Contest
The Scripps National Spelling Bee offers a customizable format for organizers to use across all competition levels, from preliminary to finals.
Prelims
Registration:
- Registration is conducted online.
- Visits to schools across the UAE to encourage participation.
- Participants will be given a list of approximately 1,500 words to prepare, with the official dictionary being Merriam-Webster.
Preliminary Rounds:
- These rounds will take place at an auditorium over two weekends.
- Consist of both written and oral tests.
Written Test:
- Students will listen and write the spelling of the words.
- The test comprises 25 words, divided into three difficulty levels:
- First 10 words: Simple, 2 marks each.
- Next 10 words: Moderate difficulty, 3 marks each.
- Final 5 words: Challenging, 5 marks each.
- Total of 75 marks
Oral Test:
- Each student will be called on stage and given 2 minutes to spell two words.
- This section carries 10 marks.
Scoring and Progression:
- Total possible score: 85 marks.
- Qualifiers will be notified via email and the website.
Semi and Finals
Preparation for Semi-Finals:
- Two months of preparation time.
- Provision for external workshops to help students prepare for the semi-finals and finals at an additional cost.
The Spelling Bee Weekend:
- The semi-finals and finals will be conducted over two weekends, with a three-week gap in between.
- The exact schedule will depend on the number of shortlisted students.
Semi-Finals and Finals Structure:
- Competition format focuses solely on spelling.
- Each student will get a chance to spell two words. If both are incorrect, they are eliminated.
- The difficulty of words will increase progressively.
- The top 80 students from the semi-finals will advance to the finals.
- In the finals, the process continues until 10 finalists remain.
- In the final round, the dictionary is open, meaning any word can be asked.
- The last student standing will be declared the winner.
