that are placed above words in the dictionary. Studying them will help you hear how a word is officially pronounced. In English, words are often pronounced differently from what is written. So you may have memorized the spelling of a certain word, but if the announcer at the spelling bee competition pronounces it differently than you do, you may think you don't recognize the word.
“Diacritic,” for example, is written in two ways in dictionaries. The first way of showing the syllable: di·a·crit·ic. The second way shows the pronunciation: /dīəˈkridik/. These symbols tell you to emphasize the first three letters, with the main emphasis on the "i" which has a small horizontal line above it. According to these instructions, the letter “a” in “Diacritic” is pronounced like “ie.”
Step 5. Read, speak, and write independently
Read a dictionary, say the words aloud, and write them down independently. Using this method, you will form a learning experience without the distraction of other people's ideas and associations. In the end, you'll be on the spelling bee stage alone, so it's a good idea to learn the best techniques for doing this. Try using the words you've learned in everyday conversation instead of just memorizing them. This method helps both short-term and long-term memory.
Step 6. Look for words you don't know as you read
You can still read for fun while you study, but this process should be an active reading practice. Active reading means seeing the pronunciation, context, and definitions of words you don't know even if they're not on your list.
Step 7. Update your list
Once a week, erase the words that you have managed to learn. You can add new words to your list and not waste time learning the words that are already ingrained in your mind.
Step 8. Post notes with difficult words in different rooms of your house
The more you see a word, the more it sticks in your head. Replace the note after you've pasted it for a week. Practice spelling words out loud as you look at the notes for the word.
Part 3 of 3: Asking Friends to Help You
Step 1. Practice in front of friends or family
This will prepare you to appear in public. You will become forgetful when you are nervous. If you have difficulty speaking in public, practicing in front of friends or family is very important.
Talking out loud, even when you are alone, is very important. Learn your voice as you spell and you'll feel more confident in your abilities
Step 2. Ask a friend to help you test with words you don't know
Have friends or family test you using difficult words that they sometimes use themselves. This method will alert your mind and test your ability to use root-identification and pronunciation methods to spell words you don't know.
Step 3. Attend a spelling bee with someone
Attending a competition can give you an idea of the competition you will enter. Friends and family may notice things you're missing. So, bringing other people to watch the spelling bee competition will benefit you.
If you can't attend a spelling bee competition, the internet has plenty of videos for you to watch
Step 4. Take a break every 30 minutes
When you study too much, you will get sleepy or feel bored. Make sure you stretch, talk to a friend, or go for a walk between studies.
Tips
- If you're in a competition and encounter a homophone, don't ask for the definition of the word. You will misspelling if you choose the wrong word. If you don't ask for the definition of the word, you can spell any word.
- Use any assistive devices permitted in the spelling bee competition. You can ask for alternative pronunciation (if any), definition, origin, usage in one sentence, and repetition.
- While studying, use a lotion with a certain scent or other scented product. On the day of the competition, use the same lotion. This scent will serve as a memory trigger and help you remember the words you have learned more easily.
- Every day, only spell 10-15 words. Don't be in a hurry, this is not a race!
