Any other kids out there now want to do the National Spelling Bee?

[Kay in Cal]

This was the second year my ds watched the spelling bee on TV with me, and this time it really captured his imagination. He's started asking "Language of origin?" and "Would you please use it in a sentence?" when we do our SWO pretests. He's actually a good natural speller, IMHO. We'll be halfway through SWO D at the end of 1st grade, and he doesn't miss very many words on those pretests.

 

So, does anyone here actually do competative spelling?

How would you get into it--start at what age, and where?

And how would you study to make it possible to compete in a few years?

Are there "prep books" or what?

 

Edited to add: You can now take the prelimary round test on the web site just for fun: http://www.spellingbee.com/

[Cathy in IL]

I have one of those kids. My dd is 6 and finishing K. She loves spelling and has been saying for the past year that she plans to win the National Spelling Bee one day. We are on list S of the Writing Road to Reading. She is now asking for a coach for the spelling bee.

 

There are books available through the Scripp's National Spelling Bee website. I will be watching for good ideas and responses to your question. Maybe we will meet up at a spelling bee in a few years!

[angela in ohio]

My younger dd is into spelling. I made my older dd do our local homeschool spelling bee, so that her younger sis could also be in it (though she would be too young to compete in the city bee.) Older dd made 2nd place as a 5th grader and tied for nd as a 6th grader. They study a little, but mostly she is a good speller from a good phonics program, Spelling WOrkout, Latin, and reading old quality literature. They have plenty of helps on the bee site, though.

[Annie G]

There's a company called Hexco Academic and they sell some awesome bee prep books. Valerie's spelling bee supplement is a great place to begin. They use the Scripps words but organize them to make study much easier, then they add tons of other words for kids who master the Scripps list.

For several years our homeschool group has held junior bees along with the regular bee so the younger kids can develop the spelling and competition skills. Studying a language or at least roots is helpful for kids, too.

Good luck...it's a lot of fun!

[Sara R]

My son wants to do this too, so I'll be checking out Valerie's Spelling Bee Supplement. To start out with, I've been having him go over the Spelling Plus word lists (available for free online). I figure it's a start.

[Ummsamiyah]

 

Edited to add: You can now take the prelimary round test on the web site just for fun: http://www.spellingbee.com/

 

:tongue_smilie: I didn't make it past the prelims!! LOL

[abbeyej]

Edited to add: You can now take the prelimary round test on the web site just for fun: http://www.spellingbee.com/

 

oooh, I "made it to the quarterfinals" despite missing a couple of shamefully easy ones... ;) (I got a couple of absurd ones to make up for them...)

[Mamagistra]

oooh, I "made it to the quarterfinals" despite missing a couple of shamefully easy ones... ;)

 

Ooh, me too! Me too! Now I can sleep... :tongue_smilie:

[Anne/Ankara]

We've done our local bee, and the regional bee (Western PA). It is fun! Here are two sites that might help, http://www.myspellit.com/ and http://www.spellingbee.com/studyzone.asp. Good luck!