WHAT SHOULD I STUDY TO BETTER PREPARE FOR MY SPELLING BEE?
After working with hundreds and hundreds of spellers for over thirty years, we are commonly asked by new spellers entering these competitions, "What should I study?" First and foremost, remember that you have to get through the first few rounds of the bee before you can get to the last rounds, so the more ordinary words you know, the better your chances are at staying in the game longer. Basic vocabulary words are just as important as the more esoteric and difficult words, especially when you are just entering the realm of spelling bees. Work on having a good spelling foundation comprised of practical and useful words before you start seriously tackling the arcane words.
The following links explain the ins-and-outs of the bees leading up to the National Spelling Bee and may include product recommendations for those who wish to expand their study beyond the dictionary. Remember that effective use of printed products often means that a parent or coach must 'call out' words to quiz a student regularly. This will help both the student and parent or coach to be able to ascertain whether words are being committed to memory. To assist in this effort, our eMentor spelling products also contain audio pronunciations to help students and families study methodically and know the correct pronunciations of words that may be difficult to decipher when reading from the dictionary. Best of luck!
Quick links on what to study:
- School & Classroom Bees
- District/County/Region/State Bees
- National Spelling Bee
- Word List Products
- Language Aptitude Products
- Statistics on Hexco Products