Spelling bee

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the Psych episode, see Spellingg Bee.

A spelling bee at Jhenaidah Cadet College, with a speller addressing a table of judges from a stage filled with contestants

A spelling bee is a competition in which contestants are asked to spell a broad selection of words, usually with a varying degree of difficulty. The concept is thought to have originated in the United tates, !"# and spelling bee events, along with variants, are now also held in some other countries around the world which use imperfect writing systems. The first winner of an official spelling bee was $rank %euhauser, who won the "st %ational pelling &ee in'ashington, (.C. in ")*+ at age eleven.!*#!,#
Contents
!hide#

o o o o o o o o

" -tymology * .istory , /n other countries ,." Asia ,.* Africa ,., Australia ,.0 &angladesh ,.+ Canada ,.1 2uwait ,.3 4akistan ,.5 United Arab -mirates

o o o o o

,.) United 2ingdom 0 U %ational spelling bee + chool spelling bees 1 /n popular culture 1." /n television 1."." $ictional television episodes 1.* /n film 1., /n theatre 1.0 /n literature 3 ee also 5 6eferences

-tymology!edit#
.istorically the word bee has been used to describe a get7together where a specific action is being carried out, like a husking bee, a 8uilting bee, or an apple bee. /ts etymology is unclear but possibly derived from the 9ld -nglish word bn, meaning prayer.!0#!+#

.istory!edit#
:Cousin 6eginald pells 4eloponnesus.: ;%orman 6ockwell, ")"5<

The earliest known evidence of the phrase spelling bee in print dates back to "5+=, although an earlier name, spelling match, has been traced back to "5=5.!1# A key impetus for the contests was %oah 'ebster>s spelling books. $irst published in "351 and known collo8uially as :The &lue7backed peller,: 'ebster>s spelling books were an essential part of the curriculum of all elementary school children in the United tates for five generations. %ow the key reference for the contests is the ?erriam7'ebster unabridged dictionary. The United tates %ational pelling &ee was started in ")*+ by The Courier-Journal, the newspaper of @ouisville, 2entucky. /n ")0", the cripps .oward %ews ervice ac8uired sponsorship of the program, and the name changed to the cripps .oward %ational pelling &ee ;later simply : cripps %ational pelling &ee:<. As well as covering the += U. . states, several competitors also come from Canada, the &ahamas, %ew Aealand and -urope.

/n the United tates, spelling bees are annually held from local levels up to the level of the cripps %ational pelling &ee which awards a cash priBe to the winner. The %ational pelling &ee is sponsored by -nglish7language newspapers and educational foundationsC it is also broadcast on - 4%. ince *==1, the %ational pelling &ee>s championship rounds have been broadcast on A&C live. /n *==+, contestants came from the &ahamas, Jamaica, Duam, the U. . Eirgin /slands, American amoa, Canada, %ew Aealand, 4uerto 6ico and a Derman military base, as well as the United tates. This was the first year that spellers from Canada and %ew Aealand attended the competition. The final authority for words is the ?erriam7'ebster unabridged dictionary, the Webster s Third !e" #nternational $ictionary. The annual study list is available from cripps, either online or in print. The %ational enior pelling &ee started in Cheyenne, 'yoming in "))1. ponsored by the 'yoming AA64, it is open to contestants += and older. ?aria (awson is the only contestant to ever win two back7 to7back titles at the %ational enior pelling &ee. The outh Asian pelling &ee is another spelling bee platform in the U . This annual contest takes place across the U each summer in search of the neFt outh Asian7American spelling champ between the ages of 5 and "0 years old. @aunched in *==5, the outh Asian pelling &ee will tour "= U cities in *="" and is broadcast globally via the satellite channel, ony -ntertainment Television Asia.

/n other countries!edit#
Asia!edit#
/n Asia, a spelling bee is being conducted up to the international level by ?a66 pelling &ee. The competition involves learning the correct spelling of words, their use in sentences and in multiple conteFts.!3# Currently, it is being held in /ndia, Abu (habi, Ajman, &ahrain, (ubai, $ujairah, 6as7al7 2haima, harjah, and Umm7Al7Guwain.!5# Also in &ahrain, an annual spelling bee contest named pellbound &ahrain is been conducted for the school children by 2--%0, an association of 2erala -ngineers. /n Taiwan, the %ational pelling &ee Championship is a contest held by &ugstation.tv for young -nglish learners. Thousands of young applicants join this contest each year. Another organisation that promotes the love of the -nglish language is .oriBons Unlimited, which in *="" organiBed an /ndia pelling &ee contest for children in the southern state of 2erala in /ndia.

Africa!edit#
/n Africa, spelling bee is promoted by a company Dift 4eople @imited, which currently organiBes the Annual %ational pelling &ee contest for children between the age of 3 and "0 in -gypt. This effort commenced in *==5 when the first %ational finals was held inCairo. /t is popularly referred to as 4-@@/TH in 2enya at a school called 6usinga, their annual speling bee contest is between the team houses. their is one called st.john, st.luke, st.mathew and st.mark.

Australia!edit#
/n 'estern Australia, a spelling bee is held by the tate @ibrary $oundation of 'estern Australia, for children in school years +, 1, 3 and 5. The early stages of the competition are held online, and the final spell7off in front of a live audience.!)# Two major priBes are awardedI one for a Junior 'inner ;Jears +71< and the other for a enior 'inner ;Jears 375<. $urther priBes are given to the teacher and school class of each major priBe winner, and to the most improved speller each week. !"=#

Bangladesh!edit#
&angladesh>s most renowned -nglish daily, the (aily tar and Champs*".com ;httpIKKwww.champs*".comK<, is organiBing ;as of ?arch *="*< a televised spelling bee for students from &engali and -nglish medium backgrounds, who compete through an online system with the winners making it through to the television show. The competition is the first such arrangement in rapidly developing &angladesh. The champion will be rewarded with five hundred thousands and a trip to 'ashington, the city of spelling bee. %ow &angladeshi students are having a spelling revolution. &ecause of such initiative, the curiosity of learning -nglish has spread out in the whole country.

Canada!edit#
The Postmedia Canspell !ational Spelling Bee is the only cripps affiliated Canadian spelling bee held annually nationwide in Canadasince *==+. The bee is affiliated with the United tates7based cripps %ational pelling &ee and uses similar rules and word lists, and competes in all "= Canadian provinces to provide a Canadian %ational Champion for the penultimate cripps competition. /t should not be confused with another organiBation, calling itself the pelling &ee of Canada, which started in ")53 in Toronto, 9ntario, and is now celebrating its *+th anniversary, and hosting a Canadian /nvitational &ee in *="*, as well as organiBing 4rovincial &ees across Canada, and the world.

Kuwait!edit#
/n the school year *==57*==), Mrs. Wijdan Alawadhi ;-nglish (epartment .ead< L Mrs. Mona Yeahia ;-nglish Teacher< started the spelling bee contest in ?ubarak al72abir -ducational Area ;its one of the biggest 2uwaiti Dovernorates< they started the contest as an eFperimental contest in Thabet &in Aaid 4rimary chool for &oys, started within the school with the fourth and fifth grade. /t was a successful eFperiment which was faced with a lot of appreciation from Mrs. Aisha AlAwadhi, -@T enior upervisor!""# supervision. $or that they decided to hold the competition among the whole educational area ;?ubarak Al72abeer -ducational area<. /n *="=7*="", the contest was held with *3 schools ;"* schools for boys and "+ for girls 7 around *3== pupils<. -ach school nominated a pupil from the fifth grade to participate. /n *="*7*=",, a big support from ?ubarak Al72abir -ducational Area, all of the primary schools were invited to the pelling &ee finals after the big success of the contest. /t becomes officially an authoriBed contest in ?ubarak Al72abeer -ducational Area ;2uwaiti pelling &ee< in 2uwait.

Pakistan!edit#
/n 4akistan, the spelling bee competition is promoted by (awn, and it happens every year in 9ctober. There are three states district, regional and national. %ational is held in /slamabad.

United Arab !irates!edit#

ylvan @earning Center, a supplemental education organiBation from the United tates, has organiBed an annual competition for (ubai, Abu (habi and harjah7area schools. The ylvan pelling Challenge is held annually in (ecember and $ebruary for students in grades ,75. The ylvan competition eFpects to attract nearly ",=== participants from ,= schools in its inaugural year. Abu (habi University sponsors the largest pelling &ee in the United Arab -mirates, attracing students from both public and private institutions for the past three years. The Abu (habi University pelling &ee is heralded as the most challenging and well7known spelling competition in the United Arab -mirates.

United Kingdo!!edit#

There were reports in newspapers of spelling bees held in "531 in a number of &ritish towns. ?ore recently, in the United 2ingdom a spelling bee for schools is run by The Times newspaper. /t was started in *==).

U %ational spelling bee!edit#

%ain article& Scripps !ational Spelling Bee erious spelling bee competitors in the United tates will study affiFes and etymologies, and often foreign languages from which -nglish draws, in order to spell challenging words. everal preparatory materials have been published, including some in connection with the cripps %ational pelling &ee and those created by independent organiBations not related to cripps. $or the first several decades of publication, the cripps annual study booklet was named Words o' the Champions, which offered ,,=== words in a list separated into beginning, intermediate L eFpert groupings. /n the mid7"))=s the annual study list changed to Paideia;from the Dreek word meaning education and culture<, which ultimately contained more than 0,"== words, then again in *==1 to the shorter list, entitled Spell #t(, the *==) edition having ""++ words ;)"" basic words and *00 challenge words<. The Consolidated Word )ist, also published by cripps and available on the %ational pelling &ee website, consists of all words used in the %ational &ee as far back as ")+=. /t is organiBed into three sectionsI 'ords Appearing /nfre8uently, 'ords Appearing with ?oderate $re8uency, and 'ord Appearing $re8uently. %early 5== pages and *0,=== words long, the Consolidated Word )ist is intended for those who have mastered the basics and already gone through Spell #t(. pelling bee participants in the United tates also use other reference books, notably the .eFco Academics series of spelling books, which feature strategies, methods and lists to further develop spelling skills. Tutoring materials are also becoming available on the web.

chool spelling bees!edit#

U pelling bee students usually start competition elementary schools ;primary schools< or middle schools. Classes compete against other classes in the same grade, or level, and the winning class is determined by the score of each class. 9n an individual level, school spelling bees determine which child will represent his or her school at district, state and national competitions.

/n popular culture!edit#
"n tele#ision!edit#
A &ritish television show called Spelling Bee, featuring adult contestants and broadcast by the &&C on ," ?ay "),5, is generally held to have been the world>s first television game show.!"*# The Price #s *ight features a pricing game called : pelling &ee: which is played for a car and the object of the game is to spell :car:. A game show on the former &lack $amily Channel cable network, Thousand $ollar Bee engaged children in a spelling bee7like competition.!",#!"0#

The *==0 game show The +reat ,merican Celebrity Spelling Bee featured four teams of four celebrities playing for charity. The show was hosted by John 9>.urley, and help for the celebrities was provided by cripps %ational pelling &ee participant amir 4atel.

$ive episodes of the - 4% show Cheap Seats presented and satiriBed the taped television coverage of the "))0, "))+, "))1, and "))3 cripps %ational pelling &ees.

The %&C game show The Singing Bee is like a spelling bee but instead of spelling words, contestants have to identify lyrics to popular songs.

: pelling &ee,: a Saturday !ight )i-e comedy sketch in which 'ill $orte>s character delivers a 3+7 letter misspelling of the word :business: that includes "* consecutive 8>s

pell7?ageddon A spelling bee contest was sponsored by &raBilian TE host @uciano .uck, on his weekly show called Caldeir.o do /uc0, since *==3.

$ictional tele#ision episodes!edit#

:The 9ne 'ith The @ate Thanksgiving:, an episode of Friends in which 6achel lies to 6oss, saying that she took part in a spelling bee :/>m pelling as $ast as / Can:, an episode of the animated television series The Simpsons : pelling &ee:, an episode of The Proud Family :Aliens:, an episode of *oseanne : pellingg &ee:, an episode of Psych : pelling &ee:, an episode of the animated television series /ey ,rnold( :The 4rofessor:, an episode of %y !ame is 1arl :.ooked on ?onkey $onics:, an episode of South Par0 : pelling &ee:, an episode of ,ccording to Jim : pellbound:, an episode of Full /ouse :Arthur>s pelling Trubble:, an episode of ,rthur 2T3 series4 : ick (ays L pelling &ees:, an episode of !ed s $eclassi'ied School Sur-i-al +uide :The pelling &ee:, an episode of %r. Bel-edere :%either a &orrower not a peller &ee:, an episode of The Suite )i'e o' 5ac0 6 Cody : pelling Applebee>s:, an episode of $ra"n Together

:The pelling &ee:, an episode of the C&C series The *ed +reen Sho" :'ar of the 'ords:, an episode of Frasier :The (am:, an episode of $r. 7uinn, %edicine Woman :Tales of a Third Drade %othing: and :?r. Driffin Does to 'ashington:, episodes of the animated series Family +uy

/n :The %ame of the Dame:, an episode of the drama +rey s ,natomy, (r. hepherd and (r. &ailey treat a 3th grade regional spelling champion, making him spell words in order to both reduce his anFiety during awake brain surgery and test his cognitive function during the procedure.

:Chris> &rain tarts 'orking:, an episode of +et a )i'e :The &ee:, an episode of The %iddle /n the b7story of :&lack 'idows:, the fifteenth episode of Totally Spies, am competes in the &everly .ills .igh chool spelling bee against ?andy, the archrival of her and her two best friends, Clover and AleF.

"n fil!!edit#
The ")1) animated film , Boy !amed Charlie Bro"n The ")51 A&C TE7movie The +irl Who Spelled Freedom, about a Cambodian immigrant girl who competes in spelling bees.!"+# The "))0 film Billy %adison The *==* Academy Award7nominated documentary, Spellbound, featured eight competitors in the "))) cripps %ational pelling &ee. A scene in the *==0 movie %ean +irls shows a girl spelling the word >Fylocarp.> The *==" novel Bee Season and its *==+ film adaptation The *==1 film ,0eelah and the Bee where a young girl from outh @os Angeles tries to make it to the %ational pelling &ee. The *=", film Bad Words directed by Jason &ateman.

"n theatre!edit#
1leemosynary, a "))5 play by @ee &lessing, uses the spelling bee as a key story element. The 89th ,nnual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a *==+ musical by 'illiam $inn.

"n literature!edit#

A novel Bee Season, in which -liBa %aumann participates in the final of the national pelling &ee. A spelling bee features as pioneer family entertainment in )ittle To"n on the Prairie by @aura /ngalls 'ilder, in which 4a >spells down> the whole town.

The "535 &ret .arte poem The Spelling Bee at ,ngels describes a spelling contest held at a California gold mining camp.

A character in The Phantom Tollbooth, a novel by %orton Juster, is named the pelling &ee.

ee also!edit#