Spelling Bee for Literacy

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Spelling Bee for Literacy RULES

A fundraising collaboration between Saint Michael’s College and the Vermont Humanities Council

 

Structure of the Competition:

1. The Spelling Bee for Literacy shall be an oral competition consisting of initial rounds and a final round. A "round" is complete when every team in that round has been given a word to spell and has attempted to spell it.

2. The spelling order of the teams will be determined prior to the Spelling Bee.

3. In the initial rounds, a team receives one point for each correctly spelled word, and no points for incorrectly spelled words. The number of initial rounds will be determined at the Spelling Bee. No team drops out in initial rounds. Advancement to the final rounds is determined by points accrued in the initial rounds (the required point total will be announced before the final rounds.)

 4. In the final rounds, a team is eliminated if it spells a word incorrectly. A new word will be given to the next team. If all of the teams who started the round misspell in a final round, they shall all be reinstated and the contest will continue.

 

 5. If all but one team misspells in a final round, that team shall be given a new word. That new word is technically a "round" in itself. If the team misspells the new word, all of the teams that misspelled in the previous round shall be reinstated and the contest will continue with further rounds until a champion is declared. If, however, the team spells the new word correctly, it shall be declared champion.

 

Spellers:

1. Contestants must be sponsored by one of the companies or agencies registered for the Spelling Bee.

2. Contestants will be entered in teams and the winner will be a team. Each team will have three contestants.

 

Spelling:

1. In each round, each team will choose a "designated speller" to stand up and spell orally. Teams may change designated speller between rounds if they choose to do so.

2. A team may deliberate briefly and ask the pronouncer to give their word's definition, part of speech, language(s) of origin, pronunciation(s), and its use in a sentence.

3. Teams have up to 1.5 minutes from the time the word is first given by the pronouncer to complete their spelling.

4. Teams may not write the words out or refer to written materials while competing.

5. Spellers may not change the letters or the order of the letters once they have uttered them as   part of the spelling of a word.  They may, however, restart spelling and repeat the letters they have already given.

6. It is a good idea, but not required, to say the word loudly and clearly before and after spelling it.

 

Words:

1. Words shall come from and be pronounced according to Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary and its Addenda Section, copyright 1993.  The pronouncer will select the definition or definitions that he or she gives.

2. Once the pronouncer has defined the listed word, no homonym of that word will be accepted as correct. If the listed word is not properly identified, either by defining it or distinguishing the homonym(s) from the word to be spelled, any correct spelling of any homonym of the word will be accepted.

 

Judges:

The judges' decision shall be final on all questions.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Rev. 10/06

 

Questions?  Contact the Vermont Humanities Council at (802) 262-2626